Sir—

I am directed by the Hon. the Native Minister to enclose the copy of a letter from the Rev. R. Taylor, of the 6th instant, and to request you to be good enough to explain what action you have taken in the matter referred to.

Copy of a Letter from the Rev. R. Taylor to Mr. Rolleston.

Sir,—

I have just received a letter from Whanganui informing me that Mr. Buller, R.M., has obtained the signatures of my wards, the two sons of the late chief John Williams Hipango, to some paper purporting to be a surrender of their interest in certain lands in the Rangitikei Block. Of these two boys, the elder is about fourteen, and the younger eight years of age.

Directly after John Williams lost his life in defending the Whanganui District against the Hau Haus, his relatives appointed Hakaraia Korako and myself guardians of the children and of their lands and property, and we have been acting as such ever since. As no application has ever been made to me by Mr. Buller on this subject, and as I am also in possession of a document given to me by John Williams Hipango during his lifetime, with a rough plan of this piece of land, and an expression of his intention to retain the same, I beg to enter my protest against Mr. Buller's proceedings and also to request that you will cause this protest to be brought under the notice of the Hon. the Native Minister.