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No. 67. Lieut.-Colonel St. John to Mr. Brissenden. Native Office (Land Purchase Branch), Wellington, Sib,— 18th September, 1874. I have the honor to inform you that Mr. Commissioner Kemp has forwarded to this office reports showing that he has completed the negotiations for the purchase of the two blocks of land named in the margin. These being two pieces of land included in his former negotiations, he has brought the transaction to a close in accordance with the agreement entered into when you relieved him of North, of Auckland purchases. I have, &c, E. T. Brissenden, Esq., Russell. J. H. H. St. John.

Wairoa. Purua.

No. 68. Mr. Bbissenden to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,-— Wellington, 28th September, 1874. I beg to report that I have seen Judge Maning on the subject of passing the blocks of land for which I am in negotiation in the North through the Native Land Court. In conversation with him, I ascertained his views were in opposition to any action of the Court under the new Act. With regard to my own negotiations, he advised that the Government purchases should not be brought before the Court, but that the Government should trust to the result of my investigation. I told him I was not prepared for such a responsibility. Then he suggested that a Judge of the Native Land Court should conduct investigations of title previous to my completing purchases, and that, on his being satisfied, the land should be bought and declared waste land. I pointed out to him that he himself had already so much work in hand under the old Act, that it was hardly to be expected that he could devote the time necessary for this. He then suggested that there were more than one Judge ; that, if I made the request, no doubt the Government would authorize me to act for them in this matter. I therefore shall be glad if the Government will consent to this arrangement, and to receive instructions on the subject. With reference to surveys, I have made every arrangement with Captain Heale, and they are being vigorously pushed forward. I will point out the necessity for a speedy decision on the above, as the number of speculators anxious to purchase lands is daily on the increase. I have, &c, The Hon. the Native Minister. E. T. Brissenden.

No. 69. Lieut.-Colonel St. John to Mr. Bhissenden. Native Office (Land Purchase Branch), Wellington, Sir,— 16th October, 1874. In reply to your letter of the 2Sth of September, respecting passing through the Native Land Court the blocks which you have under negotiation in the North, I have the honor to inform you that a memorial of ownership from a Judge of the Native Land Court will be sufficient to insure the title to the Government. It is, however, necessary that, as a preliminary step, a request to the Chief Judge for an investigation should be made in each block by not less than three of the claimants, as per clause 34, " Native Lands Act, 1873," and you should therefore take measures to have such applications forwarded without delay. You should also report to this office when they have gone in for each of the different blocks. I have, &c, E. T. Brissenden, Esq., Auckland. J. H. 11. St. John.

No. 70. Lieut.-Colonel St. John to Mr. Bbissenden. Native Office (Land Purchase Branch), Wellington, Sib,— 22nd October, 1874. I have the honor to forward you a copy of a voucher just received for the survey of a block which does not appear in any of your reports. In reference to it, I am directed to inform you that the account has this time been scheduled, and to point out to you that much inconvenience results from the non-receipt at this office of periodical reports from Land Purchase Officers. Whenever an negotiation is begun for a fresh block, it should be at once notified, and the name then given to it adhered to in future communications. In case it should be found requisite to alter the designation of the block, intimation of the change should be given without delay. In addition to the occasional reports, all Land Purchase Officers are requested to send in a quarterly return showing the state of their different negotiations and the amounts they have paid on

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