7

D.—6

Should the Government grant me these lands, I am prepared to pay the sum to be agreed on, and to proceed to the United Kingdom to bring out a sufficient number of families possessed with capital to take up the said land. I propose to apportion one-fifth of the quantity of land so granted for settlement by colonists. I trust that the Government will give this application their favourable consideration, and that they will not dispose of these lands without first acquainting me of their intention to do so, as several families (intending emigrants) are awaiting my reply as to the place of their location iv the colony I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Lands, Wellington. Fitzgibbon Louche, C.E.

No. 23. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, to the Under-Secretary for Crown Lands. Sir, — Crown Lands Office, Auckland, 31st October, 1879. I have the honor, at the request of the Land Board, to forward the enclosed copy of a resolution passed at its fortnightly meeting on Thursday last. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary for Crown Lands, Wellington. D. A. Tole.

Enclosure 1 in No. 23. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, to the Chief Surveyor, Auckland. (Memorandum.) Will you have the goodness to inform me, for the information of the Land Board, what progress has been made towards preparing the Te Puke Block for disposal, partly by public auction, and partly by settlement on the deferred-payment system. You may remember that a resolution of the Board, indicating its wishes on the subject of rendering this block, or, rather, a portion of it, immediately available for sale and settlement, was forwarded to you on the 27th June last. D. A. Tole, Commissioner of Crown Lands. Crown Lands Office, Auckland, 30th October, 1879.

Enclosure 2 in No. 23. The Chief Surveyor, Auckland, to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland. (Memorandum.) The contracts for the survey of To Puke were withdrawn from competition, by order of the Surveyor-General, on the 13th August. Therefore nothing whatever has been done in respect to the survey S. Percy Smith. 30th October, 1879.

Enclosure 3 in No. 23. Extract from Minutes of Meeting of Waste Lands Board. It was resolved, — '' That a copy of the Chief Commissioner's memorandum, and reply thereto, be forwarded to the Hon the Minister of Lands, with an expression of regret on the part of the Board that the Te Puke Block, Tauranga District, should, without reference to the Board, and in opposition to a resolution which it had passed on the subject, have been withheld from survey for settlement purposes. Further, the Board respectfully begs to be informed of the reasons which moved the Government to take the action above referred to. The Board will be glad to learn that Government have no objection to this land being at once surveyed and rendered available for sale and settlement, in order that the numerous demands of applicants for land in this block may be satisfied." D. A. Tole, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

No. 24. The Under-Secretary for Crown Lands to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, Sir, — General Crown Lands Office, "Wellington, 13th November, 1879. I am directed by the Hon. the Minister of Lands to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st ultimo, No. 1,547, covering copy of a resolution of the Land Board with reference to the survey and sale of the Te Puke Block. I have, &c, 11. J. H. Eliott, The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland. Under-Secretary.