Wanganui 10th. April 1849. Sir, Having returned from exploring the interior of the district offered for sale by the Ngatiapa tribe, between the Turakina and Rangitikei rivers, I have now the honour to transmit to you, for the information of His Excellency, the Lieut. Governor, a description of my journey, with some remarks on the country I have passed over. The boundaries of the Pahs and Reserves for the natives on the land being ascertained, I consider it advisable to take a cursory survey of the district to enable you to form a probable estimate of its value and extent. I accordingly started on the 27th. inst. from the Turakina Pah, accompanied by Mr. Ashwell Hill, a European policeman, and forty-three native claimants. The first part of our journey lay through a partially wooded valley, interspersed with cultivations, and meadows of rich grass. The country continued of the same character till we came to a wooded range of hills, about 10 miles from the course, where the Turakina river takes a northerly direction. We camped here for the night; the natives objecting to proceed further in this direction, alleging the forest as impenetrable; and that it was claimed by the Whangawhero natives, a distinct branch of their tribe, residing at Wanganui. I soon discovered that the natives along with me were the actual claimants of the land, which they alleged to be the property of the Whangawhero tribe; and found that a few intriguing young men ingeniously concocted this pretext, with a view that the land should be reserved under the pretence of being the property of a tribe who had not appeared at any of the meetings when the sale of the country was discussed. The object of these young men in endeavouring to reserve the forest ranges, and other large portions of their claims, was to dispose of them afterwards in small allotments, when the value of the district should be enhanched by the location of European settlers. The other men seemed at first quite indifferent with regard to these reservations, but a few were eventually induced to acquiesce in the measure, from its being represented to