C—No. 1

I have the honor to forward for your information the copy of a Memorandum I have recently received from Mr. White on the same subject. I have, &c, H. T. Kemp, District Commissioner. The Chief Commissioner, Land Purchase Department, Auckland.

Enclosure to No. 32. MEMORANDUM BY MR. WHITE, SURVEYOR, MANGONUI. The land referred to is a small piece at Taipa, about 4 acres, and the back land of Mangonui, comprising some five or six hundred (500 or 600) acres, but the quantity I shall be able to give accurately in the course of two months, as I shall survey the greater portion of it in concluding the survey of Oruru. The land is barren, but valuable to Government in consequence of its proximity to the village, and is surrounded on all but one side with land over which the Native Title has been extinguished. £400 is asked, £100 ought to purchase it. I would strongly urge its purchase, not only for the convenience of settlers, but it will relieve the Natives of this neighborhood from a serious difficulty in which they have embroiled themselves, by neglecting the claim of some powerful Chiefs related to them at Hokianga. Pororua is the only objecting Chief, but I think his opposition can be overcome, although the Natives in this district treat his opposition with some contempt. W. B. White, Surveyor.

No 33. THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER TO MR. COMMISSIONER KEMP. Land Commissioner's Office, Auckland, March 25, 1857. Sir, — I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter addressed to me by Tipene of Mangonui,respecting some land which has bee» purchased from the Natives of that district, to which he lays claim, but of the payment for which he states he has received no share. I shall, therefore, feel obliged for your report on his claim, so that, if there has been any mistake, by which Tipene has been overlooked in the negotiations for the land in question, it may be rectified without further delay. I have, &c, Donald McLean, Chief Commissioner. 11. T. Kemp, Esq., J.P., District Commissioner, Bay of Islands. P.S.—A letter has been written to Tipene, informing him that I suppose the arrangements for the laad to which he refers have been finally settled by you : if, however, any injustice has been done towards him, it must be rectified.

OBUKH. To report on claims of , Tipene to Oiuru Valley.

No. 34. MR. COMMISSIONER KEMP TO THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER. District Commissioner's Office, Bay of Islands, 26th March, 1857. but, — In reply to your letter of the 10th instant, referring to the acquisition of the Mawhe district, I beg leave to acquaint you for the information of the Government, that a few days since a number of' influential Chiefs concerned were present at the disinterment of the remains of their relatives, on which' occasion it is usual for them to discuss subjects of any importance. 2. Nothing further transpired at this meeting than that Tamati Waka gave notice of his intention to remove the bones of some of his nearest relatives, with a view to preliminary arrangements being made for the sale of the district to the Government.

R 57-132.

MAWHE. Nothing further has been > done with reference to Mawhe. V. Letters Nos. 29, 31,

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RELATIVE TO LAND PURCHASES.