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3

The following is a summary of the total cost of the island to date : — £ s. d. Advertising notice of Act ... ... ... ... 36160 Valuations ... ... ... •■• •■■ 425 8 4 Assessor ... ... ... ... ••• 42 0 0 Eents paid to Natives on European leases determined ... 294 0 2 Compensation Court awards, &c. ... ... ••• 4,352 14 10 Legal expenses— Findlay, Dalziell, and Co. ... £612 0 0 P. E. Baldwin ... ... 248 6 8 860 6 8 Expenses of Natives ... ... ■• •■■ 13 0 0 Interpreters ... ... ... •■• ■•• 5 13 6 Paid Natives for freehold ... ... ... ... 2,888 14 10 leasehold ... . ... ... 46 011 £8,964 15 3 The whole of these amounts were paid out of appropriations for the purchase of Native lands. Other Paktioulars. Two red deer and two axis deer were liberated by the Acclimatisation Society on the island. The dead body of one of the red deer (the stag) was found entangled in a fisherman's net on the beach ; the other three have not been seen lately, no search has apparently been made for them. There is no reliable information as to the percentage of deaths amongst the other fauna on the island. Quail, native pigeons, tuis, mokimoki, kakariki, native robins, and mutton-birds are found to be numerous and prolific. The island is occupied by Mr. Malcolm McLean, as caretaker, on a yearly tenure, for which, in addition to his services as caretaker, he pays an annual rental of £70 per annum. The island is being acquired under the provisions and for the purposes of "The Kapiti Island Public Reserve Act, 1897." The map attached shows the present state of the title. P. Shbeidan, Native Land Purchase Office, Chief Native Land Purchase Officer. Wellington, Bth September, 1904.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not givec; printing (1,425 copies, exclusive of map). £'Z Iβ

Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o4.

Price 6d.]