1.-8

16

all to an area of about 48,470 acres, subject to a reserve of 300 acres for the Natives in the Te Moa Block. lam also informed that it is the intention of the Government to hand these lands over for provincial administration as soon as the necessary Proclamation can be prepared and signed by His Excellency the Governor. My attention is likewise requested to the 6th section of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1873." In reply, I beg leave to say that I have much pleasure ia learning that the Government have resumed the purchasing of the Taranaki land, and, although the blocks at present acquired are but small in proportion to our requirements, I trust that large and extensive tracts will shortly be obtained, as I learn, from reliable quarters, that the feeling of the Natives generally throughout Taranaki is for the disposal and utilizing of the land. I therefore trust that the Government will take advantage of the present favourable opportunity for acquiring territory. When the lands are handed over for provincial administration, the reserve of 300 acres for the Natives will be strictly observed. As regards the 6th section of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1873," I have carefully perused it, and I beg leave to say that if the the lands above referred to in this letter were purchased out of the moneys authorized under that Act, it is clear that none of these said lands will " be open for selection under any scrip," neither can it " be awarded or granted as compensation on any account whatever." If this be the case, the award made by Mr. Hamilton, the Commissioner appointed " under the hand of His Excellency the Governor in Council and the Seal of the Colony," as authorized by " The Taranaki New Zealand Company's Land Claims Act, 1872," cau only be settled by a money vote of Parliament. I have, &c., Eked. A. Cabbington, Superintendent of Taranaki. P.S. —I beg leave to ask, for the information of the Provincial Council, if the handing over of the blocks of land referred to in this letter for provincial administration will in any way affect our present guaranteed land fund of £2,200 a year, less the salary of the Commissioner of Crown Lands. Feed. A. Cabbington, Superintendent of Taranaki. The Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet to His Honor P. A. Cabbington. Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 6th March, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th ult. in reply to mine of the 4th, in which I informed your Honor that ihe Colonial Government had acquired, under the provisions of " The Immigration and Public Works Loan Act, 1873," certain blocks of land, amounting in all to an area of about 48,470 acres, which the Government intended immediately to hand over to your Honor for provincial administration. Your Honor states your gratification in learning that the Government has been able to resume the purchase of lands in Taranaki, and that the Natives evince a disposition to sell; and you express a hope that the Government will take advantage of the present favourable opportunity of acquiring territory. Tou further express your opinion that, as by the sixth section of " The Immigration and Public Works Loan Act, 1873," the lands thus purchased cannot be made available to satisfy the awards made by Mr. Commissioner Hamilton under " The Taranaki New Zealand Company's Land Claims Act, 1872," those awards can only bo settled by a money vote of Parliament. And in a postscript you ask, for the information of the Provincial Council, if the handing over of the blocks of land referred to in your letter for provincial administration will in any way affect your present Guaranteed Land Fund of £2,200 a year, less the salary of the Commissioner of Crown Lands. In reply, I desire to inform your Honor that it will be the pleasure, as it is the duty, of the Native Minister, and of the officers acting under him, to avail themselves of every opportunity that may offer of taking advantage of the present apparent desire of the Taranaki Natives to dispose of and utilize their land for the purposes of settlement. The question of the means by which the awards of the Commissioner appointed under " The Taranaki New Zealand Company's Land Claims Act, 1872," should be satisfied, is one on which it would be obviously improper that the Executive Government should offer any opinion, seeing that it has been already settled by law. With respect to the effect of these purchases upon the amount of £2,200 guaranteed as the annual land revenue of the Province of Taranaki, I beg to assure your Honor that it is the opinion of the Government the colony is bound to pay to the Treasury of the province any sum in any year which may be required, in excess of the amount realized under the land laws of the province from the sale, letting, or occupation of Crown lands, to make up the guaranteed land revenue of £2,200 per annum. The Government hope, however, that under present circumstances the time is not far distant when payments under this guarantee from the consolidated revenue to the provincial exchequer will cease to be required. I have, &c, William H. Eeynolds. His Honor F. A. Cabbington to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet. Sic,— Wellington, 6th August, 1874. Eeferring to my letter of the 6th Pebruary, 1874, in answer to yours, No. 22, 74-284, 4th Pebruary, 1874, in reference to certain blocks of land which have been acquired by the Government under the provisions of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1873," and the award made by Mr. Hamilton, the Commissioner appointed under the hand of His Excellency the Governor in Council