Province of Hawke's Bay.

Karaitiana Takamoana, the Native beneficially interested in the Pakowhai estate of 834 acres, which in 1870 he put into trust with Mr. S. Locke, R.M., and the Commissioner of Native Reserves, applied to the trustees to validate a sale made by him of a portion of the estate to Mr. McHardy, the tenant of the property, and owner of the contiguous land. It appeared that before Karaitiana put the land in trust he had sold to Mr. McHardy a part of it, without properly defining the boundary, the result of which was that Mr. McHardy's fence included thirty-nine acres of the reserve. Karaitiana considered that, as the land had been in McHardy's possession for several years and was improved, he was bound to give him a conveyance of it. For the thirty-nine acres, £730 was paid to Karaitiana, and the trustees validated the sale. The Natives interested in the Arai Native Reserve of 1,000 acres have asked that the land may be placed with trustees, for administration under "The Native Reserves Act, 1856." In 1872, the Waikokopu Block, of 730 acres, was brought under the Native Reserves Acts, by the late chief Ihaka Whanga. Contained within its boundaries were two small blocks of the respective areas of 16¼ acres and 21¼ acres, which had long since been sold to Captain Salmon, of Auckland. For economy of fencing and other reasons, it was very desirable that these blocks should again become merged in the larger estate; they were therefore bought from Captain Salmon. By means of the rent derived from the whole-reserve, the cost price (with interest) of the purchases was defrayed; and from the 13th April, 1876, the property has been clear of debt.