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No. 13. Major Geeen to the TJndee Seceetaby, Native Office. (Telegram.) . Auckland, 22nd August, 1874. Re deed Waipapa. Before Registrar received instructions to hand me deed, Dignan and Armstrong had possession. They refuse to give it up without the sum of £39 16b. There is something very wrong in this transaction. Edwaed L. Geeen, Under Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. (for G. G. A.),

No. 14. Mr. Beissenden to Lieut.-Colonel St. John. (Telegram.) Auckland, 27th August, 1874. Re Waipapa Block. Dignan and Armstrong hold deed; will not give up unless Government pay expenses, —£39 16s. 2d Lieut.-Colonel St. John, Wellington. E. T. Beissenden.

No. 15. Mr. Betssenden to Lieut.-Colonel St. John, (Telegram.) Auckland, 29th August, 1874. Dignan and Armstrong made deed of conveyance foi' Waipapa. The block was divided between the Government and A. K. Taylor. Dignan charged £32 ; survey, £17 12s. 4d.; duty, £30. Total, £79 12s. 4d. Dignan received £39 16s. 2d. from Taylor ; demand like sum from Government. Dignan deposited deed at Registrar's Office. Dignan was the only person to whom it could be delivered. E. T. Beissenden, Lieut.-Colonel St. John, Wellington. Land Purchase Commissioner.

No. 16. Lieut-Colonel St. John to Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell. Native Office (Land Purchase Branch), "Wellington, Sir— 31st August, 1874. I am directed to call your attention to certain circumstances connected with the Waipapa deed, and to request you to forward a full explanation of the transaction. You will remember that on the 26th August, 1873, you reported that Mr. A. K. Taylor would, after his purchase of a portion of Waipapa was completed, hand over the remaining 1,317 acres to the Government, the latter paying £150 with some additional expenses, such as survey. In January, 1874, you paid £150 and forwarded a voucher (copy of which is attached), but no mention was then made by you of any further claim on the Government in respect of Waipapa. On February 18th, you sent a letter of which a copy is attached. To relieve the imprest of £150, it was necessary that the deed should be forwarded to this office; but your promise contained in the letter above quoted, that the deed would be sent as soon as registered, was accepted as sufficient for the time being. The deed uot having been received, sundry telegrams were exchanged with Major Green and yourself, a copy of yours of the 15th inst. being attached. On the 22nd inst. Major Green reports that Messrs. Dignan and Armstrong have withdrawn the deed from the Eegistry Office. Further inquiries elicit the fact that it was lodged by Mr. Dignan, uot by you, and that Dignan and Armstrong refuse to give it up until a claim, of theirs is settled, amounting to £39 16s. 2d. I am therefore instructed to request you to furnish full information on this subject, specifying how it happens that the claim made by Dignan and Armstrong has never been referred to by you ; and accounting for the fact that Mr. Dignan has apparently, since your letter of the 18th February, obtained the deed, and himself registered it. I have, &c, Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, Auckland. J. H. H. St. John.

No. 17. Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell to the Undee Secbetaby, Native Office. Sic, — Russell, 9th (September, 1874. I have the honor to forward, for the information of the Government, the explanation requested in your letter of the 31st ultimo respecting the Waipapa Block. About January last, I wrote to Mr. Sheehan's office to make inquiries about Waipapa Block and deed. I was there informed by Mr. Armstrong that the Trust Commission had the deed. I said that I had come for it, and had the money (£150) ready to pay. Something was said at the time about expenses, but I replied that that was a matter with which I had nothing to do ; but, I said, I fancied that the Government ought not to pay, as Mr. A. K. Taylor

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