A.—No. 13.

Enclosure 1 in No. 2. Copy of a Letter from Mr. "VV. S. Atkinson to the Native Agent, New Plymouth. Sic,— New Plymouth, 29th Juno, 18G6. In enclosing for your information a list of claimants in the Oakaru Block, allowed by the Compensation Court, I have the honor to inform you that I applied for and obtained a suspension of judgment for two days, in the hope that the matter might be arranged out of Court, by offering the Native claimants the whole of the remaining land in the Oakura Block, in full compensation for their claims. Should this proposition meet with your approval, the details can be arranged between us on a future occasion. In the meantime I have to request you to be good enough to give the subject your earliest attention, as a further suspension of judgment might not be conceded by the Court. I have, &c, Eobert Parris, Esq., J.P., Native Agent, "W". S. Atkinson, New Plymouth. Crown Agent. Sub-Enclosure 1 to Enclosure 1 in No. 2. Copy of a Letter from Mr. W. 8. Atkinson to the Hon. Native Minister, New Plymouth. >Snt,— New Plymouth, 20th June, 1866. I have the honor to enclose for your information, copy of a letter forwarded to Mr. Parris this day, containing a proposal to the claimants in the Oakura Block for the satisfaction of their claims there. I have, &c, The Honorable the Native Minister, W. S. Atkinson, New Plymouth. Crown Agent. Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure 1 in No. 2. Copy of a Letter from the Civil Commissioner to the Ckown Agent, New Plymouth. Sir,— New Plymouth, 29th June, 1866. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, enclosing a list of claimants in the Oakura Block, as allowed by the Compensation Court, and offering the Native claimant* the whole of the remaining land in the Oakura Block, in full compensation for their claims. I presume by the term " the whole of the remaining land," it is intended to include all the Government reserves, and the whole of the land not allotted to the Military Settlers. "With this understanding, I agree on behalf of the Native claimants to accept the offer submitted for my approval, in full compensation for their claims within the said block. I have, &c, "VV. S. Atkinson, Esq., Crown Agent, E. Parris, New Plymouth. Civil Commissioner and Agent for the Natives. Sub-Enclosure 3 to Enclosure 1 in No. 2. Copy of a Letter from Mr. "W. S. Atkinson to Native Agent, New Plymouth. Sic,— New Plymouth, 29th June, 1566. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of this day, accepting my offer (on behalf of the Natives) of the whole remaining portion of the Oakura Blocli not occupied by Military Settlers, as compensation in full of all their claims over the said block, and to thank you for your promptness in the matter. It will be necessary that some of the principal Native claimants should appear, with yourself, before the Court to-morrow, at ten o'clock a.m., in order to complete the arrangement. I have, &c, Eobert Parris, Esq., J.P., Native Agent, ■ "VV. S. Atkinson, New Plymouth. Crown Agent. Sub-Enclosure 4 to Enclosure 1 in No. 2. Copy of a Letter from the Civil Commissioner to the Ceown Agent, New Plymouth. Silt,— New Plymouth, 10th July, 1866. In reply to your letter of this date, conveying certain proposals for the settlement of all claims of friendly and absentee Natives and half-castes for compensation, in the block of land known as AVaitara South, I have the honor to inform you that I agree on behalf of the Natives to accept in full compensation of their claims over the said block, the block of land seaward of the Military Settlers' line, said to contain S,OOO acres, together with all the reserves within the Military Settlers' Settlement. In the Waitara Township I accept, on behalf of the claimants, your offer of 125 Town Sections, together with 500 acres of the Town Belt, and that portion of the Town Belt at Matataiore returned by authority of the Honorable the Native Minister to Mahau and his people; and also the land included in the Hurirapa Village, excepting the streets. I have, &c, E. Pabeis, Civil Commissioner and Agent for the Natives. No. 3. Copy of a Letter from Mr. "W. S. Atkinson to the Native Agent, New Plymouth. Sin,— New Plymouth, 18th July. 1866. I have the honor to inform you that I have completed (with the exception of a few signatures which will be obtained shortly) an arrangement out of Court with the Native claimants over the Waitara South Block, through Mr. Commissioner Parris, their agent, and enclose copies of correspondence on the subject. 5

17

COMPENSATION COURT AT NEW PLYMOUTH.