PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE

No. 29. MiscELiiNKous == ~

to pay a higher price for Waste Lands in your district than in any other part of New Zealand. The exact terras on which land can be acquired it is difficult to state. I need not, however, add that it is an object of great solicitude on the part of the General Government to have purchases made on terms the most advantageous for the public interests. You may consider yourself authorised to pay at rates varying from one shilling to three shillings per acre, according to quality and position, for land of fair average value ; and even that limit may, in some special and extraordinary cases, be exceeded, if you give timely notice of the necessity for so doing. 13. Much must, however, be left to your own judgment and discretion in making the best and most economical terms with the Natives : and I may add, that it is not the desire of the Government to fetter you with any instructions that will impede your operations in carrying out such an important and peculiarly difficult duty as the purchase of land in the Province of Taranaki. 14. "If you find it necessary to make purchases, subject to the condition of large reserves for the Natives, I should prefer that you should follow the system adopted in the Hua purchase; that, namely, of allowing the Natives (subject to certain limitations) a pre-emptive right over such portions as they may desire to re-purchase ; such land to be thenceforward held by them under individual Crown Grants,—instead of having large reserves held in common. 15. I enclose herewith, for your guidance in such cases, copies of correspondence in reference to the Hua Block ; together with Mr. Commissioner llogan's report upon the selections and repayments for the several sections re-purchased out of that Block. 16. In making reserves for such of the Natives as are indisposed to be interspersed with the Europeans, you will endeavour, as far as possible, to induce them to select situations that are well defined by rivers or other natural boundaries ; as a means of preventing the endless cases of cattletrespass and other disputes that must be of frequent occurrence in the Taranaki district. At the same time every possible facility should be afforded to the young and more intelligent Natives to acquire land by re-purchase from the Crown ; in order that their present system of communism may be gradually dissolved ; and that they may be led to appreciate the great advantage of holding their land under a tenure more defined and more secure for themselves and their posterity, than they can possibly enjoy under their present intricate and complicated mode of holding property. 17.1 enclose also a copy of the Draft Form of Native Deed to be used by you, subject to such variations as you may find necessary. 18. From your long residence at New Plymouth, and knowledge of the Natives, there is every reason to hope that your negotiations will shortly be attended with success ;—and I trust that every due precaution will be used by you to effect purchases in such a manner as to prevent disturbances amongst the Native?. To this point His Excellency the Governor directs particular attention. 19. It is most essential that the utmost harmony and unity of action should prevail between the several Officers of the Native Department; as nothing will prove so destructive to the influence that should be preserved over the Natives as disagreement between the Officers of the same service; and nothing of which a keen and discerning race like the Maories will be so apt to take advantage. Whatever differences, therefore, of opinion may be entertained by Officers in reference to Native subjects, I feel that it is hardly necessary for me to do more than incidentally remark that such differences should never be allowed to interfere with the friendly relations that ought always to subsist between gentlemen in the same Department of the Public Service, and which will, I trust, remain unimpaired as between yourself and the Assistant Native Secretary at New Plymouth. 20. Wishing you every success in your negotiations ; and generally in fulfilling the delicate and difficult duties which now devolve upon you, I have, &c, (Signed) Donald McLean, Chief Commissioner. Robt. Parris, Esq., J.P., District Commissioner, Taranaki. No. 2. copy of a DESPATCH from his excellency governor gore browne, c.b., to the right noN. SIR E. B. LYTTON, BART. Government House, Auckland, New Zealand, 29th March, 1859. Sir,— I have the honor to report for your information that I have recently visited the Province of Taranaki. I found the settlers dissatisfied with the Government and ill pleased with the Maories, who, though they possess large tracts of land which they cannot occupy, refuse to sell any part of it. The settlers complain that they have not sufficient pasturage for their flocks, and that immigrants and capitalists are driven to seek in other Provinces the accommodation which Taranaki cannot, under present circumstances, afford. 2. I received two separate deputations commissioned by the settlers to state their grievances, and discussed the subject fully with them. I informed them of what had been done by the Government, and of what is now in progress; assuring them of my earnest desire to meet their views when

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