11

D.—B

Owing to my absence from the Thames, at Whangamata and Tauranga, I did not receive your instructions until the 14th instant, and as it has taken all my time since to compile the returns, I have been unable as yet to make the sketch map of the various blocks as called for by the Hon. Mr. McLean, but hasten to transmit the returns at once, and will furnish a map in the course of a few days. I have, &c, Jaiies Mackay, Junr., The Agent, General Government, Agent for Native Land Purchases, Immigration Auckland. and Public Works Act.

Enclosure 1 in No. 10. EETUEN No. 1. Blocks, the purchase of which has been completed.

Name of Block. Area. Price. Remarks. Acres. £ s. d. 3tama East 3tama West Hihi and Pirinui Hotoritori faranoho re Koro, No. 1 „ No. 2 fairua 1,270 100 36,000 1,217 1,298 6,755 523 1,000 3,790 32 0 0 100 0 0 715 0 0 100 0 0 103 0 0 380 0 0 100 0 0 25 0 0 2,900 0 0 I Part of this purchase money charged against O'Keefe's J hen. Gives access from the sea to land owned by the S Crown, known as Ototoro. Land reported to be ' auriferous. This gives the Government access to the Tairua Block from Shortland. I Purchased as being within Waiwhakaurunga Block, and 1 being the means of buying the remainder (15,000 acres). S Valuable from proximity to Shortland, and being within ' proclaimed goldfield. Adjoins lands already purchased for the Crown at Mercury Bay. Is believed to be auriferous. f Adjoins Wlienuakito (Government land), and gives access to the sea to the eastward. Gold has been found in these blocks. Not yet included in Gold-mining District. Reason of delay in proclamation is the noncompletion of survey of the Wharekawa Block (purchase -} negotiated, vide Return No. 2). Wharekawa separates these blocks from the Whangamata Block. Some land available for cultivation on these blocks. A reserve of one thousand acres, to be selected in one or two blocks, is to be made at Tairua, and a grant issued for the same to the owners as arranged by the Native Land Court. f All these blocks have been included within the Hauraki Gold Mining District. It was an urgent necessity to complete the purchase of these as soon as possible, as a number of miners had taken possession of the country, asserting it to be highly auriferous, and there was every probability of a political difficulty arising by collision with the Ohinemuri Natives. Under these circumstances, the persons who had been declared to be the owners of the land by the Native Land Court believed it to be very valuable, and made most extortionate demands for their interest in it ; the amount asked being at the rate of 27s. Cd. per ncre, and consequently more had to bo paid than under ordinary circumstances. When, however, the area of these is added to that of the adjacent Tairua Te Koro and Wharekawa Blocks (for latter, vide Return No. 2) the average rate will be 2s. 6d. per acre. A reserve of one hundred and fifty acres is to be made in the Omahu Block, and one of one hundred acres in the Whangamata Block No. 1, and grants to be issued for the same to Ngakapa Whanaunga, and Hone Mahia respectively. Vhangamata, No. 1 ... No. 3 ... No. 5 ... [ikutaia, No. 2 No. 3 imnhu ... 8,280 8,210 5,889 2,376 5,445 7,056 1,200 0 0 2,465 0 0 1,402 0 0 763 0 0 1,302 0 0 600 0 0 Totals 89,215 12,187 0 0 Average ri ite, 2s. 8d. per acre. 24th March, 1873. James Mackay, jun.