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under the Public Seal of
the Colony of New Zea-
land, at Government
House at Auckland, in the
Colony aforesaid, this
twenty-fourth day of July
in the twenty-first year of
the reign of Her Majesty
Queen Victoria, and in the
year of our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred
and fifty-seven.

THOMAS GORE BROWNE,
Governor.

By his Excellency's command,
E. W. STAFFORD.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

NOTICE.

Superintendent's Office,
New Plymouth, 9th September, 1857.

WHEREAS by Notice dated the 19th
May, 1857, the several districts here-
after specified were duly constituted under
the provisions of the Public Works Ordi-
nance, Session 2, No. 9. And whereas by
Notice dated the 20th of the same month
issued under the 42nd clause of the same
Ordinance, the month of meeting of the
Electors of the said districts was varied
from May to June. And whereas by No-
tice dated the 25th of July, 1857, a mini-
mum rate of Sixpence per acre was imposed
on the Sixth District under the authority of
the Roads and Bridges Ordinance, 1857.
And whereas by Notice dated the said 25th
of July issued under the like authority, the
several rates imposed on the said district
were appointed to be paid by two equal
instalments on the 15th day of August and
the 14th day of November thence ensuing.
And whereas the two last recited notices
are rendered inoperative by reason of the
disallowance of the Roads and Bridges Or-
dinance, 1857, by his Excellency the Gover-
nor. Now therefore I, the Superintendent
of the Province of New Plymouth, do
hereby appoint that the several rates im-
posed under the authority of the Public
Works Ordinance, Session 2, No. 9, on the
lands within the districts hereinafter par-
ticularised, shall be paid by two equal
instalments to the Provincial Treasurer at
his Office on the 19th day of September
and the 21st day of November next.

G. CUTFIELD,
Superintendent.
I. N. WATT, Provincial Secretary.

SCHEDULE.

DISTRICT. RATE.
Town—Half per cent. on value of lands.
First—Sixpence per acre.
Second—Sixpence per acre.
Third—One Shilling per acre.
Fourth—Sixpence per acre.
Fifth—Ninepence per acre.
Seventh—One Shilling per acre.
Eighth—Threepence per acre.
Ninth—One Shilling per acre.

Council Chamber,
New Plymouth, 30th Sept., 1857.
THE following reply to the Memorial
addressed by the Provincial Council to
his Excellency the Governor, is published
for general information.

E. L. HUMPHRIES,
Speaker.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, Sept. 10, 1857.

Sir,—I have the honor, by the direction of
the Colonial Secretary, to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 20th ultimo,
transmitting a Memorial from the Provincial
Council of New Plymouth to the Governor,
urging the importance of purchasing Native
Land in that Province, and to inform you
that that Memorial has been laid before his
Excellency.

In reply, I am to state that the Govern-
ment is most anxious to take advantage of
every disposition on the part of the New
Plymouth Natives to part with their Waste
Lands, and that with that object instruc-
tions have been sent to Mr Commissioner
Parris, and funds placed at his disposal.

If the lands south of Warea can be
acquired by purchase, it will afford the
Government much satisfaction, but the
system recommended in the Memorial of
leasing Native Lands, even were the Go-
vernment the Lessee, would be attended
with many disadvantages, prominently
amongst which would be the inducement
to the Natives for the future not to sell
but merely to lease their land, which would
materially militate against the beneficial
and peaceful occupation of it by Europeans.

Experience has already shown the nu-
merous evils of a leasehold occupation of
Native Lands—the general insecurity of
tenure—the frequent occurrence of disputes
and extortionate demands arising out of
such occupation—and the Memorialists are
in error in supposing that the leases of Na-
tive Lands in the Wairarapa and Hawke's
Bay districts have not impeded their pur-
chase. They have done so to a great ex-
tent, for many years altogether, and when
a purchase has at last been made, they have
greatly enhanced the price and have pre-
vented the acquisition of many of the most
valuable parts of those districts.

I have, &c.,
W. GISBORNE,
Under Secretary.

The Speaker of
The Provincial Council,
New Plymouth.