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No. 49. Deed. This deed, made the twenty-sixth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, between Stannus Jones, of the city of Auckland, in the Province of Auckland, in the Colony of New Zealand, gentleman, in the first part, and Her Majesty Queen Victoria, of the other part: Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of four hundred and fifty pounds sterling, paid by Her Majesty to the said Stannus Jones, receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge, he, the said Stannus Jones, hath bargained and sold, and doth hereby grant, assign, release, transfer, and set over unto Her said Majesty, her heirs, successors, and assigns, all that the kauri timber bargained, sold, and assigned unto Morton Jones and James Saunders Gibbons, by a certain deed of grant of agreement, dated the twentyfifth day of December, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, and made, or expressed to be made, between John Sheehan, Arama Karaka, Kahui Kiri, and Hore te Mori, therein described, of the one part, and the said Morton Jones and James Saunders Gibbons, of the other part, and all others the rights, powers, authorities, ensuements, licenses, and privileges, given and granted by the said deed ; as also the aforesaid deed of grant or agreement, and a certain other deed of assignment, dated the twenty-eighth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, and made, or expressed to be made, between the said Morton Jones and James Saunders Gibbons, of the one part, and the said Stannus Jones, of the other part, to hold the premises hereby assigned, and every of them, unto Her said Majesty, her heirs, successors, and assigns, absolutely for all the estate, interest, right, title, property, claim and demand at law or in equity, of him the said Stannus Jones therein and thereto : In witness whereof the said Stannus Jones hath hereunto subscribed his name and affixed his seal, the day and the year first before written. Signed, sealed, and delivered by the said Stannus Jones, in the ) « - t presence of "W. H. Armstrong, Solicitor, Auckland. 5 OTAOTHS Jones.

No. 50. Mr. H. T. Clabke to Mr. Brissenden. Native Office (Land Purchase Branch), Wellington, Sic,— 11th November, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd inst., covering two deeds (Owhetu, Ara Kiore), and to inform you that it is necessary to have all deeds registered before being forwarded to this office. I have, &c, H. T. Claeke, E. T. Brissenden,|Esq., Auckland. Under Secretary.

No. 51. Major Geeek to Undeb Seceetaey, Native Office. (No. 277.) Sic, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 17th December, 1874. In accordance with the request contained in your letter No. 130,11 th November, 1874,1 have the honor to return herewith, duly registered, the under-mentioned deeds:— Conveyance P. Tuhaere and another to the Queen, of the Ara Kiore Block, Kaipara. Registered No. 50686. Memorandum of Transfer No. 416 (indorsed on Crown grant), by P. Tuhaere and another, of the Owhetu Block, Kaipara. I have, &c, The Under .Secretary, Native Office Edward L. Geeen, (Native Land Purchase), Wellington. (for General Government Agent).

No. 52. Mr. Bbissexdex to the Hon. the Native Minister. (N.L.P. No. 12.) Sib — Wellington, 27th July, 1874. 1 have the honor to report that Colonel McDonnell and myself have been working together in the purchase of laud north of Auckland on General Government account with considerable success, having secured by purchase from the Native owners 350,695 acres, particulars of which you will please find attached in the form of a Schedule, which will show the blocks formerly negotiated for by Colonel McDonnell. I renewed negotiations for them, and settled as per vouchers and particulars forwarded this morning to the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer. I much regret that it was out of my power to furnish returns last month. 1 found it impossible to do so, owing to the absence of several of the Native owners of the blocks then under negotiation. 1 may here state that immediately on my return 1 shall be able to conclude arrangements for at least 150,000 acres more of fairly good land, principally kauri and open forest land. While at Ahipara I had occasion to see Tinioti Poihipi and his people, and found them in a most deplorable state. They were suffering from typhoid fever; thirty-four of their number had died within three weeks, Tiuioti Poihipi had lost his wife and was seriously ill, as were many others when I left

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