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Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 26th March, 1852. Sir, — Your letter of the 24th ult., with its enclosures, on the subject of a rumoured purchase having been made by the Government of the Murihiku District from Wahapiro and others, having been referred, to Messrs. McLean and Kemp, I have the honor, by direction of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, to transmit to you copies of the replies of those Officers from which you will be enabled to contradict the report which you state to be in circulation. I have, &c, (Signed) Alfred Domett, Colonial Secretary. Walter Mantell, Esq., Commissioner for Extinguishing Native Claims, Southern District, Middle Island. [Memorandum.] Te Wahapiro (alias Paramatta) states that Taiaroa agreed that he should sell the Arahura district, and receive the first payment for it; and that the subsequent payments should be made to Taiaroa and the other original claimants of the Ngaitahu tribe. Te Wahapiro offered the land for sale to Hia Excellency Sir George Grey, and had frequent eommunications with me on the subject. Sir George stated to him that the case would be hereafter inquired into ; and I gave him to understand that the sale should be contingent on the consent of the Ngaitahu tribe. Nothing , further has been done in the negotiations for that district, excepting that I have written to ascertain Taiawa's sentiments on the subject, a reply to which letter has not yet been received. To clear up the difficulties about purchasing land on the North Coast of the Middle Island, it would be desirable to have a general meeting of the original Ngaitahu claimants, as well as of the Ngatitoa, Ngatitama, Ngatiawa, and other tribes who claim that country by right of conquest. (Signed) Donald McLean. Otago, May 17th, 1852. Sir,— I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 26th March ult., No. 52, 331, enclosing a report by Mr. McLean on the Native letter of which I had the honor to forward a copy in my communication of the 24th February ult. I observe that Mr. McLean, states " I have written to ascertain Taiawa's sentiments on the subject," (the sale of the Arahura district by Wahapiro) " a reply to which letter has not yet been received." A reference to the Deed of sale of the Ngaitahu Block, the North Boundary of which commences at the Old Pa Kaiapoi, and runs N. W. magnetic across the island to the neighbourhood of Cape Foulwind, will show that the Ngaitahu title to the Arahura district has been extinct for some years. Even prior to its extinction, Taiawa would not have been the party to treat with for that part of the Country. I have, &c, (Signed) Walter Manxell. The Honourable, The Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 1st June, 1852. Sir,— I am instructed by His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief to transmit, for your information, copies of the translations of two letters from Natives resident at Port Cooper in which they prefer a claim to Quail Island ; at the same time, I am to forward to you a copy of Mr. Mantell's report on the subject. I have, &c, (Signed) Alfred Domett, Colonial Secretary. J. R. Godley, Esq., Agent, Canterbury Association, &c, Lyttelton. [translation.] Lyttelton, March 24th, 1852. Friend Governor,— Greeting. My address to you is this : with reference to the conversation I had with you on board the ship, referring more particularly to the Island which stands close by—Te Kawakawa is the