D.—sa

20

and Mr. A. W. Carkeek, of the Provincial Survey Department (to all of whom I tender my thanks for the hearty manner in which they supplied the information in their power), that I have no hesitation whatever of assuring you that, subject to the surveys being made either as I may direct, or, which I should much prefer, under the immediate direction and supervision of Mr. Heale, or other competent officer of survey under the G-eneral Government, 60,000 acres of good land can be got within the limits of the lino coloured blue on the plan herewith, and 20,000 acres from between the Oroua and Pohangina Eivers, adjoining on the one side the Peilding Block, and running between the two rivers until the area computes to 20,000 acres. This piece of land is not on the plan herewith. It is not necessary, as the description here given is sufficiently concise as a direction for the survey. In mentioning one block of 60,000 acres as a portion of the 80,000, instead of three blocks of 20,000 each, I apprehend no objection will offer itself. This course has been forced upon me in the present state of the non-survey of the country; but if any importance bo attached to the point, the permanent survey can be so arranged as to make the matter coincide exactly with the terms of the letters upon which this report is based. The country included within the blue colour on the plan exceeds to a considerable extent the area required; indeed, some part thereof has been sold to the Scandinavians, and possibly other persons, while there are also a few Native reserves therein. This large area has been taken by me simply to give to the Crown surveyors ample margin to insure a selection of sufficiently level and undulating land as shall equal what I have described. After survey, the excess will revert to the province. More than this cannot in the meantime be done. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Thomas Calcutt.

No. 51. His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington, to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Wellington, 6th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist instant, in which you enclose me a copy of the very valuable and interesting report by Mr. Calcutt on the lands proposed to be selected and set apart for immigrants, and to inform you that it has been referred to the Chief Surveyor, with a request that he will report to me upon the best means of having the lands surveyed. So soon as I receive Mr. Jackson's report, I will communicate with you further. I have, &c, William Fttziieebebt, The Hon. J. Vogel, Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 52. His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington, to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sib, — Superintendent's Office, "Wellington, 30th June, 1874. Eeferring to my letter of the 6th instant, acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the Ist instant, respecting the setting aside of land for settlement in the Province of Wellington, and stating that if I am willing to agree to Mr. Calcutt's recommendation that you will move the Colonial Secretary to appoint some one to direct and approve of the surveys made by the officers of the Provincial Government, —I have now the honor to enclose a copy of a memorandum by the Chief Surveyor, and also a copy of a letter received by me from the Provincial Engineer, on the subject. I enclose also for your information a tracing of the proposed blocks, prepared in the Provincial Survey Office. I have, &c., William Fitzheebert, The Hon. J. Vogel, Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Superintendent,

Enclosure 1 in No. 52. Memorandum by the Chief Suevetoe, Wellington, to His Honor the Superintendent. Tiiere are about 100,000 acres of land comprised within the limits mentioned in Mr. Calcutt's report, from which ho proposes to choose three blocks of 20,000 acres each ; the remaining block of 20,000 acres, lying between the Pohangina and Oroua Eivers, will also, I presume, be selected from within an area of land considerably in excess of that required. The whole of this country, consisting as it does of dense bush and far outlying any settled districts, is difficult of access, and presents serious obstacles in the way of an expeditious and inexpensive survey. In the first place, it will be requisite to execute a topographical survey over about 180,000 acres, with preliminary traverses of the principal rivers and streams, before the said blocks of 20,000 acres each can be accurately defined; then an exploration survey ■will be necessary, for determining and pegging the necessary road lines in each block ; and finally, the pegging of the sections will require to be executed. The cost of preliminary surveys over 180,000 acres, say at 4d. per acre, will be £3,000; that of laying out the necessary road lines within 80,000 acres, at Is. per acre, will be £4,000 ; and that of pegging 80,000 acres into 150-acre sections or so, with completed maps of the same, to locate settlers, with their "boundaries, at 3s. per acre, will be £12,000. The cost of laying out four towns will also be about £I,2oo,—making a grand total of about £20,200.