G.—2. (Appendix A.)

The Government feel satisfied that you have the ability and discretion to deal with this difficult question, and authorize you to make arrangements with the Natives on the basis of these general instructions. As opportunities are frequently lost by delay in concluding negotiations with the Natives, the Government will leave you unfettered, and dispense with the necessity for referring every particular case for special authorization. In making payments to Natives, it is much to be desired that the disbursements should extend over a number of years. Should any case arise which has not been provided for by these instructions, you will be good enough to refer the matter to the Government for consideration and approval. The importance of acquiring these valuable plains for settlement is so manifest, that I feel sure you will use every effort to do so. I have, &c, Major Brown, Civil Commissioner, Taranaki. Donald McLean.

No. 4. Exteacts from Debates in Paeliament respecting the Bestoeation of the Confiscated Lands.

1. — Fxtract from the Speech of Mr. Stafford in the House of Bepresentatives : (Debate on the Policy of the Government) : sth September, 1872. [Hansard, Vol. XIII, pp. 141-154.] Me. Stafford said : Then there is the very delicate question of the confiscated lands. The Hon. the Native Minister (Mr. McLean) called them an expensive luxury. They have been an expensive luxury. They have cost as many pounds as we are likely to get shillings for them. It is impossible to say all that the Government have done with these confiscated lands, in so far as they have been alienated. I believe 250,000 acres have been given to Natives alone, besides the quantity given to Europeans. There is a large portion of these lands now in the position of Mahomet's coffin; and I do not see that we could do' better, in order to promote the peace of the country, than to largely divide what remains of those lands amongst the Natives who, after a fair investigation, may be found to have an interest in them. Of course I would make necessary reserves for railways and villages ; and where rivers flow into the sea, I would make reserves for seaport purposes. I should then institute a process by which it should be ascertained who were fairly entitled to reap some benefit from those portions of the confiscated lands at present unalienated. When the Government has done that, it will have done the best thing it has ever done. It will have got rid of one of the greatest sources of difficulty. Ido not suggest that this should be done in answer to any demand of the Natives, but as an act of grace and an act of policy.

2.— Fxtract from the Speech of Hon. Mr. Sewell in the Legislative Council, l%th September, 1872, (in reply to a Question bg Hon. Captain Fraser, " What about the Bestoration of the Confiscated Lands?'"). [Hansard, Vol. XIII, p. 171.] Hon. Mr. Sewell said: If my honorable friend asks me at this moment what particular measures it is the intention of the Government to adopt with regard to that question, I must request him to allow me for the present to defer giving him an answer. All I can say is, that it is the intention of the Government to give effect to the general views of policy expressed by my colleague, Mr. Stafford.

3.— Extracts from the Speeches of Hon. Mr. Stafford and Hon. Mr. Gillies in the House of Bepresentatives, 2nd October, 1872, on the motion of Mr. Kelly. (See No. 5 infra.) [Hansard, Vol. XIII, pp. 469-470.] Me. Gillies said he thought the resolution went in the direction already expressed by the Hon. the Premier in regard to the mode in which the confiscated lands were to be dealt with. The resolution was somewhat peculiarly worded, but the latter part explained its meaning: that a portion of the land should be given back to the Natives irrespective of their original holdings, so that all who came in might have a fair share of the land, and not that some particular tribe or hapu might absorb the whole of it. He believed the Government would be prepared to accept the resolution in that spirit: to provide land for the settlement of all Natives who might come in. Hon.. Mr. Stafford (Premier) said : The direction of the motion was on all-fours with the intention of the Government; and, as had been pointed out by his honorable colleague, it would not do to pass any express resolution that they should give back to the hapus the land that was originally theirs ; simply because, in some cases, the whole of that land had been alienated and disposed of. If it were not for such an arrangement as was expressed in the resolution, it might happen that one or two hapus might get every acre of the land they originally held, while three or four hapus, quite as deserving of consideration, would not have one single acre left to them. Therefore it would be necessary to take great care to see that all the Natives were fairly dealt with in the matter. The Government had no objection to the passing of the resolution, as it would be an expression of opinion on the part of the House, affirming the intention which the Government had so repeatedly expressed.

No. 5. Eesolution of the House op Eepeesentatives, 2nd October, 1872, on the Motion of Mr. Kelly, relative to the Bestoration of Confiscated Lands.

That in the opinion of this House it is desirable and expedient that the recommendation of the Native Affairs Committee on the petition of Pehimana te Tahua and others —to the effect that such portions of land taken under the New Zealand Settlements Acts, not otherwise disposed of, should be

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