7th January 1862 Crown Lands Commn. Wellington. relative to disputes in Wairarapa District. Crown Lands Office, Wellington 7th January 1862 No. 62 (5 Sir, Referring to my letter to you of the 28th ulto. and to our interview on the 30th at which I explained to you fully the leading points of various cases of disputed Native boundaries which await your decision; I have now the honor to transmit to you certain official papers referring to the same, as per Schedule. In doing so, I have little to add to the full verbal explanation I tendered you; but I may be permitted to observe that however comparatively trivial in importance these occasions may possibly be regarded in some quarters, yet I can assure you from my practical experience in this Department that the delay in their settlement has inflicted a very serious blow on the colonization of this province and a public financial burthen that might have been in a great measure avoided by opportune and prompt adjustment. There is one case however to which I desire to direct your special attention viz. that of the 5/- land sold to Mr. Barton at auction. I entered very fully into the particulars of this case in my conversation with you; and I may now repeat that it would be with extreme reluctance that I should be obliged officially to bring under notice the circumstances connected with that sale; and as I believe by an alteration of boundary of the Native reserve the Natives can have their full amount of acreage, I express a hope that every endeavour may be made to effect this exchange, so as not to disturb any of the 5s/- sale made to Mr. Barton. Should it be otherwise I should have no alternative but to invite an investigation into the circumstances under which I was induced to make those sales. It is unnecessary for me to trouble you with any suggestion on the adoption of any regulations calculated to prevent the recurrence of similar entanglements in future; when the present cases shall have been adjusted; I shall be prepared, if you will permit me the opportunity to suggest regulations that will, I think, tend to prevent the recurrence of such errors. I have the honor to be Sir Your most obedient servant, William Fitzherbert Crown Lands Commissioner