of the necessary surveys in this district and I conceive it would be injudicious to leave till they are in a fair way of being completed, although I am getting anxious to commence fresh operations, the mapping and after details of a purchase requires two surveyors to get through the work with any degree of expedition. Mr. Taylor is desirous to obtain a Crown Grant for the mission station which is held by the Society under a deed from the natives consequently I have directed Mr. Park to survey it when laying out the native village as it forms a portion of their reserve. A map of Putiki village including the mission station is forwarded by this vessel, owing to interruptions and bad weather Mr. Park has been a month performing this service being a much longer time than either of us calculated for when he commenced. The work is however very creditably performed, and will confer a lasting benefit on these natives besides they are such an imitative race that the populous Pas on this river will soon be enabled and disposed at their own expense to follow the example of the Putiki natives. Mr. Taylor and I have intended proposing Hoani Wiremu Hipango of this place as a native assessor he is a most active intelligent native and well disposed he would be quite an acquisition to those already appointed. On the map of the village your Excellency will perceive that he has selected a spot for himself some distance from the Pa where he intends to have a neat garden and cottage something he says to surpass all the rest, so that the Governors may see his improvements when they next visit Whanganui. Aperahama Tipae of Whangaehu would also be a good assessor he acts already among the natives in that capacity although I believe he has never be recommended to your Excellency as a proper person to Gazette it would be desireable that the native chiefs should receive a copy of the Govt. Gazettes in which their appointment as assessors appears. The only other chief of the Ngatiapa capable of fulfilling such an appointment satisfactorily is Hori Kingi Te Hunea of Rangitikei who is an elderly man of some influence. I am glad to hear that the Hawks bay natives seem anxious to dispose of their lands and I hope Mr. Mantell will succeed in acquiring land in that vicinity it is quite as well that he should visit port Cooper before commencing negotiations as the natives by the time he returns will be more determined in their desire to sell and thereby render the acquisition of the district less troublesome. A large body of natives from that coast are shortly expected at Manawatu to a Tangi-hunga. I find it will be necessary from the jealousy still existing among the natives respecting their lands to proceed with great caution in the Manawatu question. I am now when opportunity offers quietly pursuing some enquiries on the subject and find that allowing some time to elapse before agitating the question immediately after the Rangitikei will be considerably in my favor and probably induce the natives to make overtures to the Government instead of pressing the matter on them as they will never regard a forced bargain as binding. If I find the arrangements there cannot be satisfactorily carried out I would prefer letting them stand over till the summer months when the surveys and other operations could be conducted at much less expence. The Whanganui settlers who have been throughout especially the original ones