E.—No. 2 A.

No. 1. THE EESIDENT MAGISTEATE, EANGITIKEI, TO TIIE NATIVE MINISTER. Eangitikei, 17th May, 1865. Sic, — I have the honor to report for your information, that on the 13th instant I proceeded up the Manawatu river to meet the Natives of the river who bad invited me. I found the large Eunanga house fall; amongst them was Ihakara, Hori Grey and several other influential men. There was much talking. They expressed themselves much aggrieved that their lands were excluded from the Native Lands Act. They intimated their intention of petitioning the General Assembly, to have it brought under that Act. I took the opportunity of so many Natives being present to ask them if they understood the proclamation relative to the Hau Hau fanatics ; as they professed not to do so, I explained it to them. I have, &c, The Hon. W. Mantell, M. Noake, E.M. Native Minister. No. 2. W. HALSE, ESQ., TO TnE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE, EANGITIKEI. Native Secretary's Office, Wellington, 14th June, 1865. Sic, — With reference to your letter of the 17th ultimo (not numbered) covering a petition* addressed by the Native owners of the Manawatu block to the General Assembly praying that the block in question may be brought under the " Native Lands Act 1862." I am directed by Mr. Mantell to request you will be good enough to inform Ihakara and the other Natives signing the Petition that although as a Minister he cannot present that petition to the Assembly, he has no doubt that many other private members will do so if requested by them. In the meantime the Natives should be informed that Mr. Mantell's name should not be inserted in the Petition, and that all signatures to petitions should be written by the persons who bear the names appended, and when those persons cannot write, their marks should be made by themselves, and their names written and marks witnessed by some other person, so that in each case the Assembly may know that the signers really concur in the prayer of the Petition. The reasonableness of this will be obvious to the Natives if explained to them. I am, therefore, directed to request that you will return the Petition to Ihakara Hokowhihikuri with the above exjilanation. I have, &c., The Eesident Magistrate, jj Halse Eangitikei, No. 3. THE EESIDENT MAGISTEATE, EANGITIKEI, TO TnE NATIVE MINISTEB. Eangitikei, 29th June, 1865. SIE, — I have the honor to report for your information that I have just left a large meetin" of the Ngatiraukawas m order to catch the mail. Ihakara and his people will not understand their petition being returned. They say they blame the Pakeha for not telling them how they were to forward it. They look to me to put them right: will you kindly send mo instructions by return The tribes generally seem to be angry.

* For the Petition see G.—N0..4, 1865.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO BRINGING NATIVE LANDS IN THE MANAWATU DISTRICT UNDER THE NATIVE LANDS ACT.