I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 60, of date 9th February, 1871, requesting me to report on certain points regarding the working of the Native Lands Acts.

In endeavouring to answer the questions you have placed before me, I beg to be understood, except in cases where my remarks are obviously general, as coming to my conclusions from my experience in the northern districts where I have been chiefly engaged. I also hope that, as I am very much pressed by the business of my office, you will excuse me being as brief as possible in my answers, though at the same time I do not insinuate that were I to use a greater number of words my report would be at all more valuable.