No. 29b.
Copy of a letter from the Secretary for Crown Lands, to the Commissioner of Grown Lands Otago.

Sir,—

With reference te certain grants prepared in accordance with certificates of the Native Land Court, and relating to lands in the Province of Otago, and which grants were detained from execution on representations made by His Honor the Superintendent of that Province, I have the honour to request yon will state what reasons exist why they should not be executed and issued at once.

I enclose a schedule of the grants for your information.

The Superintendent was requested to do this at the time the order for detention of the grants, was given, and reminded that, if a re-hearing of any of the cases were desired, the objections and application must be speedily made, or the time for re-hearing would have elapsed.

That time has been reduced by "The Native Lands Act, 1869," to three months from the original decision of the Court, and has, of course, long gone by. Moreover, the Chief Judge can, under the new Act, issue certificates for lands without sending them to the Governor.

Will you, therefore, be good enough to let me know what are the wishes or views of the Provincial Government or yourself as to the issue of these grants