Enclosure 2 in No. 12. Government House, Auckland, April 7,1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 283, 15 April 1848, Page 4

Enclosure 2 in No. 12. Government House, Auckland, April 7, 1847.

Sir, — In reference to a letter which was addressed to you by the Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company upon the 25th ultimo, on the subject of the recent purchases of land by ihe Government, including Wairau and the Forirua district, I have to request

that you will inform Colonel Wakefield that I will, by the earliest opportunity, transmit a copy of his letter to Lord Grey, in order that Her Majesty's Government may be able to decide upon the several questions which he has raised. At the same time, I think it right to state, that I have never wished to render the New Zealand Company liable for the payment of large sums of money for the districts recently acquired by the Government. I should think that the quantity of land selected by the Company would probably form but a small portion of the district recently acquired, and that, consequently, the proportionate payment required from them could not be large ; but under any circumstances, I have no wish that the New Zealand Company's Agent should acquiesce in the arrangement I have made ; it is in his power to decline, in any way, to recognise it until the opinion of the Company has been received. I can only say that I have, at a great expense of care, anxiety, and trouble, made the best arrangement which, under all the circumstances of the case, it was in my power to conclude ; that I hoped, in so doing, I had concluded an arrangement which would have promoted the interests of the Company's settlers and of the colony generally ; and that if Colonel Wakefield thinks proper to delay the survey of the land, and the placing the Company's settlers in possession of their sections, until he receives further instructions from England, it is in his power to do so ; but the local Government will, under these circumstances, not be responsible for the delay which will occur in putting the settlers in possession of their lands. Lastly, I have to state that I deny, in the most distinct terms, having in any way, as far as I am concerned, raised the question of the { validity of the Company's original purchase, or having done anything, in reference to the natives concerned in the" massacre of the Wairau, which can, in my opinion, have the construction which is put upon my proceedings in Colonel Wakefield's letter ; on the contrary, my sole intention has been, after weighing carefully the reports of Mr. Spain, my own position in having been deprived by the Lieu-teuaut-General commanding in New South Wales of the services of tha Commissioner who was sent out to perform these duties, and the bearing of theie circumstances upon the general coudition of the colony and upon the native population, to make' that arrangement which was most likely to conduce to the interests of the mass of European settlers and of New Zealand generally ; and I can, therefore, only trust, that if I have unfortunately neglected the interests of the New Zealand Company, her Majesty's Government will, upon a consideration of all the circumstances of the case, remedy any error into „ which I may have unconsciously fallen ; and as no further payment for the district purchased in the Middle Island is to be made until the Ist of April next, there is ample time for the further arrival of instructions from England. In the meantime, Colonel Wakefield can either proceed to select land in the district in the Middle Island alluded to, or refrain from so doing as he thinks proper ; in either case, every assistance upon the part of the local Government shall be afforded to the Company's settlers. I will bring under the notice of her Majesty's Government the proposition of Colonel Wakefield, that the New Zealand Company should pay in land for any sections they may select, either in the Porirua or Wairau districts, recommending, at the same time, that arrangement should be adopted if the Company wish it. — I have, &c, (Signed) G. Grey. His Honour the Superintendent, &c, &c, &c. P.S. It will probably be advisable that you should forward a copy of this despatch to tee New Zealand Company's Principal Agent. (Signed) G. G.