No. 8b.
Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell to Lieut. Colonel St. John.

I have the honor to beg that, you will lay this letter before the Hon. the Native Minister, for his information and consideration.

I have been for sometime past negotiating lands North, at Ahipara, Mangakahia, and elsewhere. I have made considerable purchases. In all transactions I have been careful to avoid cause for dissatisfaction; and the system I have pursued has, in many instances, been the means of healings old disagreements.

I have arranged the Mangakahia lands with every hope of being able, to complete them with a considerable saving of money—about £2,000—but this has to be ratified by other natives.

If my negotiations are left to me to finish, this money will be saved; but I fear that, if they are handed over for others to conclude, the former agreement of 2s. 6d. per acre will have to be carried out in place of the present understanding: this will effect all lands in that neighbourhood.

During my last visit to Ahipara, I bought a very fine block of land, next to the Victoria Valley purchase, for 3s. an acre, called Orowahana. There is a very barren piece of land adjoining, called Epakauri, that has also been bought for the Government at 4d. an acre. As these two blocks join each other, the Natives intend to increase the acreage of the good block by taking in a good slice of the worthless country.

I therefore suggest that I be permitted to finish the purchase of this block, as well as the lands I have negotiated for at Mangakahia, including the Tutamde and Kairara forest of timber. I know all the Native owners, and the proper boundaries to be observed. Many of the lands alluded to above have been surveyed for many months past, and would Have been out of hand now but for delays of the Native Land Court.