D.—B.

1877. NEW ZEALAND.

KATI KATI SETTLEMENT, TAURANGA, ESTABLISHED BY MR. G. VESEY STEWART (REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF).

Return to ait Order of the House of Representatives, So. 31, dated 30th August, 1877. Ordered, " That a report be obtained and laid before this House showing the progress of the Vesey Stewart Settlement at Tauranga: the quantity of land sold to settlers, the population introduced from Great Britain and Ireland or elsewhere, the expenditure on roads, and generally." — (Hon. Mr. Fox.)

AGREEMENT BETWEEN MR. G. V. STEWART AND THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND (KATI KATI SPECIAL SETTLEMENT). Memorandum: of Agreement between the Hon. the Secretary for Crown Lands and Mr. G. V. Stewart. Memorandum of an Agreement made this twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, between the Honorable George Maurice O'Rorke, Secretary for Crowu Lauds for the Colony of New Zealand, of the one part, and George Vesey Stewart, of Ballygawley, County Tyrone, Ireland, but now on a visit to New Zealand, Esquire, of the other part: Whereas the the said George Vesey Stewart has proposed to organize and bring out from Ireland a certain number of families possessed of an adequate capital to occupy, improve, and cultivate land for the formation of a special settlement of farmers on certain lands hereinafter described; and in consideration that such proposals shall be effectually carried out, the said George Maurice O'Eorke has agreed, on the part of the Government of New Zealand, that the said lands shall be set apart for the said settlement upon the terms and conditions hereinafter mentioned: Now, therefore, this agreement witnesseth, that each of the said parties, the said George Maurice O'Rorke and the said George Vesey Stewart, doth for himself respectively promise and agree as follows : — 1. That the said George Maurice O'Rorke shall and will cause to be set apart and kept, for the purposes of a special settlement of farmers with capital, to be founded by the said George Vesey Stewart, all those lands the property of the Crown situate in the district of Tauranga, in the Colony of New Zealand, and known as the Kati Kati Block, comprising ten thousand acres or thereabouts, as defined by the plan hereunto annexed. 2. That the said block of land be surveyed at the expense of the Government, and convenient roads laid out through the same, and divided into suitable allotments, so as to be ready for selection and occupation on the arrival from Ireland of the said George Vesey Stewart and the party selected to form the special settlement. 3. That the said George Vesey Stewart shall and will select and organize a party of farmers in Ireland, being married men with families, to emigrate therefrom to New Zealand, with adequate capital to occupy, improve, and cultivate the said Kati Kati Block as a special settlement. ■A. Provided that no person shall be entitled to be considered as one of the said party, or to any of the rights and privilegs under this agreement, unless and until he shall have received from the AgentGeneral, or some person appointed by him for the purpose, a certificate in writing that such person is accepted as an eligible person to form one of the said special settlement party. . 5. That in consideration of the said George Vesey Stewart organizing the said party, he shall be deemed to be the leader thereof, and as such entitled to the special advantages hereafter mentioned. 6. That the said party shall consist of a sufficient number of families to take up and occupy under this agreement the whole of the said block of land, not being fewer than forty families.