The Treaty Era

• Treaty relations with the Crown(Tepludaquan)
• no cession or surrender of land
• nothing about land ownership

The Royal Proclamation

• Crown must obtain Indian consent to take land

Settlers trespass on Richibucto Indians land

Chiefs write letter regarding trespass

Even settlers complain of trespass on behalf of Indians

Colony creates reserve of 51,200 acres for “Richibucto Tribe of Indians”

Map of reserve from Surveyor General to Powell shows reserve is 51,200 acres

Immigrants start arriving in large numbers. They want uncultivated lands, colonial officials were very sympathetic

Chiefs write to officials about trespassers on their
lands and on the river

Chiefs write to officials requesting survey of land

Thomas Powell involvement begins; wrote letters to officialsre Indians

• Misleads the Indians and tells them that they need to get the lands in their own names or the government will give their lands away

Indians wrote saying Powell lied to them, and went before Shediac Justice of the Peace to claim they had been deceived by Powell’s lies

Illegal taking of land by Colony

• From NB Executive Council Minutes Feb. 25. 1874:
  “Ordered that a reserve be made for the use of the Richibucto Indians on the north side of the Richibucto River, extending from upper line of the Grant to William Harley opposite to Paul’s Island to the lower line of Reserve No. 9 opposite … Island and to include two miles to the rear from the River – Saving the Reserves already made for the use of the Crown.”

Other Indian lands misused

• Squatters not paying rent
• Land sale proceeds not made