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District of Tokomairiro. The Government is most anxious to encourage the organization of the settlers throughout New Zealand for purposes of national defence; and, fully appreciating the public spirit which actuates the settlers generally on this subject, will be glad to accept the services of any Volunteer Corps formed under the Militia Act, 1858, in the Province of Otago.

To enable a Corps to be formed for Tokomairiro, it should belong to some Militia District. By an order in Council dated the 27th ultimo, published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 1st instant, a Dunedin District and an Invercargill District have been constituted. As neither of these districts (embracing circles within twenty and thirty miles respectively from the present Police Office at each place), includes Tokomairiro, it will be necessary to constitute a Militia District there with such boundaries as may be deemed most convenient by those whose local knowledge will enable them to judge (care being taken not to overlap the boundaries of the districts already formed), so soon as the Government being informed on this point, the Government will be advised to proclaim the district accordingly. In all cases of bodies of men desirous of being enrolled, they should memorialize to that effect to his Excellency, stating their number, and at the same time suggesting the names of persons competent and willing to act as officers. The Adjutant will be appointed by the Government, and must have been previously in the military service. If no such person resident in each district can be found for that office, an Adjutant will be sent there.

I enclose copies of the Regulations of the Auckland Rifle Corps, and those of Taranaki, Christchurch, and Nelson. It is very desirable that the Regulations for Volunteers should be as similar as possible through the Colony; persons desirous of forming Volunteer Corps should therefore transmit recommendations founded on the Regulations now in force, with such variations only as local circumstances may require on such proposed Regulations. His Excellency will be advised to issue them, and all necessary steps will be taken for completing the organization of the Corps.

As regards the supply of rifles, orders have been some time since forwarded to England for a sufficient quantity of the best description of Rifle Accoutrements, &c., for the Militia, and on their being received a supply will be forwarded to Otago.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
(Signed) E. W. STAFFORD.

(From the General Government Gazette, of 24th February 1860.)

Registrar-General’s Office,
Auckland, 21st February, 1860.

PURSUANT to the provisions of an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand, passed in the eighteenth year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and entitled “The Marriage Act, 1854,” the following Name of an Officiating Minister, within the meaning of the said Act, is published for general information:—

Free Church of Scotland.
The Reverend D. M. STEWART.

I, JOHN B. BENNETT, Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in New Zealand, do hereby certify that the foregoing NAME of an Officiating Minister within the meaning of “The Marriage Act, 1854,” has been sent in to me, in addition to the Names in lists published in the New Zealand Gazette, No. 4, of the 26th of January, and No. 5, of the 7th of February in the present year.

Given under my hand, at Auckland, this twenty-first day of February, 1860.
JOHN B. BENNETT,
Registrar-General.

(From the General Government Gazette, of 26th March 1860.)

Land Claims Office,
Dunedin, March 5th, 1860.

I, WILLIAM HENRY CUTTEN, a Commissioner duly appointed by virtue of the Ordinance No. 15, Session XI, of the Legislative Council of the Islands of New Zealand, to hear and decide Claims to Land by persons claiming Title from, through, or under the New Zealand Company, report that the claims of the undermentioned persons having been duly referred to me for investigation, do hereby decide the said persons to be respectively entitled to Crown Grants of the Land set against their Names in the annexed Schedule.

WM. H. CUTTEN,
Commissioner.

S C H E D U L E.