And the proofs were no less clear and undeniable ; there were the remains of the pa, and there were also the clean-picked bones of the original owners of Te Aroha, bleaching in the sun and rain. Tamati Waka, however, like a distinguished rahgatira, considered it beneath his

dignity to contest his claim, so long as the miserable and enslaved remnants of the defunct and devoured did not put on any airs, or endeavour to assert their " mtina " over the block. 13ut this does not exhaust the list of claimants. The Ngatiluuias of Tamahere also claimed through their ancestors, and, to cap the complications, Tawhiao declared that all the previous claimants wore usurpers, and that he himself was lord of the manor. Under these circumstances, the ingenuity of the Native Office shone out in all its brilliancy. After lengthy negotiations it was finally arranged that the Thames natives should receive £2000, Te Wheoro's party £SSO, and the Tamahere natives £1250. At the last meeting between the late Sir Donald 1 McLean and Tawhiao, it was hinted by the former that the sum of £500 would be forthcoming in. consideration of Tawhiao's relinquishing his claim, but that potentate did not appear to be at all anxious to come to terms. It may be mentioned here that at one stage of the affair two opposing parties of natives, numbering each nearly 400, and fully armed, were in occupation of the Te Aroha block, and that a collision was only prevented by the exertions of Mr Commissioner Kemp and others. Such is a brief outline of the history of the Te Aroha block. ' With regard to the latest phase of the complication, the block ading of the river by the hostile Ohinemuri and Te Aroha natives, it is not only the question of reserves that forms the ground of discontent. The Te Aroha natives are dissatisfied with their proportion of the pur chase money. Under a pernicious system of making advances upon blocks in the shape of goods, which is analagous to " truck," they—and others whose claims are questionable—received_ considerable quantities of blankets, frying pans,- and other domestic utensils, winch attracted their faucy at tha time. 