No. 24.
The Chief Commissioner to Mr. Preece.

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th January last, reporting on two letters addressed to this office by Riria Poau preferring a claim to the Opitonui Block.

With reference to that part of your letter recommending that the survey of the block above mentioned, together with those of Mahakirau and Maumaupaki be proceeded with, I have the honor, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, to inform you that it is considered advisable to defer surveying operations in your district until the ensuing summer; and have to request that the intervening time be employed by you in searching out any additional information that may be procurable upon the titles to the land in question.