Chapter I: Government Policy and Maori Reaction, 1880–1890

then gone through the court as Ohinemuri no. 20 in 1884. The Crown-granted reserves and Ohinemuri no. 20 remained largely untouched, at this stage, but it may be briefly noted here, that much of this area was also purchased over the next ten years as another 19,557 acres (mostly in no. 20) transferred into the hands of the Crown.28 These sales were required, in part, to pay the costs of fighting out title in court. The land purchase officer of the time, Gilbert Mair, reported in 1894, for example, that Ngati Koi were in 'such want of money for Court fees' that he would be able to acquire shares in the reserve in no. 17 at a lower price than had been previously possible.29 Other blocks, Otuturu 2, Waiomu 1 and 2, and Waikawau North were also sold in order to pay for the costs of the Ohinemuri hearings. It will be seen in following chapters, that the Government, for its part, became increasingly willing to acquire 'reserved' areas in the 1870s, as part of an effort to bring 'idle' Maori lands into production and settlement.

Up until the late 1870s, Crown agents had readily paid deposits on blocks, and almost all offers of land had been accepted. Now, the Government acted with more circumspection, but it remained willing, whenever costs permitted, to further the wishes of the local European community even though this would mean the loss of the most valuable lands left to Maori. Despite general retrenchment, the Crown would pursue new purchases if some 'urgency' was perceived—if lands were seen to have some particular value, most usually in terms of their sub-surface attributes, or for a public works or development project. Public bodies and local settler communities played an important role in prompting Government interest in Hauraki lands on these grounds. Thus, Mangakirikiri South 3A block (409 acres) was purchased at the suggestion of the Thames local politicians since it held the only unpolluted waters suitable for the domestic and drinking purposes of the borough. Waiu (eight acres) was purchased in 1879–1880 at the request of the Thames County Council as a source of metal, and in order to satisfy Maori who were unwilling to allow the county road to be taken through while the block remained in their hands. The Native Land Court had entered restrictions against alienation in the title in 1873 because evidence had been given that the block was a wahi tapu. These were, however, removed by the Governor once the purchase had been fully arranged for £125.30

(b) Te Aroha hot springs and township

The Crown also acquired the long-valued hot springs and surrounding lands at Te Aroha.31 The circumstances of the first transaction by which the 20 acre block containing the hot springs transferred into the Government's hands are not entirely cleat Certainly local politicians were concerned that the springs be obtained, the Mayor of Thames requesting Sheehan to instruct Mackay to reserve the area as public property.32 As a result of the following negotiations which finalised the purchase of Te Aroha block in

28 These figures have been calculated on the data provided in Alexander, The Hauraki Tribal Lands, Part 3.

29 Mair to Chief Land Purchase Officer, 20 November 1894. MA MLP 1920/31. Cited in Alexander, The Hauraki Tribal Lands, Part 3, p. 99.

30 See Alexander, The Hauraki Tribal Lands, Part 2.

31 For legends associated with the springs, see Ernest Bush, 'Te Aroha Mountain of Love', Te Ao Hou, 76, 1975, pp. 62–63.

32 Thames Advertiser, 20 August 1878.

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