5

G.—6

BAT OF PLENTY AND TAT7PO DISTRICTS. . Negotiating Officers — Messrs. Davis and Mitchell. The operations in this district during the past year have been confined to the completing of purchases and leases under negotiation prior to Ist July last year. The work has been much retarded, owing to tribal jealousies of the Arawa Natives, and the want of surveyors to determine the boundaries of the several blocks of land. The transactions to 30th June, 1875, are shown in the following Return : —

EAST COAST AND POVEETT BAT DISTEICT. Negotiating Officers — Mr. J. A. Wilson and Captain Porter. During the past year a large area of land has been negotiated for in this district, but, owing to the blocks not being surveyed, most of the transactions are incomplete. The Natives living between the East Cape and Poverty Bay evince a desire to sell or lease to the Crown their surplus lands, and in all probability there will be acquired, within a reasonable time, several valuable blocks suitable for pastoral and agricultural purposes. The completed transactions are—The purchase of the Tolago Bay Township block, of 252 acres, for £615 3s. Id.; and the Waihirere Quarry block, at Gisborne, of 28 acres, purchased by Mr. Locke, R.M., for a sum of £114 15s. From this latter block, stone for metalling the roads approaching Gisborne Township is now being quarried. Also, the leases of Mootu block, of 67,980 acres, for fifty years; the Waikohu Matawhai block, of 43,479 acres, for twentyfive years ; and the Eotukatuku block, of 5,600 acres, for twenty-one years. This last-named block has an extra value on account of its oil springs. The incomplete transactions have been the negotiations for the purchase of 11 blocks of land, estimated to contain 154,840 acres, on which payments have been made amounting to £3,192 lls. lid.; and leases over 13 blocks of land, estimated at 225,500 acres, on which advances have been made to the amount of £1,579 2s. WAIEOA DISTEICT. Negotiating Officer — Mr. J. P. Hamlin. In this district negotiations have been entered into for the purchase of 4 blocks of land, estimated to contain 231,000 acres ; and for the leasing of 3 blocks of land, of about 77,000 acres. These lands had been leased for twenty-one years to Europeans, who have conveyed their interests to the Government, the Native owners having also agreed to sell, after sufficient reserves are surveyed and marked off for their own use and occupation.

Thansactic on 30th ins Completed June, 1875. Tbansac ON 30' ■ions Incomplet: ph June, 1875. Blocks. Area Purchased Lands. Area Leased Lands. Amount Paid. Blocks. Area of Lauds under Purchase. Area of Lands under Lease. Amount Paid. 16 5 43,985 £ s. d. 7,496 0 6 789 18 4 12 1!) 209,623 £ b. d. 9,649 6 11 2,204 9 8 274,542 898,271 ■21 43,985 274,542 8,285 18 10 ai 209,623 898,271 11,853 16 7