G.—No. 4,

32

APPENDIX TO REPORT OE

(No. 81.)—Chaieman to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet. —19th April, 1871.. I have the honor to forward a plan of tire ground to be leased from Mr. W. K. Hulke, of New Plymouth, to be used as a nursery for flax plants ; also a plan showing the flax as planted, required by the Attorney-General, for the purpose of drawing up a lease of the ground to the Government for a period of ten years. I also enclose copies of preliminary correspondence on the subject with Mr. Hulke.

(No. 45.)—Mr. W. K. Hulke to Chaieman.—llth April, 1871. I have the honor to enclose, as requested in your letter of the 27th March, a plan of the ground leased, and, also a plan shewing the flax as planted. The rows being 4 feet apart, roots 3 feet. The plantation was commenced on the 20th June, 1870, and finished in August, 1870; all now show most luxuriant growth, and the variegated variety has many young fans thrown up, having been previously transplanted. You will observe in the plan there is a space left for any new variety I may pick up, or any that the Commissioners might think proper to send to compare with those already planted. In reply to your letter of the 30th March, I shall have much pleasure in presenting to the Commissioners all my specimens of prepared fibre, and will only accept payment for the specimens planted in tubs, so as to cover expenses —say, packed and delivered on the beach, ready for shipment, 10s. each ; of these, there will be about fourteen varieties, each, as far as leaf goes, quite distinct. As yet, I have not received either the Korako from Waimate, or the Tepuna • but as soon as these arrive, and which I daily expect, I will forward the plants previously ordered.

(No. 82.)—Chaieman to Mr. W. K. Hulke.—l9th April, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 11th April, and to inform you that the plans of your flax nursery enclosed therein have been forwarded to the Government for the preparation of a lease as agreed upon. On behalf of the Commissioners, I accept your offer of the flax plants in tubs —to be paid for at the rate of 10s. for each variety, packed, and delivered on the beach ready for shipment. I also beg to thank you for the offer of your collection of flax fibres, which the Commissioners, will have much pleasure in accepting.

(No. 50.)—Chaieman to Mr. W. K. Hulke.—l3th March, 1871. The Flax Commissioners, on making application some weeks ago to Mr. Kelly for his assistance in procuring a variety of flax plants from the Taranaki Province for cultivation in the Botanic Garden at Wellington, were informed bv that gentleman that he had made arrangements with you for the supply of such plants as you could procure. There has been a delay in communicating with you as the Commissioners have been absent from Wellington, but I now beg that you will be so good as to procure and ship to this place ten plants of each of such varieties as you can obtain, that are cultivated by the Natives, or esteemed by them as valuable. When they are ready for shipment I shall be obliged by your allowing Mr. Kelly to see them, as he has promised to furnish the description of the several varieties ; and on your informing me of the cost of the plants and the expenses of shipping them, I will cause the amount to be remitted to you.

(No. 16.)—Chaieman to W. Bullee, Esq,, R.M., Wanganui.—sth December, 1870. The Flax Commissioners would feel much obliged by your obtaining for them, from that part of the Wanganui River where it has been planted by the Natives, about 100 sets of Tihore flax, for cultivation in the Botanic Gardens at Wellington. They would also be glad to have, for the same purpose, twenty or thirty plants of each of any other varieties that are suitable for manufacturing purposes, with a short statement of the uses to which these varieties are severally applied by the Natives, and the name of the soil on which they are found to grow naturally.

(No. 41.)— R. W. Woon, Esq., R.M., to Chaieman.—l2th April, 1871. I shall be sending you 100 sets of flax plants next week. (No. 85.)—Chaieman to Mr. R. W. Woon, Wanganui.—lst May, 1871. I have the honor to inform you that the 100 sets of flax plants have arrived, and that a voucher for payment has been forwarded to the Colonial Secretary. The amount of £5 10s. due for the plants will be forwarded to Wanganui on the first opportunity, and will be payable on your personal application to the General Government Paymaster at that place.