The Deputy Surveyor-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary.

With reference to your letter of the 31st ultimo, requesting to be informed on what occasion and under what authority the clause was inserted in the Native deeds undertaking, on the part of the Crown, that 10 per cent of the proceeds of the sale of land shall be applied to Native purposes, I have the honour to report that the occasion was upon the first negotiation for the Hikurangi Block, and the authority is that of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief given to the Surveyor- General. A copy of the clause, as delivered by His Excellency to the Surveyor-General, is enclosed.