RELATIVE TO LAND PURCHASES.

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C—No. 1

until the Native title is fairly extinguished to such land as may be required for grazing or other European purposes. I have, &c, Donald McLean. To the Hon. 'Ihe Colonial Secretary, Auckland.

No. 5. THE HON. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO SIR. COMMISSIONER m'lBAN. Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 14th April, 1851. I am directed by the Governor-in-Chief to inform you that His Excellency has received your reports of the 20th February and the 14th March last, and that His Excellency is entirely satisfied with all your proceedings at Ahuriri. I am, however, to request that you will have trie goodness to ascertain as soon as practicable, the lowest price which the Natives will take for their land, which you are about to purchase, and that you will forward your report on the subject to Wellington, where it will reach His Excellency the beginning of May. I have, &c, Alfred Domett, Colonial Secretary. Donald McLean, Esq., Land Commissioner.

Approving of proceedings

No. 6. THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER TO THE HONORABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETART WELLINGTON. Wellington, 9th July, 1851. Sir,— I have the honor to submit for the consideration of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, the terms of payment which the Natives of Hawke's Bay agree to accept for the blocks of land they offer for sale to the Government. 1st. The Ahuriri block of Three hundred thousand (300,000) acres, including the harbour, was: valued by Mr. Park the Surveyor, and myself, at One thousand five hundred pounds (£1500), which sum the Natives agree to take for it, by receiving a first instalment of One thousand pounds (£1000), and a second and last instalment of Five hundred pounds (£500) next year. 2nd. Te Ilapuku demands for a block of similar extent as the former, although much superior in quality, a sum of Four thousand eight hundred pounds (£4800), to be paid in four yearly instalments, and requests that he should receive a first instalment of One thousand eight hundred pounds (£1800), to satisfy all the claimants, and induce many of them at Hawke's Bay, as well as at Wairarapa, to dispose of their lands to the Government; the remaining instalments he wishes to be paid in three equal annual amounts of One thousand pounds (£1000) in each year. 3rd. A block of about One hundred thousand (100,000) acres at the Mohaka river, recently purveyed, for which a sum of Eight hundred pounds (£800) in four equal annual instalments of Two hundred pounds (£200) a year, will be a sufficient payment. 4th. The total amount of land in the three blocks may be estimated at (700,000) Seven hundred thousand acres, for the payment of which a first instalment of Three thousand pounds (£3,000) will be required. This sum may at first sight appear large, although when divided among the several claimants, it will scarcely amount to Eighteen shillings (18s.) each, while the average price of all the iiurchases, inclusive of Native reserves, will be under 2 Jd, per acre. 5th. The remaining instalments will be comparatively moderate, amounting to One thousand seven hundred pounds (£1700) the second year, and Twelve hundred pounds £1200 in each year for the two subsequent instalments, I herewith enclose a translation of a letter from Te Hapuku to His Excellency, in which, with a few slight deviations, he relates the substance of a conversation I had with hira and his followers, at a meeting held with them in April last, respecting the price of their land. At this meeting the Natives used some forceable speeches and appeals for a payment of from ten to fifteen thousand pounds for Te Hapuku's block, stating what was quite true, that they were in the habit of receiving large sums of money for letting small spots of land to whaling parties, with whom they carried on a profitable pork and flax trade, besides supplying the stations with provisions, and receiving during successful seasons, considerable sums as their share for working in the boats, and the various other employments about the fisheries; therefore they considered, when parting for ever with their greatest property, the land, that they should be handsomely paid for it, and repeatedly alluded to the large rents, now amounting to upwards of Eleven hundred pounds (£1100), annually paid to the Wairarapa

Respecting the prices mi noie of Payment for Ahuriri Block, Te Hapuku>s Blockj ' and M# . ha-- Block,