6

C—7

No. 10. The Hon. the Minister of Lands to W. L. Eees, Esq. (Telegram.) On the 31st July I forwarded you copies of correspondence between Mr. Willoughby Mullins and the Agent-General with reference to the Pakowhai Block, will you please reply as requested as soon as you can conveniently do so. W. L. Eees, Esq., Gisborne. G. F. Eichaedson.

No. 11. The Hon. the Minister of Lands to W. L. Eees, Esq. g IB _ 31st July, 1890. I have the honour to forward herewith copy of a letter from the Agent-General, covering correspondence with Mr. Willoughby Mullins on the subject of a letter lately received by that gentleman from you, with reference to his son acquiring a farm out of the Pakowhai Block, on the East Coast, at a'less price than the land would be offered to the general public. The Government will be obliged by your affording such explanation with reference to the statements in your letter to Mr. Mullins as you may desire to make. I have, &c, W. L. Eees, Esq., Gisborne. G. F. Eichardson.

Enclosure 1 in No. 11. Memorandum from the Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister of Lands re Mr. W. L. Eees's Colonising Proposals. I beg to enclose copy of a correspondence with Mr. Willoughby Mullins on the subject of a letter lately received by that gentleman from Mr. W. L. Eees. I have not been able to answer Mr. Mullins's inquiry as to the acquirement for the Government of the blocks of land mentioned by Mr. Eees, but the Hon. the Minister will see that I have discouraged the idea that Mr. Eees would be in a position, if the land were so acquired, to dispose of any part of it privately at a lower price than the public could buy it. , ~ „_ F - D - Bell - Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 29th April, 1890.

Enclosure 2 in No. 11. Mr. W. Mullins to the Agent-General. glB _ 41, Coleman Street, E.C., 16th April, 1890. Having received a letter from my son, J. H. Mullins (who is at Gisborne, and is desirous of settlin" upon Crown land in this neighbourhood), with which was enclosed the letter from Mr. W L Eees of which I beg to transmit herewith a copy, I shall feel greatly obliged by your informing me if the Government has acquired, or is about to acquire, the Maori lands therein mentioned, of which the Bank of New Zealand is the mortgagee. Also if, in such case, Mr. W. L. Eees will be in a position to lawfully secure conveyance of from three hundred to five hundred acres thereof to my son or me at £1 per acre below the purchase-price fixed by the Land Department for the respective sections as proposed by him. I should not venture to thus trouble you, merely for the protection of my son's and mv interest, my warrant for so doing being that it appears to me most unlikely that Mr W L Eees would be officially empowered, either by the Government, the Maoris, or the Bank, to thus at the cost of one or other recoup me the £500 to which he alludes. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. Willoughby Mullins.

Enclosure 3 No. 11. Mr. W. L. Eees to W. Mullins, Esq. My Dear Sir,- ~ T Gisborne, 17th February, 1890 As your son is writing to you by this mail, I accept the opportunity which his letter gives me of explaining the present position'of matters here. Since my arrival in New Zealand I have been in constant communication with the Government upon the question of the Native land entrusted to Wi Pere and to me, and their interference with us while m England. From the first Ministers have expressed their regret at the consequence of their unwarranted action, but it is only lately that they have determined to assist us in our endeavours to effect a settlement of these lands. The Cabinet have decided to take over from the Bank of New Zealand two of the blocks held by that institution under mortgage-namely, Paremata, 8,000 acres ; and Pakowhai, 5 000 acres As soon as this is done I shall be able to give your son land for a farm. No doubt he will have told you his opinion of the district and the people. He has now been here for nearly twelve months He has been working, and seems in excellent health and spirits. He proposes to take up from 300 to 500 acres of Pakowhai, which will, with a properly directed expenditure of about £2 10s. per acre carry about 2,000 sheep. The soil is excellent, the climate genial, and the scenery very beautiful No better place for a home could be found in the colony, or perhaps the world. Iwo thousand sheep will bring in £500 a year clear of expenses, while such a farm will be capable of producing meat, fruit, vegetables, and dairy-produce for its owner. I propose to let your son have