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4

understand the relative positions which he and Vincent would have to each other during the currency of the latter's lease, or of the proportionate part of Vincent's rent which it would be proper for Kemp to receive. Kemp, after a time, found that the mill and dam were obstructive to the eel-fishing of his people, and, deriving no present benefit from Vincent, let his 400 acres to an adjacent settler for purposes of cultivation. In clearing the land, and possibly to oust Vincent, Kemp burnt off the flax from the 400 acres. Vincent complained that his means of subsistence were gone, and laid his damages at upwards of £9,000. The case presented this difficulty—that there existed no other locality in the district where an eel-fishing creek could be secured for Kemp, and it appeared to be almost impossible for eelfishing and the mill operations to go on together. Further, whether Vincent or Kemp was the rightful occupant, some one—either Vincent or Kemp's tenant —would suffer an injury, and have to be compensated. On examining the ground, I found that the flax had not been so much destroyed as entirely to prevent work at the mill. This enabled me to claim for the damages to be proportionately reduced. Mr. Vincent admitted that, in the existing state of the market, flaxdressing, save for rope-making, would not pay, and I found that there was a sufficiency of the material still growing for this limited branch of the business. It became necessary, however, to give Vincent a right, in case of flax becoming again in demand, to cut the plant on some adjacent Crown land. It was further arranged, with your approval, that he should receive the sum of £164 2s. for his expenses in coming to the session, and for loss of time since the suspension of the mill work. For the future he was, in respect to the 400 acres, to be considered the tenant of Kemp, that chief promising to protect him in the occupation of the land. The eel-fishing was to be arranged by mutual concession. This mode of arrangement still left the contingency of a claim by Kemp's tenant against him for breach of engagement in letting the land; but as it was questionable how far that letting was legal and valid, and the tenant ignorant of Vincent's holding, it was thought right to leave him to his remedy at law. Some difficulty occurred subsequently in finding other land conveniently situated for the supply of flax until the burnt plants were again grown, Vincent asserting that he could again fully work the mill to advantage. Eventually it was arranged that in full satisfaction of all demands against the Crown, Vincent should be allowed to purchase at £1 10s. an acre the section No. 415, at Okotuku, containing 350 acres. Legislative action will be necessary to legalize this.

ACCOUNTS. Rents Received from Ist July, 1874, to 31st June, 1875, at Commissioner of Native Reserves' Office, Wellington. Receipts. 1874. Wellington. £ s. d. July 1. McGrath, Aotea, Porirua, one year's Rent, due 31st December, 1874 .. 40 0 0 „ 1. Mitchell, Polhill's Gully, back Rent .. .. .. .. 15 0 0 „ 1. J. Fitchett, jun., Polhill's Gully, half-year's Rent, due Ist July, 1864 6 0 0 „ 2. A. Wall, Porirua, half-year's Rent, due 30th June, 1874 .. .. 25 0 0 „ 14. J. Dransfield, Polhill's Gully, half-year's Rent, due Ist June, 1874 .. 6 0 0 „ 15. E. J. King, Porirua, half-year's Rent, due 13th July, 1874 .. .. 30 0 0 „ 25. J. E. Smith, Pipitea Street, half-year's Rent, due Ist July, 1874 .. 110 0 Aug. 1. W. France, Ohariu, quarter-year's Rent, due Ist June, 1874 .. 3 13 6 „ 4. A. Mackay, Wainui, half-year's Rent, due Ist July, 1874 .. .. 710 0 „ 6. F. W. Smith, Paikakariki, half-year's Rent, due Ist July, 1874 .. 610 0 „ 8. J. Marshall, Ohariu, half-year's Rent, due Ist July, 1874 .. .. 710 0 „ 19. J. Sheehan, Whenuakura .. .. .. .. .. 22 15 0 „ 19. C. and E. Symes, Whenuakura .. .. .. .. 10 13 9 „ 19. F. J. Stewart, Whenuakura . . .. .. .. .. 912 6 „ 19. G. B. Worgan, Patea, half-year's Rentals, all up to 12th February, 1875 210 9 „ 19. F. S. McCarthy, Patea, half-year's Rent, up to 12th February, 1875 .. 518 3 „ 19. Messrs. Gane, Patea, half-year's Rent, up to 12th February, 1875 . . 8 6 3 „ 19. Messrs. Napier and Mitchell, Patea, half-year's Rent, up to 12th February, 1875 .. .. .. .. .. .. 439 „ 20. R. Bould, Ohariu, half-year's Rent, clue Ist July, 1874 .. .. 43 11 6 Sept. 7. E. J. King, Porirua, half-year's Rent, due 23rd August, 1874 .. 6 0 0 „ 8. W. Cornor, Nairn Street, one year's Rent, due 26th August, 1874 .. 12 0 0 „ 17. C.Vincent, Waiau (Wairoa), two years' Rent, due 31st March, 1874 .. 72 0 0 „ 22. E. Pearce, Pipitea Street, half-year's Rent, due Ist July, 1874 .. 6 0 0 Oct. 6. J. Fitchett, jun., Polhill's Gully, half-year's Rent, due 29th September, 1874 .. .. ".. .. .. .. .. 5 10 0 „ 16. C. Swiney, Te Aro, half-year's Rent, due 11th October, 1874 .. 110 „ 27. J. Smith, Ohariu, half-year's Rent, due 18th October, 1874 .. .. 20 0 0 Nov. 3. P. Trotter, Makara, on account to Ist November, 1874 .. .. 45 0 0 „ 12. W. France, Ohariu, quarter-year's Rent, due Ist October, 1874 .. 313 6 Dec. 2. H. S. Palmerson, Palmerston North, half-year's Rent (in advance), due Ist December, 1875 .. .. .. .. 12 10 4 „ 4. Fisher and Whitehouse, Porirua, half-year's Rent, due Ist December, 1874 .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 0 0