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No. 31. Mr. R. Paebis to the Hon. the Native Ministeb. Sic,— New Plymouth, 4th April, 1873. In further reference to my telegram of the 27th ultimo, on the subject of more land being offered for sale to the Government by the Ngatimaru Natives, I have now the honor to report that after their arrival on the 24th ultimo, I ascertained from them what land they proposed to cede to the Government, which is as follows : —Three blocks, one on the south side of Waitara river, said to be a large area; a small block at Pukemahoe, on the north bank of the Waitara river, adjoining the last purchase, about 3,000 acres ; and a block north-west of the Taramouku river, the boundary of the last purchase, between it and the Onaero-Urenui settlement. This last will be an important acquisition, being an addition adjoining to the last purchase, and near for settlement. Having ascertained these particulars, I sent for Hone Pihama, as the land offered south of Waitara abuts tho Ngatiruanui claims. I also sent for some of the Ngatimutungas, as their claims abut the land offered north-west of Terernouku. After Hone Pihama came in, six other Ngatiruanui Natives also came in, who, together with about fifteen Ngatimutungas, have been here several days discussing the question, the result of which is, I have been advised by Hone Pihama and Porikapa, who have rendered me very great assistance, to make a payment in advance on account of the three blocks, which they consider the Ngatimarus have a right to sell. I, therefore, yesterday paid an advance of £100 on the block offered south of Waitara, £50 on the block north-west of Teramouku, and £20 on the Pukemahoe block, which I trust will meet the approval of the Government. I paid these advances out of private funds, and send a requisition to-day to tho Public Works Office for an imprest advance of £170 to reimburse the outlay. The block south of Waitara, the greater part, if not the whole, is beyond the confiscated territory, and will have, I presume, to be taken through the Native Land Court, the necessity of which the Native owners are very much dissatisfied at. The two chiefs, Te Amo and his brother Hangimaru-kore, who previously have not joined in the sale of land by the tribe, are now supporting this new offer, and. the latter is here with the sellers. He (Hangimaru-kore) has asked me to order a new cart for him, and wants a pair of bullocksjbesides, which he offers to take as part payment for the land ; but as he and his brother Te Amo behaved so well in the matter ofthe former sales of land in their district, which they at first opposed, I beg to recommend that they should have a cart and pair of bullocks made a present to them. The action of the Ngatimaru tribe in boldly coming forward to sell land, is having an excellent effect, and is likely to lead to most favourable results, and the credit of this movement is due to Te Rangihckeiho, Mango, and Tumounga, the first movers in the matter of ceding land to the Government, who aro entitled to some favourable recognition from the Government. I have, &c, R. Paeeis, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

No. 32. The Undee Seceetaet, Native Depaetment, to R. Paebis, Esq. Sic,— Native Office, Wellington, 12th April, 1873. I am directed by Mr. McLean to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, No. 30, in which you report negotiations with the Ngatimaru Natives for the purchase of three blocks of land, and that you had made advances on account of the purchase out of your private funds. In reply, I am instructed to convey to you the thanks of the Government for the valuable service you have rendered to the Colony in this matter. The purchase initiated by you is most important, not only in a political, but also in a commercial sense, and it is to be hoped that nothing will occur to prevent its completion. The necessity of taking the land through the Native Land Court is to be regretted, but as it was a parliamentary promise it must be carried out; but the expense of taking the land through the Native Land Court will be borne by the Government. The carts, &c, supplied by you will be presented as a free gift to the Natives, and some further recognition will be made to the chiefs at some future time, as recommended in the last paragraph of your letter. I have, &c, G. S. Coopeb, R. Parris, Esq., Civil Commissioner, New Plymouth. Under Secretary.

No. 33. Mr. R. Pabbis, Civil Commissioner, to the Undee Seceetaet for Public Wobks. Sic,— New Plymouth, 15th May, 1873. I have the honor to report for the information of the Government, that during the past fortnight a party of Natives have been here offering to cede to the Government the block of land between the Onaero and Urenui rivers, connecting it with the recent purchases at Ngatimaru and Teramouku inland, and with the Onaero-Urenui military settlers' settlement seaward, making one continuous clock