and local chiefs, had the foresight to implement a plan that might effect a cession of land that was more in keeping with their own objectives.

In accordance with the Ministers’ instructions, the location of a contiguous area to make up the quarter retained by the Crown was discussed during this later meeting held by Clarke. A specific block was actually proposed, which was, in Clarke’s words, ‘that portion of Tauranga between the rivers Waimapu, on the south, and Te Wairoa on the north’.¹² ‘The Natives’, observed Clarke, in a short memo written for Fox, ‘took exception to the proposition’ and rejected it.¹³ Those who were at the meeting – Clarke did not specify who attended – reiterated their position taken at the public meeting: ‘they unanimously declined to adopt any other course other than to leave the entire settlement of their lands to His Excellency the Governor’.¹⁴ Nonetheless, the Ministers’ plan to ‘induce’ the ‘Natives’ to ‘give up some specific block of land’ was not completely thwarted. Another proposal – to purchase all the land held ‘north of Te Puna’, for which three shillings per acre would be paid – was duly accepted by those at the meeting instead.¹⁵

Grey left Tauranga for Auckland in the HMS Miranda the day after the two official meetings. Fox and Whitaker, however, stayed on, taking a trip in the Sandfly the day after Grey’s departure, which the Daily Southern Cross’ correspondent reported as follows:

In accordance with an agreement made with the leading chiefs who had surrendered, they were on Monday taken on a trip in the ‘Sandfly’ in the direction of Te Puna, and the patches of land pointed out to them where they would permitted to plant their seed potatoes promised to them by his Excellency the Governor, in order that the prodigals who had thus returned repentant might start life afresh. … There were … between 20 and 30 natives, whose presence was required to point out the boundaries of the Tauranga district, as belonging to the Ngaiterangi tribe. The steamer proceeded in the direction of Te Puna river, skirting the banks of the island, known generally as Rangiwaea, from the settlement of that name, and formed by the mouth of the harbour, the river Wairoa and the Katikati. It is of considerable extent, and several native settlements exist upon it, amongst which are Oponui, Opureora, and Matakana, with several pas. A great part of the island is said to be formed of sandhills; but there are exceedingly fertile patches well known by the natives, and portions of which they will be allowed to cultivate. They will also have settlements on the island of

¹² Clarke to Mantell, 23 June 1865, AJHR 1867, A-20, p. 12.

¹³ Clarke to Fox, 7 August 1864, AJHR 1867, A-20, p. 12.

¹⁴ Clarke to Fox, 7 August 1864, AJHR 1867, A-20, p. 7.

¹⁵ Clarke to Mantell, 23 June 1865, AJHR 1867, A-20, p. 12.