No. 19.
Mr. Mantell to the Private Secretary.

Sir,—

As a vessel has at length arrived from Wellington ("Harlequin," sailed 9th January,) but does not bring any official communications for me, I fear that my letter per "Dolphin" may not have reached your hands; I therefore again do myself the honor of reporting, for His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor's information, my return to this port, on the 23rd of December last, in company with John Topi, John Kihau (son of Tuhawaiki), and twelve other Southern Natives. In addition to the contents of my last letter, I would beg you to represent urgently to the Lieutenant-Governor the absolute necessity that I should, by the first opportunity, be made acquainted with His Excellency's intentions relative to the payment of £500, due to the Natives on the 12th ultimo. The Natives from Arowhenua have now been here more than two months, those from Moeraki and Waitaki six weeks, and those who came with me more than three weeks: they are so impatient to return, that I can with difficulty induce them to remain.

I had promised that if the money did not arrive by the 12th instant, that I would dismiss them, and that this instalment should be distributed with that due in June next. This is an arrangement which they would gladly see carried out; and should they now require me to redeem my promise, I shall not think myself justified in refusing to do so.

Should this communication reach the Lieutenant-Governor in time, I would request His Excellency's sanction of the above arrangement, as I am satisfied that in the present disposition of the Natives, consequent on the long delay, the payment cannot be distributed now without causing disturbance.