that she has received for her interest is the £4 referred to in her letter; that she did not receive directly or indirectly, or participate in any way in some of the large payments that were made by Mr James Mackay to certain members of the Ngatikoi tribe (to which this woman partly belongs), such payments in most cases not being made in cash but (as stated by the claimant) were debts that had been incurred by these people with storekeepers and at public houses, and which were afterwards liquidated by Mr Mackay and charged against the Gold Field, and in nearly all cases these debts were entirely personal matters and belonged exclusively to those Natives who contracted them; that for enquiries made I find that this woman from her abstemious habits and frugal way of living is not likely to have had any share in incurring these debts, neither can I find out from enquiry of others that she was in any way connected with them or with any previous money payments that have been made to some of her people in the Ohinemuri Block. I have therefore to report that I consider her claim for further payment to be a good one and worthy of consideration. On my asking her as to what sum she now claimed as a further payment, she replied that the law having fixed the quantity of acres that she was entitled to, that she should now receive payment for the same according to law, meaning that she should get the balance of money due on her shares at the rate of 5/- per acre after deducting the £4 already had.
I may state, as I believe I have already stated in previous letters and memos) that although a good many fictitious claims are being made for further payment on this Ohinemuri Block, there are to my knowledge a few claims that are, with this one, equally worthy of consideration.65
At the end of March 1881 Wilkinson was apparently instructed to reach a final settlement with Merea Wikiriwhi, as he telegraphed that
Have seen the woman Merea Wikiriwhi about a final settlement of her claim over the Gold Field, and she is willing to accept £60. The total value of her interests is £78–12–6d, and she had £2 [sic] when she signed the deed.66
But he was told in reply that
Merea Wikiriwhi's claim should be settled. £50 is a fair sum to give her, and you may pay her this taking receipt in full settlement of her claim over lands.67
(v) Ngati Koroke
In September 1880 a Thames solicitor acting for the Ngati Koroke hapu asked for a statement of receipts and expenditure connected with the Crown purchase of those Ohinemuri blocks which had been awarded to them.
Mr GT Wilkinson, Native Agent here, is endeavouring to come to a settlement with these Natives and to negotiate the sale of their interest in the Goldfields, but the Natives repudiate any liability with regard to the advance of £16,000 on the field, on the ground that their hapu never received any portion of the advance or in any way derived any benefit therefrom, and they strongly object to any deductions being made from monies payable to them to liquidate this advance of £16,000. Besides which the Natives do not know on what principle Mr Wilkinson comes to offer them the sum he does. By furnishing [me] with the statement asked for together with information as to what advances have been made, and on what account they have been received, and by whom, I shall feel obliged, and as the Natives will not do anything without my
65 Land Purchase Officer Thames to Under Secretary Native Land Purchase Department, 3 February 1881. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1881/246. Supporting Papers #B36.109–110.
66 Telegram Land Purchase Officer Thames to Under Secretary Native Land Purchase Department, 28 March 1881. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1881/246. Supporting Papers #B36.III.
67 Telegram Under Secretary Native Land Purchase Department to Land Purchase Officer Thames, 30March 1881. Maori Affairs Head Office file MLP 1881/246. Supporting Papers #B36.112.
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