RELATIVE TO LAND PURCHASES.

45

C—No. 1

CIRCULAR.

To connect Crown lands,

pectively, have been granted credit the former of the amount of £10,000 the latter £7,000, to be advanced to you, on your requisition, for Land Purchase and Departmental Expenses in those Provinces. I have, &c, D. McLean. Chief Commissioner, Tuos. H. Smith, Nap.'er. Assistant Native Secretary.

No. 55. CHIEF COMMISSIONER TO DEPUTY COMMISSIONER. Land Commissioner's Office. Auckland, sth June, 1859. Sir,— I have the honor, by direction of Ills Fxceller.cy the Governor, to request that you will use your utmost endeavours to connect and consolidate Crown Lands and not commence negotiations for the purchase of land unless adjacent to, and connected with Crown Lands, without special reference to myself, through this office. I have &&, G. S. Cooper, Esq., Donald McLean, Ahuriii. Chief Commissioner.

No. 56. CHIEF COMMISSIONER TO THE ASSISTANT NATIVE SECRETARY. Napier, June 29th, 1859. Sir,— I have the honor to request that you will lay before His Excellency's Government the following statement connected with land purchasing operations in this Province. 1. With regard to lands already acquired, I find on reference to published returns and purchases already made, 1,404,700 acres have been purchased, that 500,000 acres may be considered waste and useless, and that from 200,000 to 300,000 acres may be required for the present and future wants of the Natives. Assuming the area of the Province to be about 2,700,000 .';cres, the extent of land now available for puichase cannot exceed from 500,0C0 to 600,000 acres, of which extent about 200,000 acres are now under negotiation. 2. In order to complete these purchases, or such portion of them as the Natives may now he disposed to conclude, I find that it will be necessary to obtain a further sum of £10,000, in addition to the £7too with which I have been already furnished. 3. I have to state, that on the 27th instant a sum of £3,7C0, was paid to Te Moananui and his tribe for a block of 95,000 acres in the North Ruataniwha District, which block comprises some of the finest land in the Province, including some valuable timber much required by the European settlers. 4. Te f'apuku has seme claims over portions of the block above referred to, in addition to about 20,000 acres belonging to that Chief and his tribe that should be purchased, in order to extinguish the Native title in th; t locality. It will be impossible to proclaim those lands until the title of the last named party has been extinguished. I therefore defer communicating further particulars in regard to this purchase until I am able to report its completion, 5. I hope to receive an eaily reply to this letter, as the calls upon me on the West Coast are urgent, and it is important that my detention here, should be shortened as far as possible, I have, &c, T. H. Smith, Esq , Donald McLea.n. Assistant Native Secretary, Auckland.

Return of all Lands purchased from the Natives in the Province of Hawke's Bay. Acres. Purchased prior to the Ist July, 1856, or under negotiation at that date, as per statement No. 1 1,168,700 Purchased since the Ist July, 1856, as per statement No. 2 236,000 Total area 1.404,700 Donald McLean.

Report on land purchas- "^ k °? e"tio p S in lhe