Land Commissioners Office Wellington 14 March 1853. Sir, I have received your letter of the 25 ult. respecting the occupation of a piece of land claimed by Te Nahu as a desirable place the position of which you describe for the storage of the settlers wool at Ahuriri. I shall be glad to give any assistance I can towards carrying out your wishes as the object you have in view would be beneficial to the settlers generally but of course as no permission to squat on Native lands can be granted it would be necessary that the Govt. should in the first place purchase the land you require and then it might be transferred to you on such reasonable terms as could be hereafter agreed upon. With reference to the latter part of you letter requesting a written permission to squat; I have to inform you that the authorities here cannot grant such a permission on Native lands, until they are ceded to the Crown, as such a proceeding would be a direct violation of the "Native Land Purchase Ordinance Sess. 7. No. 19" --- and bearing in mind the necessity of your undertaking I shall endeavour to assist you in effecting some arrangement when I next visit Ahuriri. I have the honor to be Sir, Your most obt. servant, Donald McLean. Land Commissioner. Mr. J. Grindell.