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No. 1. His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (Telegram.) Auckland, 30th April, 1875. Mr. Mackay, Agent of the General Government, has told me that he is, with the knowledge of the General Government and of the Native Department, purchasing a tract of land from the Natives, near the Te Aroha Mountain, for Mr. Thomas Eussell. Europeans are prohibited from purchasing land from the Natives, and there is the greatest want of land at the Thames on which to locate intending settlers. Would the Government be so kind as to furnish me, or to direct Mr. Mackay to furnish me, with copies of all papers relating to this transaction, and of the instructions to Mr. Mackay regarding it ? G. Grey, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Superintendent.

No. 2. The Hon. C. C. Bowen to His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. (Telegram.) Wellington, 6th May, 1875. With reference to your telegram, 30th April last, Mr. Mackay was instructed to respect all existing agreements between Natives and Europeans, whether for land or timber, within proclaimed blocks. Mr. Eussell was buying land at Waiharakeke and Hungahunga before the Government, and previous to the Proclamation under the Immigration and Public Works Act. The purchase of Waiharakeke included both the east and west sides of the Eiver Waihou. As Mr. Mackay considers it highly desirable that the Government should have the east side of the river south of the Aroha Block, Mr. Mackay proposed to Mr. Eussell that he should give up the land to the eastward of the river, and retain that on the western bank. The Government afterwards sanctioned this arrangement. Mr. Mackay reports that the greater part of the land which Mr. Eussell is to have is swamp, and unfit for the location of small settlers, as it will require a large expenditure of capital in draining it before it would be fit for occupation. Mr. Mackay informs Government that he has explained this to your Honor. His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. C. C. Bowen.

No. 3. His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (Telegram.) Auckland, 15th May, 1875. You have not yet supplied me, or said whether or not you would supply me, with copies of the papers for which I asked in my telegram of the 30th of April. "Would you be so good as to direct me to be furnished with such copies? It is important that I should get them at once. Might I also have copies of all papers relating to similar agreements permitting private persons to take or exchange lands in the Hauraki, Thames, or Piako districts ? It is right, when the whole future of this province depends upon lands in those districts being open to all, that I should have the fullest knowledge regarding the questions I have alluded to. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. G. Grey.

No. 4. The Hon. C. C. Bowen to His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. (Telegram.) "Wellington, 17th May, 1875. Tour telegram, asking for papers, will be submitted to the Colonial Secretary and Native Minister, on their return to Wellington, in a few days. His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. C. C. Bowen.

No. 5. Mr. J. Mackat to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Auckland, Bth June, 1876. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Tinder Secretary Clarke's telegram of the sth instant, in which he requests me to furnish you with the particulars of the purchase of the Hungahunga Block, for Mr. Thomas Eussell. In reply, I have the honor to inform you that, at the commencement of the year 1872, I was engaged in business as a private land and estate agent. In February of that year, I was requested to purchase Native lands for the Government, on commission. In March, I concluded an arrangement with the Hon. Mr. Ormond to purchase land for the Crown, where required, but was not in any way precluded from acquiring lands elsewhere for private persons. Finding sufficient employment given to mo by the Government, I relinquished my private business ; and when Mr. Thomas Eussell came to me, in 1872, and requested me to negotiate for the cession to him of the Hungahunga and Waiharakeke Blocks, I declined to do so. He then employed Messrs. Preece and Graham, who were then private