E.—No. 2B.

hare taken immediate notice of the matter could I have obtained official knowledge of the existence of the alleged instructions and negotiations, and although I am indebted to the supposed existence of such instructions and negotiations for this distinct expression of Dr. Featherston's views on the question, 1 cannot but think that he was misinformed. I was at the time acting in the South for the Ministry, and especially for the Native Minister ; and I cannot conceive that at a time when I was led to believe that all his official correspondence with the South passed through me, Mr. Bell would have complicated my relations with the Natives so far as to have secretly entrusted such dangerous negotiations to one of the least discreet officers of his department. Mr. Buller was quite right to obey Mr. Fox while that gentleman held office, and equally so to obey me when I became once more the head of his department. He could expect no instructions from me but such as would stop his interference in laud purchases ; but when I spoke with him upon the subject, he, in support of his assertion that his connection with these affairs had been very slight, described it as follows: —The Natives and Dr. Featherston would commence negotiations about a block of land, for which the Commissioner would offer a certain price, say £1000, and the Natives demand, say £10,000. The Commissioner would then propose that the value should be assessed by Mr. Buller, and on the Natives assenting to this reference, that gentleman would ascertain from the Commissioner what price he was really ready to give, say £3000, and give that as his award. Of course I pointed out to Mr. Buller the danger of his losing the respect of the Natives, should the character of his awards ever become known to them ; and was myself confirmed in my determination to check the continuance of such traffic on the part of Resident Magistrates. I cannot follow the Commissioner through all the misrepresentations contained in this and the following paragraphs of his report —the records of the Native Office should suffice to rebut the greater part of them. With the brief time at my disposal, it must at present suffice for me to state — 1. That Mr. Buller himself expressed to me his wish to be transferred to Central Wanganui. 2. That he rendered me valuable assistance in re-arranging the boundaries of the districts. 3. That the Magistrate was stationed at Rangitikei as being, according to Mr. Buller and other authorities, the point from which the new district could be most conveniently worked,; the presence of two or more Justices of the Peace at Manawatu providing, in some measure, for the administration of justice in that place. 4. That I made the Southern boundary of the Rangitikei District coincide with that of the " Manawatu Block," in order, as far as was in my power, to avoid the inclusion in one district of Natives whose lands were subject to " The Native Lands Act" with those whose lands were excepted from its operation, and in the hope that I might thus in some measure allay the feelings of jealousy which a distinction so much stronger than a mere tribal difference might create. 5. The truth of the allegations. (1.) That the arrangement has proved fatal to the influence of both Magistrates. (2.) That they have created intense dissatisfaction amongst the Natives. (3.) That they have almost ceased to appeal to the Court. (4.) That they treat its decisions with supreme contempt, Ac, &c.—can be tested by reference which, I submit, should be immediately made to Messrs. Edwards and Noake. The statements are not supported by any evidence, public or private, which has reached me, aud I believe them to be unjustified and unjustifiable. ('). The reduction of Mr. Buller's salary to the maximum allowed to ordinary Resident Magistrates in the Native Department, was made with the knowledge and sanction of the Cabinet. In the copy of this special Report, which I saw on the 3rd instant, aud which I trust will yet be laid before the House, Dr. Featherston stated (I cannot of course remember the precise words) " so distasteful to Mr. Mantell was Mr. Buller's success" (in these negotiations) " that a few days only before resigning his office, he knocked off his forage allowance." I regret that this sentence has been now omitted. I cannot condescend to rebut the accusation of having ever felt anything but pleasure at the success of any officer of my department, and regret that the Land Purchase Commissioner should first have so far forgotten himself as to write so disgraceful a calumny, and then have availed himself of the opportunity which I generously allowed him of withdrawing the whole of the very intemperate document under comment, to suppress only such parts as by their more conspicuous intemperateness rendered more easy a clear perception of the character of the remainder. 7. That the minute of my reply on receiving the petition from the "Manawatu Block" Natives was submitted to and approved by the Cabinet, and that a copy of that reply can be obtained from the Native Department. At a later date, I learned from good authority that the more usual course for a Minister to take with regard to a petition which he felt debarred from presenting, was to hand it to some other member for that purpose. I therefore strove to atone for my unintentional discourtesy to the petitioners, by informing them that on its return I would act in accordance with that practice. Eventually, after leaving the Ministry, I received the petition from the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, with a letter, a copy of which can doubtless be obtained, requesting me to present it. With this request lof course complied. S. Among other insinuations in paragraphs 7 and 8 of the Land Purchase Commissioner's special Report, it appears to me sufficiently evident that he seeks to convey the impression which may or may not exist in his own mind, that some underhand action has been taken by me in concert with those to whom he alludes as " certain parties." Now, I can only say that I have not the remotest idea who these parties are, if indeed there be any such parties ; that all my acts in this matter are, I believe, known to my late colleagues ; that I am not in the habit of adopting underhand courses ; and that if any of my colleagues has the least suspicion of my not having acted openly and fairly in this or any other of my official acts, I charge him at once to declare it. 11th September, 1865. Walter Mantell.

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FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO THE MANAWATU BLOCK.