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No. 10. Mr. Commissioner Heale to Commissioners Hart and Gisboene. Gentlemen, — Auckland, 17th April, 1869. I have the honour to forward some evidence I obtained from Mr. Brown, in the unavoidable absence of Mr. Mackay and of Mr. Braithwaite. [Enclosure No. I.] This evidence with the paper accompanying it [Enclosure No. 2] show the present state of the Hostelry Beserves; the particulars as to rent received, the nature of the management, expenses, &c, I will obtain from Mr. Mackay as soon as he returns to town. I also send copy of the conveyance of the St. Mary's College property from Billingham to Dr. Pompallier. [Enclosure No. 3.] The Bey. Mr. Buller has furnished me with a memorandum of Expenditure at the Three Kings. [Enclosure No. 4.] The Bey. Mr. Burrows also has furnished the information required concerning the occupation of the Te Awamutu School property, and has corrected a small error in his former evidence [Enclosure No. 5.] I have also obtained from Mr. Sinclair a complete statement of the position of all the grants, new and old, made for purposes within the scope of the Commissioners' functions, in the confiscated lands. [Enclosure No. 6.] From the papers it will be seen that, on application of the Bishop of New Zealand, the Crown Agent, Mr. Mackay, relinquished the Crown's right over the five estates previously granted in trust to the Bishop with others; by this relinquishment it seems to be assumed that the old Crown Grants are re-established in their validity. The correctness of this view seems to me open to doubt. It will be seen from the accompanying tracings that the boundaries shown on the old Crown Grants are so very imperfect and conflicting that it would, in any case, be far more prudent for the trustees to surrender the old grants as cancelled, and for new ones to issue after survey, with correct boundaries, descriptions, and areas. I have, &c. Bobert Hart, Esq., ) fiommisq j oners Theoph. Heale, William Gisborne, Esq., j ommis si°ners. Commissioner.

Enclosure 1 in No. 10. Thursday, 15th April, 1869. Mr. George Brown, being duly sworn, states :My name is George Brown. I reside at Auckland. lam Interpreter to the Civil Commissioner's Office in Auckland. Mr. Edward Braithwaite is the chief clerk of that department; he is very ill, and quite unable to attend. Mr. Mackay is at Shortland; he was to have come to town two or three days ago. I know he is unable to come owing to severe illness. I hand in for inspection four Crown Grants, viz.— 1. Being allotment No. 9 of section 9 in the Town of Auckland, containing 2 acres 14 perches. I believe the Native Hostelry stands on this allotment. 2. Being No. 4 of section 12 in the City of Auckland, containing 2 roods 15 perches. 3. Allotment 189 of section 1 in the Suburbs of Auckland, containing 6 acres 1 rood. 4. Allotment No. 11, section 20, Village of Onehunga, containing 2 acres 9 perches. I have here a quantity of papers relating to these Crown grants. From these papers I see that a piece (J acre) of Native reserve (1) in Mechanics' Bay was leased to Hunter and Son, for a term of five years, at a yearly rental of £20, to commence from lst April, 1868 ; and another piece of the same reserve, containing J acre, was leased to Archard and Brown at the same rent and for the same term. Ido not know of any other portion of that allotment being let. I can state nothing with regard to the second piece, but believe it to be entirely unoccupied. The third piece in the suburbs of Auckland, I see from the papers, was leased to John Charles Blackett, for a term of 21 years from 9th June, 1852, at a rental of £13 per annum. I state these particulars from a report of Mr. Mackay's, made in July, 1866. I will furnish a copy of that report. The fourth piece, in the Village of Onehunga, I find from the papers, was formerly let to Mr. Hutchison, for a term of three years from 23rd December, 1864, at a yearly rental of £60. I believe this was given up by Mr. Hutchison some time ago. I think it is' now unoccupied, but have no certain knowledge. I believe Mr. Braithwaite, in regular course, has to receive those rents. I believe he has received some, but do not know what. There is a European in the Native Hostelry in Auckland as keeper, but I do not know anything about its management. Geoege Beown. Minutes of evidence taken before me on the 15th April, 1869, in relation to Native Hostelry Endowments, in the absence, by reason of illness, of Mr. Mackay and Mr. Braithwaite. Theoph. Heale, Commissioner.

Enclosure 2 in No. 10. Mr. Mackay to the Hon. the Native Ministee. Sic, — Civil Commissioner's Office, Auckland, 27th July, 1866. I have the honour to return herewith the four Crown Grants, and other papers, connected with the Hostelry Beserves at Auckland and Onehunga. These reserves consist of 2 acres and 14 perches at Mechanics' Bay, 2 roods and 15 perches at Mechanics' Bay, 6 acres and 1 rood between St. George's and Judge's Bays, and 2 acres and 7—H. 21.