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Lyttelton, March 2, 1857. Sir,— I have the honor to enclose a letter just received from Arahena, on the West Coast, and one from Waipapa, near Kaikoura. I have no time to make myself master of their contents or to copy them. They seem, however, to contain the names of the Maori residents at Arahena, and of places near Kaikoura, and names of the residents there. The information will be valuable, perhaps, in this Province, especially that contained in the Arahena letter. > I would, therefore, beg you to be kind enough to send me copies and translations. I have, &c, (Signed) J. W .Hamilton. Donald M'Lean, Esq., Native Secretary. Land Commissioner's Office, Auckland, April 1, U57. Sib,— I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 2nd ult., enclosing one from a native at Kaikoura and another from Arahura. Herewith I enclose for your information a copy and translation of each of the letters above referred to. I have, &c, (Signed) Donald M'Lean, Chief Commissioner. J. W. Hamilton, Esq., Lyttelton. . { Lyttelton, Canterbury, June Bth, 1857. Sib,— May I request you to be good enough to ascertain whether the approval of Government has been given to the vouchers enclosed in my letter to you of 19th February last, and to cause the vouchers to be returned to me so that I may account to the Sub-Treasurer here for the advances made to me. I may be permitted also to observe that I have not received the approval of Government to the expenditure of the additional £50 advanced on my own responsibility in addition to the £150 authorised to be paid to the Kaiapoi Natives. This approval seems to be inferentially given, if I understand your letter of April Ist rightly, viz. ; that I am to distribute an additional £200 (besides the £200 already paid) to the Kaiapoi Natives. As a matter of dry accounts however, I should be glad to receive specific authority, the more so as acting in the double capacity of Sub -Treasurer paying out, and of Land purchase Agent receiving charge of public money, the strict rules of a public audit might require a refusal of my vouchers as insufficiently supported by the authority from Government. I have, &c, (Signed) J. W. Hamilton, Agrent for the Native land purchase at Akaroa & Kaiapoi. Donald McLean, Esq., J. P., Chief Commissioner, Native Land Purchase Department. Auckland Land Purchase Office, Auckland, July 14th, 1857. Sik, — I have the honor to inform you that your letter of the Bth June has been duly received at this office ; but in consequence of the absence of Mr. McLean your request has not been able to be attended to ; but if you would be good enough to forward to this office fresh vouchers, such as you wish to be approved, they shall be laid before the Ministers for approval, and duly forwarded to you at Canterbury. I have the honor also to inform you that two letters dated April Ist, 1857, have been forwarded to you from the Colonial Treasurer viz.,"57,429, 235—236 of which I enclose copies. I have, &c, (Signed) Thos. Godfrey. J. W. Hamilton, Esq., Lyttelton, i