TO A GRANT OE LAND.

G.—No. 15.

11

No. 34. Memoeandum by Captain Holt for Colonel Haultain. Shall I inform Major Jackson that the men of his first corps of Forest Rangers —not being now in either No. 1 or No. 2 Company, Forest Rangers —are to receive fifty acres of land each, but that the officers will receive no laud, as they still hold commissions in the corps, and will get land according to their present rank ?—the promotion they have received, and consequent increased quantity of land, being considered equivalent to the land they would have received if their services had not been continued. 16th November. J. Holt.

No. 35. Memorandum by Colonel Haultain for Ministees. I constdee that the men of the first company of Forest Rangers, who did not re-enlist in November, 1863, cannot claim land under Mr. Russell's Memorandum, of the 6th of August, 1863, unless they are prepared to complete a three years' occupation, as they were only promised the ordinary grant of land (and additional land in case of distinguished conduct, which does not appear to be claimed), to which they could not be entitled until the termination of their period. But as it was stated in the House of Representatives, by the late Defence Minister, that the Government had decided to give them their land, I consider that this promise should be carried into effect. But no officer or man who, having re-enlisted, has been already put in possession of land, should have a second grant. Major Jackson has already been allotted 400 acres of exceedingly good and valuable land at Rangiawhia. 10th November, 1865. T. M. Haultain. Theee are no grounds for acceding to the claim made. —E.W.S. 18th November, 1865. Ido not consider these men have a claim to the ordinary grant of land in equity. The Defence Minister who was in office when the men were raised states in his Minute of the 15th October, 1864, that he considers they are not entitled to land. Ido not consider that the declaration of his successor in office imposes on the present Government the necessity for reversing that decision. 22nd November, 1865. C. 11. Russell.

No. 36. Captain Holt to Major Jackson. (No. 670.) Colonial Defence Office, Sir, — . AVellington, 23rd November, 1565. In reply to your letter of the 18th June last, No. 285, I have the honor, by direction of the Hon. the Minister for Colonial Defence, to inform you that the Government, after full consideration of the subject, are of opinion that your claim to land has been fully met by the allotment of 400 acres at Rangiawhia of the most valuable land in the AVaikato District; and that those men who belonged to tho first company of Forest Rangers, and who on their disbandment, did not re-enrol for the completion of the period of service, which alone could entitle them to the ordinary grant of land, cannot now claim it. The Government will not, therefore, I am directed to state, reverse the decision conveyed to you in Mr. Russell's letter No. 2458, of 19th October, 1864. I have, Ac, J. Holt, Major Jackson, Forest Rangers, Kihikihi. Under Secretary.

No. 37. Major Jackson to Captain Holt. Sir,— To Awamutu, Bth June, 1866. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter (No. 670, 23rd November, 1865), wherein you state that, in reply to my letter of 18th June, 1865, No. 285, you are directed by the Hon. the Defence Minister to inform me that tho Government, after full consideration of the subject, are of opinion that my claim to land has been fully met by the allotment of 400 acres at Rangiawhia. i AVith reference to the above, I beg to inform you that I have no recollection of having then preferred mv claim for extra grant of land, as I understood the Government to have acknowledged said claim, and that they would have handed same to me ere this. The letters I have written on tho subject refer to the men whom I enlisted in tho month of August, 1863, and who were disbanded by order of the Hon. the Defence Minister on the 10th of November following. As there is evidently some misunderstanding on the matter, I humbly request that you will bring this letter and enclosures to the notice of the Hon. the Defence Minister, in order that he may take such steps as he may think necessary to enable me to receive a grant of good laud, in accordance with the promise made by His Excellency the Governor, in the month of August, 1803. On the Bth of November, 1864,1 wrote a letter to the Hon. the Defence Minister, requesting that land might be set apart for myself and the company of Forest Rangers that I raised in accordance with instructions received in the month of August, 1803. In that letter I stated that the land then claimed had no connection whatever with the land to be allotted to mo as a Waikato Militiaman, in answer to which I received tho letter No. 2,541, 16th November, 1804, wherein the Government recognized the claim I preferred. The letter from the Defence Office, No. 2,458, 19th October, 1864 (to which you refer), was in reply to a letter of mine dated the 17th previously, which was written at the request of several of the