No. 1.
The Chief Commissioner to Mr. Fred.
Ring, Auckland.
Sir,—
With reference to your letters of December 3rd and January 23rd expressing a wish to purchase from the Natives of Cormandel, through the General Government, a small piece of land estimated at Five acres situated on the Kapanga Creek.
I have the honor to inform you that if the aboriginal owners of the land in question are willing to dispose of it in conjunction with an adjacent tract of country of considerable extent, it is quite competent for the General Government to extinguish the Native Title to it, but that so soon as it becomes Crown Land the favour of disposing of it is vested in the Provincial Government.
In the present state of the law, therefore, it is impossible for the General Government to sanction the purchase in the manner proposed by you.
I have, &c.,
Donald Mclean,
Chief Commissioner.