G.—l

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surveys have been made without authority, and practically by stealth. For that Moon and Hay are only to blame. I do not care myself what decision the Cabinet may come to, so that my course _ be clearly marked. If agreed to accept Walker's proposal, no doubt will have the effect of shortening the time within which our transactions shall be completed, and saving very considerable expense; although policy of entering into such arrangements is open to grave question, and has in other cases been the cause of serious annoyance to the Government. If it be decided not to accept, then it must be borne in mind that the parties are very powerful, and are well supplied with funds, and will make as hard a fight as possible, trusting to the chance perhaps of a change of Government and to altering in the existing land laws ; nevertheless, if my hands are strengthened by the decision of Cabinet, we can beat them. Many of the people are anxious to deal with us. We have paid considerable sums of money upon the land. By appointing some competent p'erson for the sole purpose of residing in the district and conducting the negotiations, I think wo could pull them through. A great deal of the land is of fair quality, and a fair proportion of it exceedingly good. By retaining negotiations in our own hands we are in a better position to carry on negotiations with the King Natives, as it will be in our power to withdraw if necessary in some cases, or to modify the boundaries of land under negotiation if it should appear to bo necessary to do so. Colonel Whitmore has mentioned to me a proposal which the Ministers in Wellington have considered in regard to future dealings with Native lands. I express no opinion upon it now, but leave it until I have an opportunity of discussing with you in Wellington. Ido not think that these negotiations should be allowed to vary far pending the consideration by Parliament of the proposal of Cabinet. If Parliament refuse to adopt the proposal, will be in a better position to conclude negotiations; whereas, if the proposal should be adopted, it would be quite competent for us to so arrange these negotiations that moneys paid by Government may be recovered and the lands dealt with under the new system. —John Siieehan. No. 3. (Telegram.) Wellington, 20th June, 1879. Hon. J. Sheehan, Cambridge or Hamilton, Waikato.—We have considered your telegrams regarding blocks of land on east bank of Waikato. We think the proper course is to point out to applicants the illegality of the course they have pursued, the impropriety of their surveys made by stealth, all which thing's you have so ably pointed out in your confidential telegram ; and then inform them that, for these amongst other reasons, it is impossible for us to entertain proposals.—G. Grey. No. 4. (Telegram.) Auckland, 23rd June, 1879. E. A Wiiitaker, Esq., Cambridge. —Cabinet decline to make any bargain re Patetere lands, and refer parties to Parliament. Will be in Auckland to-day, but leave to-night for Tauranga and Wellington. —John Sheehan.

No. 5. (Telegram.) Auckland, 26th September, 1879. W. H. Guace, Esq., Crown Agent, Cambridge.'—l enclose letter and translation from Wi Maihi, in reference to the survey of Te Whaiti Block. As the survey of this block was authorized on my learning from you that there was no objection to it, as expressed in a memo, to myself, and as you also expressed yourself to the same effect'in correspondence I lately saw with Mr. Gill in Wellington, before anything is done to stop the survey, it is perhaps only right that you should know about it; and I should be much obliged if you would state whether, from your local knowledge of the questions, you consider the peace of the country requires that the survey should stop. Mr. Creagh was informed by me, before starting, that he should not undertake the survey of the eastern boundaries of this block before arranging with both sides as to where it should run. Please return the letter.—S. Percy Smith, C.S. Enclosure in No. 5. Auckland, 18th September, 1879. To S. Pehct Smith, Esq., Survey Office, Auckland; Eawiri te Kakawaero, Kereihi Hopo, Te Hata Maihi, Maihi Ngahio, Korouaputa, Eru Hauotu, Menehira Pouawha— That is, to all the Ngateterangi, Ngatihina, and Ngatitukorehu, and all my relations.—l salute you all. We have heard and have seen that the surveyor, Creagh, whom you have employed and instructed to survey your external boundary, is about to proceed to undertake the work. _ We have been informed that the external boundary you intend to have surveyed -when Creagh arrives is Opoutihi on the north and Kokako te Whetu on the south. My relatives, listen attentively to what I have to propose to you. The Ngatirangiwewehi own the land on the south side of Opoutihi, or Eotorua side; and you" the Ngatiraukawa, own the land on the north side, from Opoutihi to the road leading from Kaharoa to Tapapa ; turning hence to Eotorua is the land owned by the Ngatirangiwewehi. This is therefore to ask you not to take upon yourselves alone the arrangements for the survey. _ Do not take upon yourselves, as one hapu, the sole responsibility of surveying the dividing boundaries of the land owned by the other hapus. If you persist in doing so, trouble will come upon the land and those persons who have acted independently. I would therefore submit to you the following good and easy plan, whereby the boundaries of the lands owned by each hapu may be satisfactorily settled—namely: Let all til© hapus interested in the lands within and abutting your proposed external boundary, assemble at one place and discuss the question; and should a definite understanding be arrived at between the respective hapus owning the lands on each side of the external boundary-line, then let the work be commenced—that is, after the ancient boundary-marks, such as stones, springs or water-holes, streams, hills, stone cliffs, patches of fern or toi-toi, caves, or trees, as passed down from our ancestors, have been clearly pointed out and agreed to. Then let two hapus in a body go and point out the stones or pther marks from which the survey-line is to be commenced, and, after having done so, let them cut the