No. 2.
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to the Chief Commissioner.

I have the honour, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, to request you to be good enough to report, for his information, on the nature of the [unclear: arrangement] made by the late Governor, Sir G. Grey, by which 5 per cent. from the proceeds of certain lands has been reserved for the Natives who originally sold the land to the Government. I am also to request you to state to what extent such a contract is now in force, in what provinces, and over what lands, and whether any sum due on that account is included in the £13,000 estimated by you as necessary to complete purchases of land already made. His Excellency would also wish to know whether a contract of that kind is now being made in Native land purchases; and, if so, His Excellency is of opinion that it should not be repeated in future negotiations, and requests you to be good enough to issue instructions accordingly.