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more especially the Patetere Block, before the meeting of Parliament, is detrimental to the progress and interests of the colony We, the undersigned, having been appointed a committee to give effect to the same, beg to point out to your Excellency that the Native lauds from which the Proclamation is about to be withdrawn have already been partly purchased by previous Governments, and that the withdrawal of the Proclamation will be throwing the lands into the hands of speculators, to whom farmers who may wish to purchase will have to pay an exhorbitant price. With regard to the Patetere Block we beg more especially to draw your Excellency's attention. This is a block of some 300,000 acres, in forwarding the purchase of which the Government have expended about £14,000, and during the whole time previous Governments were negotiating with the Natives for the purchase of the said block they were obstructed by certain Europeans intriguing for the purchase of the land on their own account, notwithstanding they had bsen cautioned by a late Ministry to desist. As those most prominent in the purchase of this land are members of the House of fiepresentatives, and they having obtained a prior claim over it by the acquiescence of the Ministry, your memorialists therefore beg that you will retain tho Proclamation over said lands until after the meeting of Parliament, to allow an opportunity of investigation. We are also of opinion that the removal of the Proclamation will deprive the colony of a large revenue. Hoping your Excellency will give the matter due consideration, We have, &e., J Cunnin&ham, Chairman of Meeting. H. Eoche, Member of Waiapu County Council. E. Eosanko, Settler. Te Awamutu, Waikato, Bth December, 1880.

No. 24. Sie, — Kawau, Bth December, 1880. I have the honor to request that you will be pleased to present the accompanying memorial to the Governor, together with the covering letter, which I have addressed to His Excellency The memorial is signed by Mr. James McGowan, on behalf of a public meeting held at Grahamstown on the 15th November last. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, &c, Wellington. G. Grey.

Enclosure in No. 24. Sir, — Kawau, Bth December, 1880. I have the honor to transmit to your Excellency a memorial forwarded to me by Mr. James McGowan, on behalf of a public meeting of my constituents held at Grahamstown on the 15th November last. 111-health prevents me from presenting this memorial personally to your Excellency I therefore send it on through the Colonial Secretary in the usual course. It relates to a block of land called the Patetere Block, in regard to which a Proclamation was issued by the Governor notifying that money had been paid by the Crown for its purchase or acquisition. The effect of that Proclamation was as against all persons other than the aboriginal owners or occupiers of such land, equivalent to a notice that the Native title over the said land had been extinguished, and to make it unlawful for any other person to purchase or acquire from the Native owners any right, title, estate, or interest in any such land, or in any part thereof, or in any manner to contract for any such purchase or acquisition. The prayer of the memorial is that your Excellency will be pleased to maintain that Proclamation in force until after the next meeting of Parliament. I believe that it is generally felt that the removal of the Proclamation from the block during the recess would be a great misfortune to the country, for then it is thought, owing to circumstances which have taken place, that a vast block of land of great value would probably fall into the hands of private persons, whilst the rest of" the inhabitants of New Zealand, who have obeyed the law by not attempting to purchase this land whilst a Proclamation was over it, would suffer great injustice. The Natives would also suffer a serious wrong from not having had an opportunity of selling their land in the open market. In conclusion, I would venture to add that the falling of this block of land into the hands of a few private persons will greatly impede the settlement of the country on principles which take into consideration the interests and rights of tho whole of the Queen's subjects. I have, &c, His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand, &c. G. Grey.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 24. To His Excellency Sir Aethur H. Gordon, GC.M.G., D.C.L., Governor of tho Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies. The memorial of the undersigned, delegated in that behalf by a public meeting held at Thames on the 15th day of November, 1880, showeth, — That certain lands in the Provincial District of Auckland, known as the Patetere Block or Blocks, containing 320,000 acres or thereabouts, have been negotiated for by the Government of New Zealand, and about £14,000 paid thereon. That certain private parties have also advanced large sums, contrary to law, towards the acquisition of the said block, while the same was under Proclamation. That it is 2— G. 13.