B.—No. 3.

No. 10. THE SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. ]6th December, 1863. Sir,— I have to acknowledge your letter of this day's date, and, at your desire, now enclose your letter of 14th instant, in order that the error referred to maybe amended. As it now appears that you referred to the " Southland Debentures Bill," I have the honour also to enclose a description of the tract of land, amounting to 68,400 acres or thereby, which it is proposed to set apart in security of the Loan to be raised under the provisions of the Bill above named. The area is in excess of the quantity required, as some of the land is of an inferior character. The particular character of the land in the block I will explain when pointing it out on the map to-morrow, at 10 o'clock. The last remark in your letter of 14th will receive my attention on returning to Southland, I have, &c, J. A. R. Mexzies, Superintendent of Southland. The Hon. the Colonial Secrerary, Auckland.

Enclosure in No. 10. All that parcel of land, containing 68,400 acres, or thereby, lying west of the Oreti River and north of the New River Hundred, comprising the Oreti Plain and parts of the Hundreds of Jacob's River and Aparima. Bounded on the oast by the Oreti River, on the north by the north boundary of the block of land comprised under the " Land Sales and Leases Ordinance, 1557," and by the production of that line due west until it meets the Opio Stream ; on the west by the Opio Stream to its junction with the Otautau River, by the Otautau River to its junction with the Aparima River, and by the Aparima River to the north boundary of Block No. XLV, in Jacob's River Hundred ; on the south by the north boundary of the said Block XIV., by the production of that line due east until it meets the Waimatuku River, by the Waimatuku River until it meets the north boundary of the New River Hundied to the starting point at its) junction with the Oreti River. A small portion of this tract of land amounting to 2,0C0 acres or thereby is excepted, as it has been already sold to Mr. Lawrence. J. A. R. Menzies, Superintendent of Southland. 16th December, 1863.

No. 11. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND. Colon'al Secretary's Office, Auckland, 18th December, ISC3. C; IR In reply to your Honor's letter of the 16th instant, enclosing a description of land of 68,400 acres in the Province of Southland, which it is proposed to set apart as security for the Loan to be raised under the " Debentures Ordinance, 1863," I have to inform your Honor that that Bill has been recommended for His Excellency's assent on the security of the above-mentioned land, subject to the report of the Receiver of Land Revenue as to the value of that land. I return to your Honor a copy of the Bill in question, with the Governor's assent duly noted thereon. . . I also return the original of my letter, No. 416, of the 14th instant, with the clerical error, referred to in my letter of the 16th instant, rectified. I have, &c, Willtam Fox. His Honor the Superintendent, Southland.

(No. 428.)

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