C.—2

10

The corrections mentioned in your telegram have been made in the proof-slips. Most of the errors, as you will observe, had been detected before the receipt of your telegram. H. J. H. Eliott, The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Dunedin. • Under-Secretary.

Enclosure in No. 13. [RougTi Notes on advertisement slips from Dunedin!) — Ctago Runs. Run 248. Left out. (Taieri and Maniototo Counties.) Run 219. Given in advertisement for five years. (No term in resolution of Board.) Run 261. Subdivision 261 a should be for five years, to agree with Board's resolution. Run 255. Should be 254 in subdivision. Run 238. Subdivision 238b should be seven years instead of six, as per list. Run 237. Subdivision 237 a should be ten years, not nine years; 237b, nine years, not ten years; 237 c, nine years, not ten years ; 237 d, ten years, not nine years ; 237e, ten years, not nine years. Run 263. Subdivision 263 d, being the furthest back country, should, according to schedule of Board's resolution, have upset rental fixed at threepence per acre—2B,oso acres, £350. Run 221 d. Dunstan Commonage. Board decline to recommend the leasing of it. Run 220. Subdivision 220 and 220b should be five years, and 220 a and 220b seven years. Run 223. Subdivision 223, given for four years. Board's resolution does not give any time for this subdivision. Run 236. Subdivision 236ir should be for ten years, not seven, and rent £229, not £267. Run 359. Left out in Southland County. Board's resolution relet, as per Government schedule, at £120 for ten years. Run 432. Left out in Vincent County. Board's resolution to be let for ten years at £20. *Run 445. In printed list, but not in resolution, neither is it in Government Schedule.

For amended advertisement see New Zealand Gazette No. 17, of 16th February, 1882, pages 270 to 274.

No. 14 The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Dunedin, to the Undee-Secbetary for Ceown Lands. Sib, — Crown Lands Office, Dunedin, 10th March, 1882. I forward herewith returns of sale of runs held here on the 27th and 28th February last, showing amounts of rental at which the same were sold, and the names of purchasers. You will observe that the new buyers are noted by an asterisk (*). For your convenience, I have added a summary showing results of the sale, and analysis giving average price per acre obtained, and also the highest and lowest prices. Although the number of new buyers is limited, twenty-two runs only having passed from the hands of the present holders, still the bidding by the general public for the runs was very keen, and the present lessees have only retained their runs by paying rentals for them which were not considered sufficiently remunerative to new buyers, who would necessarily have to undertake the heavy preliminary expenses of starting a station. As a consequence of so many of the public having been disappointed in obtaining runs, eager inquiries are now being made with reference to the various blocks which have been taken off the runs for settlement, when the same will be brought into the market, and under what system. The attention of those who have been thus disappointed has been especially directed to those runs or blocks which it is understood will be opened as pastoral deferred-payment lands. I know of a considerable number of would-be purchasers of land, having each capital for investment from £3,000 and £4,000 up to £10,000, who would now readily take up pastoral deferred-payment sections, if they could obtain the same of fair quality and of the maximum size (5,000 acres), and who, I have no doubt, would be willing to purchase such sections even a considerable time before they could get possession of them. It will be a matter well worthy of careful consideration when such land as contained in Runs 307, 210, and 204 should be brought into the market. The class I have above alluded to is a very valuable class to retain in the country, and I should like to be in a position to assure those of them making inquiries that they will, in the course of a few months, have an opportunity of investing in this provincial district. I think it would be well if a good proportion of sections surveyed for pastoral deferred-payment were to be of the maximum area of 5,000 acres; I think also that a few sections to be sold for cash should be mixed with the deferred-payment ones. If this course can be adopted, I feel certain that a class of settlers will be obtained of a most valuable description- —able, from their means, to put the land to the most profitable purpose, and affording, at the same time, employment to the poorer class of settlers throughout the country. I have, &c, J. P. Maitland, The Under-Secretary for Crown Lands. Commissioner of Crown Lands.

* Approval lias been obtained to the subletting of this run.