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by His Excellency, they will give satisfaction to the whole of the Native sellers, and help to pave the way for future negotiations. I have, &c, H. T. Kemp, District Commissioner. The Chief Commissioner, Land Purchase Department, Auckland.

No. 43. THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER TO MR. COMMISSIONER KEMP. Chief Land Purchase Commissionei's Office, Auckland, December 21st, 1857. Sir,— With reference to your letters (Nos. 57, 32) of the 7th inst., stating that the following sums have been fixed upon in payment for the several blocks the negotiations for which you were authorised to carry out in my letter of September 26th last, viz.— Acres. £ s. d. 1. Muriwhenua, South ... ... ... ... 86,885 1100 0 0 2. Wharemarr ... ... ... ... 13,555 400 0 0 Shipland ... ... ... ... 2482 3. Otengi ... ... ... ... 2722 230 0 0 105,644 1730 0 0 —I have the honor, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, to request that you will be good enough to conclude these purchases at the above named rates, for which purpose the sum of One thousand seven hundred and thirty pounds sterling (£1730) will be transmitted to the Sub-Treasurer at Russell, to be handed over to you upon your Requisition in the usual form = You will use the greatest care iv making the deeds and translations as perfect as possible, and endeavour to render the arrangements final and complete. It having been observed that certain passage? in the deeds transmitted by you to this office are vague, and therefore objectionable, I have to request that you will adhere as closely as circumstances will permit to the form of deed used by the other Commissionei's, which have proved to be intelligible to, and binding upon, the Natives. A desire having been expressed by the Natives to sell other and more valuable lands for immediate occupation than those in the Northern extremity of your district, you will be good enough to direct your attention to the acquisition of those lands which are more immediately required for settlement, without overlooking the offers of such larger and less valuable blocks that may be offered ; but in. every instance you should give prior consideration to such blocks as the Kawa Kawa, and others in that vicinity, which I understand the Natives are anxious to dispose of. I have, &c, D. McLean, H. T. Ken.p, Esq., Chief Commissioner. Bay of Islands.

i [ Mueiwhenua, &c. To conclude purchase of Blocks near the North ! Cape. ____ I V. Letter No. 42.

No. 44. MR. COMMISSIONER KEMP TO THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER. District Commissioner's Office, Bay of Islands, 26th December, 1857. Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 12th inst., calling my attention to former communications, and beg to state that to Nos. 216 and 147 replies have already been _ addressed to you, dated respectively 7th and 12th inst. I No. 197. In terms of your letter, no reference has been received by me from Mr Commissioner Johnson, notwithstanding 1 believed it to be the block under negotiation. I was reluctant to make any overtures to the Natives until your instructions had been carried out. In further explanation, I beg to refer to my report of the 3rd April, and approved on the 14th May succeeding. The terms I then offered I still think liberal; but, as the Kawa Kawa Natives enjoyed the trade with the troops at the time, they were not in . want of money, and I thought it prudent to defer negotiations for a few months. The offer will probably be soon renewed by the Natives with, perhaps, a considerable audition of land. ...,-. ,

R 57-439. MuKIWHEMUA. Kawakawa. Relative to various ■ Blocks of land. V. Letters Nos. 42, 43.

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RELATIVE TO LAND PURCHASES.