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1875. NEW ZEALAND.

FURTHER REPORTS FROM LAND PURCHASE OFFICERS. TAUPO, BAY OF PLENTY MURIMOTU, AND WANGANUI.

Presented to loth Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

JNO. 1. 30th JUNE, 1875. Mr. James Booth to the Under Secretary Native Department Wellington, July 18, 18<o. ~ In forwarding the accompanying return, showing my operations in land purchase negotiations I have the hono?to call your attention to the following facts m connection with the purchase of lands'on the West Coast, lying between the -Waikanae River to the south, and the Manawatu River to the North^ h^e beea leted jn thig digtrict dri the pa , fc year am?U Nt to 40,248 acres in seventeen blocks, for which £'1405 ss. Od. has been paid, being at the rate of five shilling an acre for 111 flat land, and one and sixpence an acre for hilly country. This price having been fairly established on the West Coast, there will be no difficulty in completing the purchases of the remainingbloc^att o he e samera h tes. a rf d f months 0^ private speculators, who offered prices very much in advance of those offered by Government; but E considerable discussion theWe owners were convinced that the advantages derivable from deaW directly with Government in the shape of roads, bridges, and available reserves would more than compensSe for the difference in price. They therefore determined to sell to Government only, and ud to the present time, for some months past, there has been no further attempt at interference. I P n all cas^si; which blocks of land have been offered for sale care has been taken that proper reserves, in accordance with the requirements of the Native Land Act, 1873, should be made and these reserves, as soon as the surveys of them are completed, will be brought under the operation of the ACt"l am very pleased to be able to report, that in almost every instance in which former advances have been made on account of these blocks, the Natives have acknowledged their liability, and have allowed the deductions to be made, thus, in completing the purchases of the seventeen blocks above mentioned, I have recovered the sum of £1552 15s. 3d.; these advances have been made by various land purchase officers, and embrace a period of several years. IPn concluding this part of my report, I would add that although 46,000 acres out of a probable 300,000 acres for sale may seem a small proportion for the time spent in negotiation, it must be borne in mind that each separate small block, although possibly containing but a few hundred acres, entails as much work as a block of a hundred thousand acres would do. The grantees, also are generally Tcatter^d about in different parts of the country, and .ach one has to be hunted up and his signature obtained before the transaction can be completed. nUni™™ g During the past year, it has been necessary to send an officer for the purpose of obtaining signatures, to Wairarapa Napier, Taupo, Tauranga, and other parts of the country. Againi it has been a matter of absolute necessity that I should absent myself for lengthened periods to attend other parts of the district in which land purchase negotiations are going on. 1 C—4a.