No. 9.
J. Grant Johnson, Esq., to D. McLeast, Esq.

Sir,—

I have the honour to report for your information that having received no further instructions, on the last arrival of the "Zingari" at Lyttelton, I returned to this place.

All the further information which I have gathered or the subject of the claims of the Natives to land in Banks' Peninsula and the country north of the Ashley—only tends to confirm the tenor of nay reports to you on the subject, dated the 11th May and 7th June, 1856.

I would beg to correct a statement in my report of 7th June, in which I stated that in the French Deeds, executed by the Natives, conveying Banks' Peninsula to Captain L'Anglois, of the French whaler "Compte de-Paris" no reserves for the use of the Natives are mentioned, I now find a clause to that deed attached guaranteeing the Natives of Akaroa two reserves, being a bay on the north-east side and a bay on the south-east side of the harbor, which is all that they wish for, and are only holding the rest of the land until this just right is guaranteed to them.

With regard to the claims advanced by the Natives of Kaiapoi to compensation for the land north of the Ashley, I am credibly informed that His Excellency Sir George Grey, on his last visit to Canterbury offered them the sum of One hundred pounds in satisfaction of it.