G.— 6

186

Acreage. Capital Value. Value per AcreArchdeacon Samuel Williams— £ s. d. £ s. d. 7.697 .. .. .. .. .. 44,476 0 0 515 6 1,170 ... .. .. .. .. 7,605 0 0 610 0 8,867 .. .. .. .. .. £52,081 0 0 £5 17 5* Napier, 20th March, 1903.

* Average.

EXHIBIT No. 15. Dear Sir, — Napier, 31st January, 1900. In reply to yours of the 29th instant, I am sorry that I cannot see my way to giving the full amount of rent asked by the trustees for the Te Aute Estate, and I presume I shall now have to face the question of moving the station buildings. Yours, &c, J. B. Fielder, Esq. Saml. Williams.

Dear Sir,— Te Aute, 31st August, 1900 I have to thank you for yours of the 28th instant. I must apologize for the delay in my answering your previous communication. I have no objection to giving the 10 acres between the two boundaries shown by Mr. Baker if required, but I certainly wish that it had not been made a condition in the proposed exchange between the trustees of the College Estate and myself. The green line in the tracing you forward indicates as nearly as possible the depression in the arm of the lake (no stream) where the Maori canoes come to fetch firewood and supplies for their pa on the island in the lakes, whilst the red line is the edge of the water or swamp before it was drained, and the question is whether the deepest water or the edge of the swamp is to be taken as the boundary. I am told that the question involves a possible 40 or 50 acres, which had cost nearly £10 per acre, including the proportionate cost of turning the Waipawa River out of the lake, and the draining of the swamp. When the Native gift of land was handed over to me Hapuku. and other representative Natives, on pointing out the boundaries, when they came to the boundary in question said distinctly, " The edge of the swamp is the boundary : the dry land we give to you ; the wet we retain." The Rotoatara boundary was carefully traversed in accordance with the understanding as above, and I was informed that it is the only line that has been traversed, and was accepted by the Chief Land Surveyor, who certified to its being correct, without which the application of the Natives would not have been heard by the Native Land Court. It is worthy of remark that the edge of the lake or swamp has been strictly adhered to as the boundary of the Homewood and Tukura Blocks, commencing at the mouth of the lake, and the western side of the swamp in the College blocks. I am informed that there is an excess of the acreage stated in the College block without encroaching upon the swamp. Yours, &c, J. B. Fielder, Esq. Saml. Williams.

Dear Mr. Fielder, — Te Aute, Ist September, 1900. I am sorry that I have been so long in answering your letter in reference to the lease of the Te Aute School property, but at the price it requires very grave consideration, and I will try and see you upon the subject at an early date. Yours, &c, Saml. Williams.

Dear Sirs, — Napier, New Zealand, 9th April, 1903. The Venerable Archdeacon Williams has authorised me to say that he will be prepared to accept a lease of the Te Aute trust lands for twelve years at £2,200 a year. The lease to commence from the last half-yearly rent day of this year. Kindly let me know whether you will grant the lease as requested. Yours, &c, The Trustees, Te Aute Trust, care J. B. Fielder, Esq., Napier. E. H. Williams.

Dear Mr. Fielder,— Te Aute, 29th April, 1903. I received your letter this morning in reference to your coming up to mark off the 101 acres for the use of the College, and I wired that I am likely to be from home to-morrow. It is quite impossible for me to know what additional land may be required at any future time, and I think it should be quite sufficient to mention in the lease that the College shall be at liberty to use to the extent of 101 acres as may be found necessary, or even more if required, to be so taken out as not to inconvenience the working of the station, I paying the rent in the meantime. The land now used in connection with the College is from 40 to 50 acres, which has been found quite sufficient for all requirements Yours, &c. Saml. Williams. I will arrange a time to meet you here shortly, if you should wish.—S.W. After receiving your letter I asked Mr. Thornton if he could think of any possibility of any more lands being wanted for the College. He replied, " Unless room for a second foootball-ground, on the flat," which, of course, they can have whenever they like.—S.W. I mentioned the 101 acres to Mr. Cotterill as an outside possibility.