No. 8.
Mr. Mantell to the Hon. the Colonial, Secretary.

Sir,—

I have the honor to report to you, for the information of His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, that after a long and tedious negotiation the Native proprietors of the Port Cooper district signed yesterday a document ceding that district to Her Majesty, and acknowledging the receipt of £200 as final payment for all lands, etc., in that district.

I have reserved for the Natives two portions of land; the first, 10 acres, more or less, at Purau, Acheron Bay; the second, 856 acres, more or less, at Rapaki and Taukahara. As this would at first sight, appear excessive, I may state that Mr. Carrington estimates the extent of arable land in it at less than sixty acres. I have further reserved for them the right of firewood in an isolated wood inland of the Purau Reserve, called Motuhikarehu.

As the vessel by which I now write will call at several places on her way to Wellington, I have begged Mr. Thomas to take charge of my letter enclosing the deed, plan, and maps of reserves, and requested him to forward it to you by the first safe opportunity. I proceed next week to Port Levy.

As the balance now at my disposal (£150) will in all probability be insufficient, I would suggest that the Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company be requested to remit a similar sum of, say, £300.