New Plymouth Sep 27/70 My dear Sir The Provincial Secretary came to my office this morning with a lettler of the Manutahi district to speak to me about a road they wanted to make, and wanted to know if the Huirangi Town Belt was available for use as compensation for roads taken out of private property. Every allotment in the district has a road frontage as you may see by looking at the map, and although I have taken none of the Huirangi Town Belt for the Natives, you may yet find it necesaary to use it for satisfying native discontent about the want of land in that part. I told the Provincial Secretary that it was a question I could not answer, when he said he would write to the Govt. and my object in writing to you is merely to put on your guard when the application is made, should you consider it necessary to retain the unappropriated balance of the spoil for the purpose I have suggested. Yours very truly R. Parris. The Natives are craving some beer, do you approve of their having a cask. W. King says he is very thirsty and wants to taste the liquor he was once accustomed to. R. Parris.