REPORTS OF OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 494, 19 June 1880, Page 2

REPORTS OF OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

Mr E. S. Maunsell, Wairarapa, to the Hon. the Native Minister.

■ Greytown, Wairarapa, 23rd April, Siu,—l have the honor to report that the state.of the Natives in this district is, as it has hitbrto been, friendly toward Europeans, and that they are submissive to law and authority.. For many years past some have complained of the non-issue of Grown grants, others of non-fulfilled past promises of the .Government, of the non-settlement of disputed boundaries between their lands, and lands ceded to the Crown .without tribal authority. These subjects are being inquired into with a view to a fair adjustment, Their attention is principally occupied by land disputes and social questions, which they inquire into and decide at meetings held periodically. There meetings are styled " committees "—constituted of no particular members, but of those who choose to meet on these occasions. Their decisions are invariably accepted, aud fines imposed are paid to the aggrieved persons. Recently a committee decided against a man for eloping with another's wife, and fined him £SO, which was paid by cheque upon a bank to the injured husband, the wife forfeiting also her horses to him. After having disbursed the liability under this dictum, they departed, and now live together and are recognised as husband and wife, the discarded and former hußband being satisfied with the exchange. Instances of similar acts of the committee and its influence are of frequent occurrence. Very little interest is evinced regarding the proceedings of Te Whiti or the King party at Waikato.

There is a marked improvement iii tho social and moral state of the Natives of the district. Hauhauism has been abandoned, and at several-kaingas they are reviving; Christian '.' worship formerly abandoned for Hauhauism. Their leading men take great interest, in.the proceedings of Parliament, so far.aa.qUestions affeoting iheirracewre.concerned.,- Vi : : ;: : i '■■■'■:■■ ■ :; : . Ai bbjectiorii still pervaelesjheir Oourtjas a

means of acquiring land titles, the process being vexatious and'incomprehensible to. them. They have on many occasions of sittings of the Court withdrawn thier applications for investigations through this objection, and in anticipation of a more simple tribunal being substituted.. Even now, Natives withhold their land from the operation of the Native Land Acts, except in cases of claims to succeed deceased, grantees, and of disputed titles forced into Court by one party having animosity towards the other, and of mercenary motives, when sullenness and indisposition to allow,the hearing to proceed on the objecting side result. Mortality during the past yeas has not been in the same ratio of previous years, the only deaths being those of three or four old persons. I have noticed children at their kaingas running about in a wild condition, the parents entirely indifferent to their state or education. I may mention that in very few cases Natives avail themselver of the advantages of having their children taught at the public schools. At Gladstone two or three attend the school; at Greytown the same.

In conclusion, I beg to state that the Natives, generally, in this district are slowly emerging from a state of .political and social corruption, caused primarily by the King movement, and latterly by the Hauhau infatuation. During the years they were in that state they were decimated by death, through exposure and want, and joining in tho pa3t wars. Out of a population of about 1,000 fourteen years ago, they do not now, I estimate, exceed 650 souls. In proportion to the European population they are in a minority of about one to fourteen. They know and express their comparative weakness. The bluster and domineering address of the past has subsided in proportion to their numerical decrease. I have, &c M '.E. S. Mabnsem,. The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington.