—No. 10.—

Mr. Bell to Colonel Wakefield.

In continuation of my Despatch, No. 30/47, 24th September, I beg to make you acquainted with the circumstances that have since occurred in reference to the Block of land therein referred to.

Upon the 8th instant, the Inspector of Police having paid the Nga Motu Natives a sum of Fifty Pounds, which bad been due to them under the arrangements of Governor Fitzroy ever since the end of 1844, and the non-payment of which had been a principal cause of their refusal to sign the Deed of Sale for the "Grey Block," they expressed their willingness to sign and to receive the first instalment of 130l. Upon the 11th instant page 58 they assembled for that purpose; and after a noisy discussion, which lasted many hours, they all signed, with the exception of E Rangi, who held out for an additional reserve for himself; 10l. was retained for him, and the division of the remaining 120l. passed off with great good humour. A day or two afterwards, Mr. M'Lean having agreed to make the reserve which E Rangi desired, he also signed the deed and received his share of the money. I therefore wrote to Mr. M'Lean requesting him to inform me when the transfer of the land to the Company would take place. I enclose you a copy of his reply.

At the Meeting of the Land purchasers on the 15th, the re-selections were proceeded with according to the regulations I had published. Only Five Suburban Sections were reselected, and One Rural Section: but having upon application extended the time for selecting until the 30th instant, I believe that Two, or perhaps Three more Sections will be taken up.

Previous to the payment of the 50l. first mentioned, a Public Meeting of the Settlers had been held, Mr. Cooke, J. P. in the Chair, to memorialise the Governor on the delay in providing the land he promised.

The land included in the "Grey Block" being now placed at the disposal of the Company, it was necessary to make some alteration in the Memorial adopted by the Public Meeting: and on the evening of the 15th, the Settlers again met for the purpose. But their examination of the land in the mean while, and the few reselections made within its limits, added to the circumstance of the best and most available land, to the extent of more than a Thousand Acres, having been reserved for the Natives, rather increased than diminished their desire of appealing to the Governor to provide them with their own land toward the Waitera; a Memorial in nearly the same terms as the previous one was unanimously adopted to that effect, and forthwith transmitted to Auckand.

I shall forward to you, as soon as completed, a tracing of the Block.