No. 22.
The Chief Commissioner to Mr. Commissioner Kemp.

I have the honor to acloiowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th ultimo, reporting that you had examined several blocks of land offered for sale by the Natives, and am directed by His Excellency the Governor to request that you will have the goodness to furnish as detaileii an account of the blocks of land referred to by you as possible, stating the estimated area of each block, its; position, availability for agricultural or pastoral purposes, proximity to harbour, and such other particulars as may suggest themselves to you; With reference to your suggestions on the subject of external surveys, I have to observe that the Government is most anxious to adopt the "most economical' system; provided always that such surveys are so clear and distinct that no question can afterwards arise respecting the boundaries.

If the Government were surveying the old land claims as well as the native blocks, your proposal might advantageously be agreed to, because the same person would take up the work from time to time after the principal natural features had been fixed. But at present, and as a general rule, considering that so many surveyors are engaged under separate employers, His Excellency deems it unadvisable to discontinue the plan of accurately surveying the exterior boundaries of each native purchase, except where a previous survey is known to have been furnished.

You will have the goodness to bear fully in mind that every, transaction with the natives for the purchase of land should be so clear, distinct, and well understood, that no possibility of a question arising in consequence of insufficient surveys should ever exist. The subsequent evils resulting from undefined boundaries are often much greater than the first expense of an accurate survey.

The Government, therefore, expects that each transaction with the natives of your district shall n every way be so final and conclusive that there shall be no further embarrassment caused by disputes arising which might have been obviated.

A copy of a plan which is being compiled of the old land claims in the Bay of Islands.District, showing their relative positions and extent, will shortly be transmitted to you for your information and guidance.