C—No. U.

From your minute in Mr. Carrington's letter to the Minister for Public Works, number and date as per margin, it appears to have escaped your memory that the settlers whom it is proposed to treat as trespassers were authorized to cut timber upon the land in question in accordance with a notice published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 16th October, 1870, as is pointed out in Mr. Middleinas's letter, dated as per margin, which has been referred to me by Major Noake, the officer to whom it was addressed. Under the circumstances, I trust the Government will not interfere with the Manutahi settlers, and that you will instruct the Commissioner of Crown Lands at Taranaki not to act in the district under my charge except through this office, as otherwise there will be a clash of authority, which will lead to much confusion and practical inconvenience. The instructions of a later date, which Mr. Middlemas says in his second letter the Commissioner of Crown Lands assures him he has received, must have been given in some irregular manner, perhaps by a Provincial authority, as it is evident I cannot be held responsible for the proper administration of the confiscated lands in my district if action is taken within it by other officers without my knowledge. I have, &c, Eobeet Phaeaztn, The Secretary for Crown Lands, Wellington. Commissioner of Confiscated Lands.

P. W. 71/284. March 2,1871. Gazette No. 50. March 25, 1871. C. L. 71/73.

No. 8. Mr. E. Phaeaztn to the Seceetaet for Ceown Lands. Sie, — Confiscated Lands Office, Wanganui, 26th April, 1871. Adverting to your minute of the 21st instant, on record C. L. 72-105, which is referred to me for a general report upon all the reserves in my district, I have the honor to inform you that, on inquiry, I find that, beyond the schedules of reserves already furnished, there ia very little to report upon, and that the registers or copies of them are in vour office. I forwarded the schedules of the reserves to Mr. Carrington, who may be able to answer some of the questions therein, but they have not yet been returned. The above remarks apply to the mode in which the reserves were originally made, and to any past dealings with them. Should you wish me to make any recommendations regarding them, I will of course do so to the best of my judgment; but I would suggest that the reserves in question should not be gazetted, and thus be placed in a position from which they could not be removed without much difficulty, till the surveys now in progress are completed; when all the Government wish to reserve permanently might either be gazetted as " Eeserves for general purposes," or for particular ones as to which I could make specific proposals, after consultation with the surveyors, and seeing the land myself, where necessary. With reference to section 136, applied for by Mr. Morley, which is not a reserve, as he supposes, I see no objection to its being allotted to the Wesleyans if it is still Government property. I have, &c, Eobeet Phaeaztn, Commissioner of Confiscated Lands. The Secretary for Crown Lands, Wellington.

No. 9. Mr. S. Phaeaztn to the Seceetaey for Ceottn Lands. Sie, — Confiscated Lands Office, Wanganui, sth May, 1871. I have the honor to inform you that, after consultation with the district surve} ror, Mr. Williams, I have come to the conclusion that, all things considered, it would be advisable to sell that part of the Whenuakura Block seaward of the Eaihvay Eeserve, amounting to about 3,000 acres, (exclusive of the 1,000 acres opposite Carlyle, proposed to be reserved for suburban sections,) together with the unappropriated lands in the Patea District, as soon as the sectional surveys are finished. Mr. Williams informs me that if he proceeds with this particular portion of the survey at once, and is assisted by Mr. Northeroft, when that gentleman has finished the work on which he is now engaged, enough will be done to enable me to fix the price of the various sections, and to gazette notice of sale by the middle of July. I have therefore to request, in accordance with clause 3 of the " Eegulations," that you will move the Government to signify its approval of my proposals, if you agree with them, in order that I may be able to give the necessary instructions to have them carried out with as little delay as possible. I have, &c, EOBEET PITAEAZTN, Commissioner of Confiscated Lands. The Secretary for Crown Lands, Wellington. •

No. 10. Mr. E. Phaeaztn to the Secretary for Ceowt? Lands. Sie,— Confiscated Lands Office, Wanganui, 29th July, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 21st July, 1871, in reply to mine of the 28th of September, 1870, directing me to take action in the matter of the Eaihvay Eeserve, which at that time it seemed desirable to let.

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