New Zealand Company's settlers first came into the country. You are aware that I held an appointment under the Plymouth Company of New Zealand as assistant surveyor, in the year 1841 when, after the Township of Taranaki had been laid out in allotments, my duty required me to remove to the suburban and rural districts to divide the land into 50 acre sections. It will at once be perceived that to carry on a survey in a district, where at that time, all the inhabitants were natives, it was of the utmost importance to me, both in regard to my public and private capacity, to be on good terms with the people and to accomplish this, I very soon discovered that, where nonecould speak English, a knowledge of the Maori language was in part most essential to the progress and success of my operations. Accordingly I soon made myself sufficiently acquainted with the Maori tongue to conduct an ordinary conversation. From these circumstances I was enabled to ascertain the opinions of the Taranaki people regarding the purchase of that district which was arranged with a few Chiefs only. The all absorbing