Wellington.

Otari.—At the desire of the Public Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives on the petition of J. and R. Kilminster, and at the direction of the Hon. the Native Minister, I purchased from Raniera Pokowaenga and others, of the Ngatitama, at Taranaki, fifty acres of the Otari reserve, situate between Kaiwhara and Makara, for the sum of £150. The Messrs. Kilminster had by mistake built a house on and improved about fifty acres of the reserve, believing it to be their own land. The sum, which was a reasonable one, was supplied by Mr. J. Kilminster, to whom a conveyance of the fee-simple of the land has been made by the Natives The reserve is one entirely in the management of the natives. The Civil Commissioner (Major Brown) gave valuable assistance in arranging the payment.

Hutt.—I have purchased for the sum of £6 18s. the railroad, site, comprising 1 acre 1 road 27 perches of land in Section 121, Upper Hutt—a private estate of Hemi Parae and others.

Pitone.—A block of 6 acres 2 roods 20 perches, in Sections 1, 2, and 3, at Pitone, was necessary to the purposes of the Wellington and Masterton Railroad, for workshop sites, &c. The negotiation was very protracted; eventually the sum of £662 10s. was accepted, and a conveyance executed by Henare te Puni and others to the Queon for the land.

The above purchases are all on lands over which the Natives have entire control.

The Natives have sold the following reserves, also in their own management, to private parties: —

Ohariu.—No. 16, subdivision of Block 113, containing sixty acres, for £30, to R. C. Cook, on the 22nd May, 1876; and No. 10, of sixty acres, to Messrs. Cook, for £55, on the 7th September, 1876. The land, which is poor and precipitous, is near Opau Bay.

Tinakori.—No. 8, Orangi Kaupapa, containing 3 acres and 7 perches, to E.H. Hunt, for £100. No. 9, Orangi Kaupapa, Same area, to E. H. Hunt, for £100.

Hutt.—No. 5, Te Mome, containing 11 acres 2 roods 8 perches, to Mr. J. Barber, for £250. Section 120 (part of), from Hemi parae to J. C. Mabey, for £276 15s. 6d.

Wellington City.—Te Aro Pa, Lot No. 10, containing 22½ perches, to F. P. and A. Simeon, for £25 a year during life. Lot 3, Containing 19 perches, to J. O'Shea, for £300. Lot 23, containing 6 perches, to J. Ashdown (a half-caste relative of grantee), as a free gift.

Leases have been arranged for the Natives of the following lands, viz.:—

Johnsonville.—Section No. 9, containing 152 acres, to Mr. James Futter, for twenty-one years, at £106 a year.

Ohariu.—Native reserve, comprising parts of Sections 7 and 8, containing 145 acres 1 rood, for twenty-one years, to Mr. Thomas Bould, at a rent of £108 18s. 9d. a year for seven years, and £123 9s. 3d. a year for remainder of term.

The Natives have themselves let the following reserves, viz.:—

Pipitea Pa.—Lot No. 6, containing 20 perches, to Mr. W. Ebden, at £10 a year for seventeen years.

Te Aro Pa.—Lot No. 3, 19 Perches, to Mr. C. L. Hart, for twenty-one years, at £30 a year. Lot No. 5, 6 perches, to Mr. C. L. Hart, for twenty-one years, at £5 a year. Lot Nos. 6 and 9, containing 3 perches and 29 perches, for twenty-one years, at £15 a year, to Mr. C. L. Hart. Lot No. 11, containing 3 perches, for twenty-one years, for £15 a year for the first seven years, and £25 a year for the remainder of term, to Messrs. Ross and Thompson. Lot No. 27 (part of), for twenty-one years, at £30 a year for the first fourteen years, and £40 a year for remainder of term, to Mr. C. O. Clayton.

Tinakori.—Lot No. 10, Orangi Kaupapa, containing 3 acres and 7 perches, for fourteen years, to Mr. D. Williams, at £13 a year.

Hutt.—Section 36 (part of), 4 acres and 20 perches, for five years, at £20 12s. a year, to Mr. T. Baxter. Section 1 (part of), 3 acres, for twenty-one years, at £20 a year, to Mr. A. P. Stuart. Section 58 (part of), 3 acres and 34 perches, for twenty-one years, at £6 a year, to Mr. W. R. Welch. Section 58 (part of), 5 acres 2 roods 10 perches, for ten years, at £5 a year, to Mr. W. R. Welch. Lot No. 16 (part of), Pitone, containing 2 acres 3 roods 14 perches, for twenty-one years, at £20 a year, to Mr. D. Everest.

Otari.—Part of the Native reserve, containing 30 acres 1 rood 2 perches, to Mr. F. Rumsey, at £15 and £20 a year on a term of twenty-one years.

Ohariu.—About ten years since Paiuru Rangikatata was promised a Crown grant for twenty-five acres in section 12, Ohariu Valley, on condition of his building a cottage and residing there. The conditions having been performed, the grant has been issued to him.