"Mr. Commissioner Searancke to the Chief Commissioner.

I have the honor to forward herewith two plans, one on an enlarged page lxiv scale, of the Awahou Block, the other the same on a reduced scale; the i Manawatu Gorge (Te Apiti), the Ahuoturanga or Upper Manawatu and Oroua Blocks, as offered for sale by Te Hirawanu, and surveyed by Assistant Surveyor Stewart, also memorandum of boundaries of the Awahou Block. The Awahou plan shows the land bought from the aboriginal owners on the 14th May 1858, the reserves made for them at that time, the pieces of land accepted as compensation on behalf of the New Zealand Company.* * *

Te Ahuoturanga or Upper Manawatu Block is still unsettled, and must continue so until the aboriginal owners become much more moderate in their demands.

In September (27th,) 1858 I had the honor of reporting to you on the negotiation for the purchase of this block. I then succeeded in obtaining the consent of all the leading Chiefs of the Ngatiraukawa tribe to the sale, and the waiving by them of their claims on it. Immediately their consent was gained, difficulties were thrown in the way of the completion of the purchase by a price per acre being insisted on, and the acreage ascertained. Whether these difficulties were made at the suggestion of the Ngatiraukawas, or by Te Hirawanu himself in the pride of his heart at becoming the acknowledged and undisputed owner of so much land, I am not prepared to say, but looking at the present unsettled state of Native affaire, I am inclined to lean to the former reason, the more so when I recollect the eagerness of Te Hirawanu and his friends to sell, previous to the Ngatiraukawas waiving their claim. On 12th November, 1858, I had again the honor of reporting to you on the negotiation for the purchase of this block of land, when his obstinacy was further confirmed and shown.

I then offered him a sum of £5000, and subsequently £6000, both indignantly refused. Since that time I have twice seen him and his friends, but his demands' were still so exorbitant that I was compelled to decline any further negotiation, verbally, till such time as he would listen to reason.

The acreage of this block is Two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000 acres), of which quantity One hundred and thirty-six thousand (136,000 acres), are of good and available quality, as shewn by Assistant-Surveyor Stewart's report, forwarded to you in September, 1859.