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No. 103. (Telegram.) Wellington, 24th February, 18S0. John Sheehan, Esq., M.11.R., Auckland. —The Patetere accounts drag, and old accounts are still dribbling in. Indeed, those Waikato accounts generally will turn my hair grey. However, as to sending up some one with the vouchers for examination, Ido not mind admitting—for you must be aware of it—that not one-half of the vouchers would bear anything like a strict legal examination. Still, the payments wore bond fide in a sense, and Ido not mean to lose the money. I wired to you a few days ago that the total'of the account would be very much larger than you expected, and have not heard from you since. I suppose there is some hitch; indeed, lam told here that there is. I think it will bo found that, if the matter is ever satisfactorily arranged, it will have to bo done, not in Waikato, but in Wellington. When the mountain could not come to the Prophet, you know the other course was adopted.—John Bryce. No. 104. (Telegram.) Hamilton, 10th March, 18S0. Hon. Native Minister, Wanganui.—No hitch has taken place re Patetere, though persons have withdrawn; but we are better without them, and Association is prepared to deal for whole block as originally proposed. —J. Sheehan. No. 105. (Telegram.) Hamilton, 10th March, 1880. Hon. Native Minister, Napier.'—Waited on chance your coming before wiring again re Patetere. Q.uite understand your hands being full, and must be content to take my turn. The two things wanted, and which might be arranged without or before your coining, are the accounts of moneys claimed as refund, and nature of guarantee to be given by parties. Parties will give any fair guarantee to pay, either in cash or land, as already explained. The original accounts, plans, and agreements will be wanted: they are at Wellington. If Gill could bring them up, amount of refund might be settled, and terms of guarantee afterwards arranged with you by telegram. Have applied for sitting Court for middle of April; and it becomes matter of urgency to close accounts before that time, so as enable Proclamation to be removed; without which, of course, nothing can be done. Reply Cambridge. — J. Sheehan. No. 106. (Telegram.) Wanganui, 12th March, 1880. John Sheehan, Esq., M.H.R., Cambridge.— Be Patetere. If persons who have real claims within Patetere withdraw from Association, will you not find that awkward in your after-doalings with the block? Government could not, as you are aware, give Association any prescriptive rights. It could only withdraw Proclamation. It occurs to me that the best, or, rather, the least objectionable, form of guarantee would be one by the Native owners, or as many as could be got, with a suitable indorsement by members of the Association. A block of land might be taken, but there would certainly be difficulties in completing title —at least, I suppose so. The accounts are, I suppose, ready now, and I shall at once direct Gill to send you a statement. As I have said before, the matter will certainly have to be arranged at Wellington rather than Waikato. It would be inconvenient to send original vouchers and agreements to Waikato, and Gill could not possibly spare time to attend to the matter himself. lam now on my way to Taranaki, where I shall probably have to stay a fortnight or more, as the critical period of the West Coast business is about this .time. —John Bryce. No. 107. (Telegram.) Wanganui, 12th March, 1880. Richard J. Gill, Native Department, Wellington. —If the Patetere accounts are complete, you can send a statement or abstract of them to Mr. Sheehan, at Cambridge, and let me know the total.— John Bryce. No. 108. (Telegram.) Government Buildings, Wellington, 13th March, 1880. Hon. Native Minister, Wanganui. —No. 230. — Be- Patetere accounts, the total amount charged for all purposes is £10,732 ss. Bd. In addition to this I think it fair to charge one-half of the salaries paid to the two Graces during the time they were at Alexandra, £302 7s. 2d. ; making the sum £11,034 12s. lOd. The question as to whether interest should not be charged occurs to me. I would also point out, in furnishing a statement of the sums paid to the different Natives, the value the information would be to private persons dealing with the land; and, unless the terms of transfer are actually agreed to, might render a settlement more difficult.—Rtchd. John Gill. No. 109. (Telegram.) Wanganui, 13th March, 18S0. R. J. Gill, Native Department, Wellington.— Be Patetere. Add interest at 8 per cent., and send Sheehan a statement of total, but not details. Details and vouchers can only be submitted after matter has gone several stages beyond where it is now. —John Bryce. No. 110. (Telegram.) Government Buildings, Wellington, 16th March, 1880. Hon. Native Minister, Hawera.—No. 335.—Have added interest —£2,770 —and one-half of the Graces' salaries —£i:02—to former payments, and have sent following telegram to Mr. Sheehan at Cambridge: "The total charges on Patetere lands amount to £13,805 ss. 2d." —Richard John Gill.