53

D.—2

No. 34. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Ministee for Immigeation. (No. 207.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sic,— 6th March, 1877. I have the honor to inform you that Mr. Prichard called on me during the last month and requested me to receive a deputation composed of gentlemen who wished to see me concerning a conditional arrangement for the acquirement of a block of land which Mr. Prichard had made in the colony. I consented to receive the deputation upon the clear understanding that I had no authority whatever to deal with the matter beyond making to the Government any representations that might seem to me desirable. On the 20th February the deputation, consisting of Messrs. Charles Eley, J. O. Maton, A. Mohso, A. Grant, and C. E. Prichard, had a long interview with me, the substance of which was that they represented they had expected Mr. Prichard would have been able to obtain land for them without any payment, that they considered they had some right to look for better terms than those which had been granted, and that the time for them to make a decision was very short. I explained to them that they entirely misunderstood the Acts to which they referred in thinking that those Acts gave a claim to any body of gentlemen who chose to assert it, to obtaining possession of a large block of land without payment. They then abandoned this ground of complaint, and complained of their being asked to pay, besides half the cost of the land, a deposit by way of security of £15,000. I told them I had no knowledge of the circumstances, but it appeared, on looking at the resolution of the Waste Lands Board, that the security was asked because the Board agreed to Crown-grant all the land. I said I thought it was likely, if they did not ask for Crown grants for more land than would represent £15,000 less than the agreed sum they were to pay, that tho special security might be waived. I did no more than express an opinion on the matter. liv no way assumed to pledge the Government or the Waste Lands Board to an agreement with my conjecture. Two or three days afterwards, Mr. Prichard forwarded me the copy of the resolution attached. The correspondence, of which I enclose copy, will show you I declined to commit the Government to any expenditure, and that the telegram was sent after a deposit to cover expenses was made. I shall be glad to receive any instructions on this subject the Government may desire to give me. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Julius Vogel, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 34. Mr. C. E. Prichard to the Agent-General. Sir, — 110, Cannon Street, London, E.C., 22nd February, 1877. With reference to the interview of the deputation from the proposed New Zealand Land Settlement Association, held with you on the 20th instant, I have the honor to enclose copy of the resolution passed at a meeting of the Association held yesterday, together with copies of the resolution of the Auckland Waste Lands Board and letter of the Chief Commissioner, and my reply thereto. I shall feel obliged by your telegraphing to the New Zealand Government the substance of the resolution of the Association, and forwarding the reply to my address here. I have, &c, The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G., C. E. Prichard. Agent-General for New Zealand.

Sub-Enclosure 1 to Enclosure 1 in No. 34. At a meeting of the members of the proposed New Zealand Land Settlement Association, held at 110 Cannon Street, E.C., on Wednesday, the 21st February, 1877, C. Egerton Legge, Esq., in the chair' the sub-committee having reported the result of their interview yesterday with the Agent-General for New Zealand, it was proposed by Colonel Trevelyan, seconded by A. Mohso, Esq., and Resolved, —That in consequence of the recent arrival of Mr. Prichard in England, the Association solicit Sir Julius Vogel to telegraph to the New Zealand Government requesting an extension of time from the Ist March to not later than the Ist June, 1877, before giving their decided acceptance or refusal of the terms conveyed in the resolution of the Auckland Waste Lands Board of 12th December, 1876. Chaeles Egerton Legge, Chairman.

Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure f in No. 34. Mr. C. E. Pbichaed to the Chaieman, Waste Lands Board, Auckland. Sic, — Northern Club, Auckland, sth December, 1876. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, enclosing copy of the resolution passed by the Waste Lands Board on the 12th instant, in reference to my application for land in the Waikato district for the purposes of a special settlement, the terms of which materially differ from those proposed by the Waste Lands Act affecting special settlements under which the Association I represent was formed. As I am returning to England by the next mail steamer on the 18th instant, I accept the terms subject to the approbation of the Association, a meeting of whom will be called soon after my arrival early in February next, and upon their decision being arrived at I will immediately communicate with the Government. I have, &c, The Chairman of the Waste Lands Boi»'d, C. E. Pbichaed. Auckland.