17

G.—7.

No. 8. Mr. Charles Beown, C.C., to the Under Secretary, Native Department. Sir,— New Plymouth, 30th June, 1877. In reference to your letter of the 17th May last (N.L.P. 155-2), requesting a report of my land-purchase transactions since the Ist July last, I have the honor to transmit the enclosed tabulated statement, in which I have included the confiscated land on which compensation has been given to the former owners of it. I am not aware of any matter deserving of notice outside of the enclosed tabulated return. I have, &c, Charles Brown, The Under Secretary, Native Office, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

TABULAR RETURN showing LAND-PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS of CHARLES BROWN, Civil Commissioner New Plymouth, from 1st June, 1876, to 31st May, 1877.

* The £100 advanced on this block has since been refunded to the Public Account. Charles Brown, New Plymouth, 30th June, 1877. Civil Commissioner.

No. 9. Mr. James Booth to the Under Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. Sic, — Wanganui, 28th June, 1877. I have the honor herewith to forward a detailed report of land-purchase operations in my district for year ending 30th June, 1877. The total amount of land purchased is not so great as that of previous years. This result has been owing to several causes; amongst others, I may state that in my capacity of officer in charge of a very large Native district, I have had a number of duties to perform, which have interfered very materially with purely land-purchase operations, some of those duties detaining me for several weeks at a time in various and distant parts of the district. Another reason I may state is the difficulty I find in dealing with some of the claimants. Since the last session of Parliament some of these men have adopted the repudiation principles of a section of Natives on the East Coast, and although they refrain from active open opposition, yet by persistently absenting themselves from all meetings called for the purpose of completing purchases, they have been able very seriously to interrupt our operations. One of the officers of the department (Mr. R. Booth) has during the year visited Natives residing in distant parts of the country —Taupo, Tauranga, Waikato, and other places —for the purpose of obtaining signatures of the absentees from this district for final completion of purchases. Owing to difficulties peculiar to all dealings with Natives in land-purchase operations, it is impossible to state positively when the whole of the purchases will be completed. In the detailed report I have ventured in some cases to give an approximate date of completion. I may state, in conclusion, that during the year every possible effort has been made to close up the work. During the ensuing year no effort will be spared towards the attainment of the object in view. T need hardly add that a persistent determination to close purchases at once would certainly have the effect of raising the price of land, and would also possibly cause still further delay. I have, &c., H. T. Clarke, Esq., James Booth, Under Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. Laud Purchase Officer 3—G. 7."

Name of Block. District. Surveyed or under survey. Estimated Area. Price per acre. Total amount paid to ills! May, 1877. When Purchase may be completed. : Whether individualized or hearing of Native Land Court applied for. Capabilities: whether suited for settlement, agricultural, or pastoral purposes. Wairoa Not surveyed Surveyed Acres. 40,000 Not fixed 2/6 £ s. d. 20 0 0 Uncertain Confiscated land Agricultural. Tgarauru )kahutiria Patea 15,592| 1,917 12 0 Completed >> Agricultural (small portion clear, rest forest). Agricultural (forest). Small portion clear, rest forest (agricultural). Agricultur.il (greater part open land). Agricultural (principally forest). )paku Vaingongoro to Opaku (Patea) Vaimate )> Now being surveyed Not surveyed 24,160 60,000 2/6 2/4 3,110 6 0 2,417 2 1 In about two months Uncertain i» Ngatiruanui Not known Not fixed *100 0 0 >, 'aumatamahoe Vitinui Ngatimaru » 50,000 100 0 0 100 0 0 n ,t Hearing not yet applied for Hearing applied for M langaere ifangimingi ... > Rahui Patea 100,000 >> 100 0 0 »> 20,000 >> >> >i i)