G.—lo

6

The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington, to S. D. Taiwhanga, Esq., M.H.E., Wellington. Sir,— Native Office, Wellington, 25th September, 1889. >, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd instant, requesting me to reconsider the expediency of conducting negotiations for the Eotorua and other thermal springs through you, and to inform you in reply that, until assured by a majority of the owners that they desire to adopt this course, the Government must negotiate direct. I have, &c, S. D. Taiwhanga, Esq., M.H.R., Wellington. E. Mitchelson.

H. Howobth, Esq., Solicitor, Wellington, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Wellington, 27th September, 1889. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 227/6, in which you inform me that, until assured by a majority of the owners that they desire to adopt the course of conducting the negotiations for the Eotorua and other thermal springs through me, the Government must negotiate direct. I beg with great submission to dissent from the course you now propose to adopt. It was at your request that the offer of Sydney Taiwhanga and myself was made on behalf of the Native owners, and while that offer is pending I have no alternative but to object to any negotiations being made direct with my clients. My letter to the Minister of Lands dated the 12th January, 1889, covering a letter from the Native owners requesting their lands to be withdrawn from the operation of the Thermal Springs Act, is in itself ample proof that I represent not merely a majority but practically the whole of the tribes. I beg you will understand that I am desirous that the negotiations for the purchase of the springs shall be brought to a successful issue, and have so advised the Natives. I therefore am at a loss to understand why you desire to adopt a course which, I fear, will lead to confusion. If it is desired to conduct the negotiations at Eotorua in place of Wellington, I have no objection to attend there if requested by the Government. I have, &c, The Hon. the Native Minister. Henry Howobth. I concur with this letter. —S. D. Taiwhanga. {Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (1,200 copies) £3 105.]

Authority: George Didsbubt, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9o.