3

C—4a

With the assistance of Messrs. Booth and Parris, the following sections have been purchased since January last from Kative owners, at an average price of £1 per acre : —■ Section 12a ... ... ... 400 Acres. Section 98b ... ... ... 1G Acres. „ 13a ... ... 400 „ „ 102b ... ... 1G „ „ 52a 400 „ „ 104b 16 „ „ 47a 400 „ „ 105b 16 „ „ 43a 400 „ „ 83b 10 „ „ 49a ... ... 400 „ „ 88b ... ... 16 „ „ 50a ... ... ... 400 „ „ 91b ... ... ... 16 „ „ 51a ... ... 400 „ „ 101b ... ... 1G „ „ 5Gb 16 „ „ 9b 16 „ „ 81b 10 „ „ 95b 16 „ „ 84b ... ... ... 16 „ The purchase of the following sections, on which advances had been made by Mr. Worgan, has been completed, and the deeds signed:— Section 18a ... ... .. 400 Acres. Section 18b ... ... ... 16 Acres. „ 16a ... ... 400 „ „ 86b ... ... 16 „ 7a 400 „ „ 15b ... 16 „ 19b 16 „ „ 77b 16 „ „ 21b ... ... ... 16 „ ., 14b ... ... ... 16 „ „ 13b ... ... 16 „ „ 108b ... ... 16 „ „ 1b ... ... ... 16 „ „ 17b ... ... ... 16 „ „ 5b ... ... 16 „ ., 109b ... ... 1G „ 22b ... ... ... 16 „ „ 7b ... ... ... 16 „ „ 107b ... ... 16 „ „ 99b ... ... 16 „ 6b ... ... ... 16 „ „ 103b ... ... ... 16 „ „ 16b ... ... 16 „ „ 110b ... ... 16 „ 2b 16 „ „ 97b 16 „ „ 106b 16 „ „ 111b 16 „ » 100b 1G „

There remained in the hands of Native owners on the 31st July eight sections under Schedule A, aggregating 3,080 acresj and 27 sections, Schedule B, 432 acres, out of the original award of 17,264 acres. Land Sales. Having already reported upon the land sales that have taken place in my district, I will merely give the total amount realized, and the number of acres disposed of since January. Acres. £ s. d. Whenuakura sale .... .... .... 4,709 . . 12,100 15 8 Patea and Okotuku sale .... .... .... 9,023 ... 24,264 8 0 Manutahi and Hawera sale .... .... 110 .... 220 0 0 Other lands ... ... .... .... 293 .... 502 5 0 Leases.... ... .... .... ... ... 77 10 0 Due by Major Durie for lease .... ... .... 50 0 0 Sold to Andrew Young .... .... ... 200 .... 400 0 0 14,335 37,614 18 8 For the work performed which has led to the satisfactory results I have been enabled to record during the past few months, much is due to the late Commissioner, Mr. Robert Pharazyn, who against many difficulties placed the Confiscated Lands Department on an intelligible footing, evolving order out of what before was certainly approaching chaos. On taking over the office from Mr. Pharazyn I found everything straight-forward, clear, and in order, so that there was no difficulty in carrying on the system he had initiated. Surveys. The Survey Staff has been principally engaged in preparing lands for sale, defining Native reserves and awards. There is still a very considerable area of bush land at the disposal of the Government, as may be seen on reference to the return marked C, a large proportion of which is well adapted to the support of an industrious population. In most places the bush is light and could be easily cleared, when the land would be superior to any of the open country recently sold at such high prices. I annex copy of a report by Mr. Williams on the state and progress of the surveys, and containing other remarks on the district generally, suggested to him in the course of his experience, and including some practical suggestions of a useful nature. It being important that the Native reserves and awards still unsurveyed should be marked out without delay, I would recommend the employment of an additional surveyor for this work. It was intended by the Hon. D. McLean that the duty of surveying the reserves should be performed by Captain Blake, but that officer's time is entirely taken up with Native matters, and the Mountain Road, which he is superintending, and there is no chance of his being able to do so.