"My Dear Sir,—My cablegram this day sent with concurrence of the General Government will, I trust, long ere this reaches you, assure you of the cordial co-operation of both General and Provincial Governments in endeavouring to settle your emigrants to the very best advantage. We have arranged that the whole lands of the Province, whether Provincial or General Government. shall be open to your emigrants for selection of a block to suit them. page 9 The only point of difference is that the General Government desired that a block should be selected here at once, and set apart for them. I prefer (remembering my own experience as a colonist) that they should select on arrival. In whichever way, they will have our most cordial co-operation. In your letter you mentioned 300 acres as the maximum grant for a family under our Homestead Law. I find it is only 200, but this we (both General and Provincial) are prepared to stretch to 300. All this will involve a block of from 10,000 to 20,000 acres. Of Provincial lands there is only one first-rate block I know suitable—that is the Victoria Valley, near Mongonui. There is another block in course of purchase from the natives, equally good, if not better—the Mangakahia Valley, between the Wairoa (Kaipara) and Hokianga, which I think will be completed ere they can arrive, and which, from personal knowledge, I could recommend. The General Government have lands at Tauranga, and betwixt there and Opotiki, also good, and I think it best to give your people a choice for themselves. They may depend upon being liberally dealt with by both Governments. Let them come at once so as to arrive in spring. By the time they arrive I shall be out of office, but whoever may be my successor, which is at present very uncertain. I am sure he will adopt all I say and do in this matter; and, though out of office, I shall only be too happy to lend my aid to advising, assisting, and settling, such a body of settlers as you have described.