No. 4.
Mr. J. Thomas to Governor Grey.

Sir,—

I have the honor to address your Excellency on the subject of fixing the site of the Canterbury Settlement.

I have examined and surveyed the harbour of Port Cooper and the surrounding country. I find the harbour good and commodious, and in the district adjoining a vast quantity of land perfectly level, well watered, and suited for all purposes of agriculture and pasturage.

As far as our chainings and surveys proceeded, we found over 2,000,000 acres of level land, but this forms but a portion of the district which will depend on Port Cooper as its harbour, for there is good land and excellent pasturage extending from the Kaikouras on the north to Moerangi on the south, a coast line of nearly 300 miles; and I am further assured by the Natives that other plains are to be found by crossing the snowy range, which plains extend to the southern portions of the Island. This country, therefore, affords natural pasturage for immense numbers of cattle and sheep.

The proportion of wooded land to open is good, but it is often found inconveniently situated. The facilities which the plains offer for the construction of roads, and the water communication afforded by the lakes and rivers will in a great measure remove this difficulty. Coals are also found at Arowhenua, Timaru, and Moerangi, and I have little doubt we shall find them in other places more contiguous to Port Cooper. Should this be the case it will remove all fears as to the price of fuel, which, depending on firewood only, might be scarce and dear in the early stages of the Colony in some districts of the settlement.

The principal points to which the Association directed my attention in selecting a site were—

1.	A good and commodious harbour.
2.	A block of 1,000,000 of acres.
3.	A district so removed from Natives and other settlements that it may be formed into a separate Province with its own institutions.

These objects would be obtained by placing the settlement in the Port Cooper District.

My instructions say, "Should the search for and selection of the site be left entirely to yourself, it will be absolutely necessary, before you determine finally upon it and proceed with the surveys, that you obtain the assent in writing of the Governor and the Bishop; or, should either of them have died or left the Colony, of the one who shall survive and remain."

In accordance, therefore, with these instructions, I have to solicit from your Excellency (so soon as you have conferred with the Bishop) your written sanction to Port Cooper as the site of the Canterbury Settlement, on receiving which I shall proceed with my surveys.