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I much regret tlie loss of time that must ensue in communicating with you, but I do not feel myself justified in acting without further instructions on the subject, and I shall remain at Akaroa until 1 receive your intimation of his Excellency's pleasure as to the further steps to be taken, and, if the Government should feel disposed to alter their views from the new light, which I may venture to say I have thrown on the subject, I have the honor to request that I may be empowered to lay out two suitable reserves for the wants of the Natives. One on the North and the other on the South shore of the harbour, and I will take care to communicate with the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Province and avoid including any land in the Native Reserves over which the Provincial Government may have admitted any rights or vested interests on the part of the European population to be exercised. I have, &c, (Signed,) John Grant Johnson, Commissioner P. N. L. P. S.—Enclosed is a copy of a plan to illustrate the purchases alluded to in the report, and also a return of the Natives wha have ta be provided for. (Signed,) J. G. J. Laud Commissioner's Office, Auckland, sth August, 1856. SIE,I have the honor to report for your information that having received no further instructions, on the last arrival of theJZingari at Lyttelton, I returned to this place. All the further information which I have gathered on the subject of the claims of the Natives to land in Bank's Peninsula and the country North of the Ashley—only tends to confirm the tenor of my reports to you on the subject dated the 11th of May and 7th of June 1856. I would beg to correct a statement in my report of the 7th June, in which I stated that in the French Deeds executed by the Natives conveying Banks Peninsula to Capt. L'Anglois of the French Whaler " Compte de Paris" no reserves for the use of the Natives are mentioned, I now find a clause to that deed attached guaranteeing the Natives of Akaroa two reserves, being a bay on the North East side and a bay on the South East side of the harbour, which is all that they wish for, and are only holding the rest of the land until this just right is guaranteed to them. With regard to the claims advanced by the Natives of Kaiapoi to compensation for the land North of the Ashley, lam credibly informed that His Excellency Sir George Grey on his last visit to Canterbury offered them the sum of One hundred pounds in satisfaction of it. I have, &c, (Signed) John Grant Johnson, District Commissioner. Donald McLean, Esq., Chief Land Commissioner. Auckland.

August 11th, 1856. Sir,— I have the honor to acquaint your Excellency, that I find, upon conversation wilh Mr. Johnson,, who has recently returned from Akaroa, that it is possible a final arrangement might be made for the purchase from the Natives of the land still unpurehased at that place, and also for the settlement of an. old claim at Kaiapoi. I beg to represent strongly, that, if these matters are not now settled, the visit of Mr. Johnson will be attended with great evile, by raising the expectations of the Natives, and induciug them to expect more hereafter : and that a great evil will have been created, which would not have existed had no Commissioner gone down. If Mr. Johnson will write down instructions, what he wishes to be done, and what he thinks it is fair to do, the matter might be set at rest by any competent person on the spot, without either difficulty or expense. I have the honor to request Your Excellency's immediate attention to this subject. I have, &c, (Signed) James Edward Fitzgeeald, Superintendent of Canterbury. His Excellency The Governor. [Memorandum.] The history of this case appears to be, that Capt. L'Anglois, a French Whaler, purchased land at (Lkaroa from the Natives ; a section of the Natives did not agree to the sale ; and those who did, stipulated at the time that they should have certain reserves for themselves. A clause to this effect is inserted in the original Deed of sale. The extent or position of the reserves wa3 not then strictly defined, further than that an understanding existed, that they were to be situated, one on the North and the other on the South side o£ the Akaroa harbour, where the Natives were then residing , .