RELftATIVE TO LAND PURCHASES.

17

C—No. 1

No. 11. Wellington, 6th January, 1852. Sir, — I have the honor to request that you will have the goodness to bring the enclosed Memorandum, in reference to the purchase of the country between Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa, under the consideration of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief. I have, &c, Donald McLean, To the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, Land Commissioner. , &c, &c, &c, Wellington.

Enclosure to No. 11. Memorandum to be submitted to His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, in reference to the purchase of land between Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa. I have received several letters from the Natives in reference to the sale of the country from Hawke's Bay to the Whareamu river south of Castle Point, forming a tract of coast line of 80 miles long, and extending inland as far as Ruahine and Taraiua ranges. lam anxious to know if His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief will authorise me to negotiate the purchase of that district, by sending, after I return from Manawatu, a Surveyor to mark off the external boundaries and Native reserves, as it is desirable that the Native messengers now in town should be advised of His Excellency's wishes on the subject. I should obsetve that within the boundaries offered for sale, one party, Mr. Guthrie, pays a rental to the Natives of nearly £200 a year, which would at once be discontinued by making this purchase, and the whole of the land offered for sale would, in less than nine months, be occupied by respectable stockholders who are particularly desirous to establish themselves on that line of coast. I would further submit that it would be most advisable for the purchasing operations of the Government to be carried on towards the Wairarapa, so as to include the best and most extensive grazing districts, and eventually to lead to the possession of that valley; the country from Hawke's Bay to Wairarapa is very extensive, and the Native population does not exceed above 3,000 souls, or rather less than 1,000 to each million of acres, that is the whole country South of Hawke's Bay and lying East of the interior ranges that divide the East from the West coast of the South part of the island. Donald McLean, Land Commissioner.

No. 12. DISTRICT COMMISSIONER TO THE CHIEF LAND PURCHASE COMMISSIONER, AUCKLAND. Ahuriri, July 4th, 1855. Sir,— I have the honor to enclose the ropy ofaplanmrde lyMr. Pelich«t of the land at Waipureku, which was sold by Te Moananui during your last visit to Ahuriri. I also enclose a copy of Moananui's reeeipt for £100, which does not quite correspond with the map ; he having, when the survey was being made, extended the boundaries a little, at the Opaewai stream. In connection with this subject, I have the honor to report to you that TeWaka Te Kawatini, immediately after your departure, made a claim upon me lor payment on account of this land, to which he asserted an equal right with Te Moananui. of course I was obliged to refuse him anything upon account of it, and he then offered it I would give him a small sum, to sell the whole of the plain up to the Wairua bush, finding that he was supported by several other Chiefs, I, after considerable discussion, took upon myself to pay him thirty pounds, a copy of his receipt for which, I herewith enclose. This transaction has given rise to much discussion, and ever since the payment was made 1 have been endeavouring to get the natives to meet to settle the question, but hitherto without avail. I have therefore been obliged to leave the matter to be decided, upon my return from Wellington,when I shall have the honor of reporting the resultfor your information. I have, &c, G. S. Cooper, District Commissioner. To Donald McLean Esq., Chief Land PurchaseCommssioner, Auckland.

Memo, on land between Hawke's Bay and the Wairarapa.

Enclosing Mr. Pelichet's plan of land at Waipureku, Moananui's reeeipt for £100, andTeWaka's receipt for £ 100. Enclosure No. 1. Flan of Walpureku. Enclosure No. 2. Moananui's receipt for £100. Enclosure No 3. Te Waka's receipt for £50.