a—io.

Sess. 11.—1887. NEW ZEALAND.

OPENING LAND FOR SETTLEMENT IN HUKERENUI DISTRICT (CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING).

Return to an Order of the Souse of Representatives, dated 13th October, 1887. Ordered, " That there be laid upon the table copies of all correspondence between the Whangarei County Council and the Minister of Lands in reference to the opening of a block of land in the Hukerenui Survey District for settlement. Also copies of all correspondence between the Minister of Lands and the Waste Lands Department in Auckland in reference to the same." —(Mr. R. Thompson.)

Sib,— Whangarei, 24th July, 1886. I have the honour to enclose you herewith an application from a number of young menwho are residents of this district and are anxious to get land to settle upon. The applicants are all steady and industrious young men, who have been accustomed to farm-work, and just the class of men who would be likely to succeed on small bush-farms. The applicants are anxious to form a special settlement on the block indicated, under the Homestead Act. The land they ask for is all bush, but of fair quality, and I believe the whole of the block would be taken up within a few months if thrown open for settlement. I trust the Government will favourably consider this application. I have, &c, E. Thompson, The Hon. the Minister of Lands, Wellington. County Chairman.

Sib,— The persons whose names appear on papers attached hereto are desirous of obtaining, for settlement under the Auckland Homestead Act, the block of land marked blue, as shown on plan sent herewith, and known as the Hukerenui Survey District; and, in order to facilitate matters,, have asked me to bring the matter under your notice as County Chairman. I shall therefore be glad if you will, as soon as possible, bring the matter before the Hon. the Minister of Lands, Wellington; acd, as most of the persons named are known to you personally, you are invited, to make any remarks you may deem fit or necessary. I would take the liberty of pointing out to you that the most of the persons applying for this land are natives of the North Island, and are the sons of bush-farmers, or have been brought up as farm-labourers, and would therefore make first-class bush-settlers; that none of them have ever taken up land under any conditions from the Government, neither do they own any land, and are not in a position to pay cash for land, but are willing and anxious to fulfil all the conditions of the Homestead Act, should this land be granted under that Act. I shall therefore leave the matter in your hands, with the hope that at an early date you may obtain sufficient encouragement from the Hon. the Minister of Lands to enable these people to go to work and .clear bush for burning and sowing next autumn, and so enable them to become permanently settled, and at the same time be independent of the labour-market, which, it is quite needless for me to say, is at present very much overstocked. I have, &c, The Chairman of County Council, Albeet Elliott, County Chambers, Whangarei. By request of applicants.

g IE Crown Lands Office, Wellington, sth August, 1887. I am directed by the Minister of Lands to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th ultimo, transmitting an application from a number of persons in the district who are anxious to get land to settle upon. In reply, I am to forward for your information a copy of the Land Guide, and to direct your attention to page 20, by which you will see that there are several lar»e blocks of land open for selection under the homestead system. H. J. H. Bliott, The Chairman, County Council, Whangarei. Under-Secretary.