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Pages 1-20 of 25

Pages 1-20 of 25

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Pages 1-20 of 25

Pages 1-20 of 25

1

Sess. 11.—1879. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE STATEMENT, BY THE NATIVE MINISTER, THE HONORABLE MR. BRYCE, On Friday, 17th October, 1879.

Sir, — In rising to make the Native Statement to the House, I wish to say that it is my desire that the very fullest opportunity should he afforded for debating the questions in connection with Native affairs; and, in order that the late Native Minister may follow, and that any other member may take part in the discussion, I shall move, if you say it can be done, Sir, that the House do adjourn. I think the honorable members on the opposite side of the House will be prepared to give me credit for being a silent member —a member who is not in the habit of taking up very much of the time of the House unnecessarily. That being so, and as it really does require a very strong impulse to get me on my legs, I should like to ask the indulgence of the House while I say one or two words with regard to our position on these benches, before proceeding to make any Statement on Native Affairs. I shall only say two or three words, and will not occupy more than two or three minutes in doing so, upon the position of the Government from my point of view. I ask the opportunity of doing this, because I do not think it at all likely that I shall take part in the debate which is supposed to be pending. Now, I claim to believe that the Government occupy their position upon these benches by fair means. I claim to believe that we have been put here fairly by a majority of the House.—(No, no.) —An honorable member says " No, no," and he doubtless means that Aye have got here unfairly, because, as has been said, we haAre got here under false pretences. I say, Sir, we have come here under no false pretences. The honorable member who lately held the position I now occupy announced from this bench, while the no-confidence debate was pending, that no coalition would be possible—that no member from that side of the House would join my honorable colleague the Premier in forming a Ministry, and that he would have to draw from his own friends alone. Nay, more, the honorable member avlio is noAV the leader of the Opposition stood up aadiere I am standing uoav, and gave what A. ras virtually a notice that he Avould move a vote of want of confidence in the Government; and, in vieAV of these facts, and in vieAV of the fact that no coalition was possible, and that Mr. Hall would have to form a Government from his OAvn party, honorable members gave their votes. It is an unfair mode of argument to say that we are here under false pretences. It is said noAV, indeed, on the part of the Opposition, that they hold a majority. So be it. lam not going to argue the question Avith them. Even if they say they haAre a majority of twenty, I will not deny it. If they go further, however, and say that the majority of the people do not desire to give this Government a fair opportunity of placing their measures before the country, I will dispute that assertion. I will ask them to concede this : that Aye have a large number of supporters, who represent a considerable section of the country; and Ido say that it is our duty, seeing that our sincerity has been challenged, to prove that sincerity beyond all question. I—G. 1.

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It is our duty to ourselves; it is our duty to the gentlemen avlio support us in this House, and to that section of the country which they represent; in fact, it is our duty to the whole country to do so —a duty which, in my opinion, we cannot evade without dishonor. Noav, Sir, I will say no more upon that point, and lam obliged to the House for its toleration in allowing me to say so much. I will uoav proceed to the subject proper of my Statement. A high constitutional authority in this House—the honorable member for Parnell —stated a constitutional doctrine in the House a little while ago, to AAdiich I will allude for a moment if I am not ruled out of order in making reference to a previous debate. The doctrine Avhich he laid down at that time was this : that it was no part of the duty of an incoming Ministry to traduce the character of the preceding Ministry —that it was no part of our duty to traduce and slander our predecessors, to point out their little sins, or to pick holes in their coats. I most entirely agree with that constitutional doctrine. I never had a doubt about it. I believed in the doctrine long before the honorable member for Parnell instructed the House in it. Sir, it has amused me to some considerable extent to see —what shall I say ? —the alarm, almost the panic, Avith which some honorable members seem to regard Avhat an honorable member has been pleased to call the "detective Ministry." They seem to think that some dreadful disclosures will be made. Sir, Aye have high authority for saying that " The wicked flee Avhen no man pursucth." I am not going so far as to say on the present occasion that there are any wicked in the case, or that any one is flying; but Ido say this : that there is no pursuit, at any rate, in the direction which seems to be so much feared. Sir, aa rhen I understood that I had to make a Statement of tbis nature to the House, I determined at first to prepare a lot of tables, and to place them before the House as Avell as I was able; but I changed my mind. I have prepared a few tables, hoAvever, which I intend to lay before the House before I resume my seat. I thought it was much more important that I should try to place before the House the mode in which each particular department has been administered under the system of personal government which obtains in the Native Department than that I should deal largely AA'ith tables, which, perhaps, the House would not understand Avhilst I uttered them, and would scarcely look at aa_icu printed. I have noticed that some publishers at Home have a peculiar way of bringing certain publications before the public. If they Avish to bring a book prominently into public notice they will tell you how it is bound, the number of pages it contains, and so on; and Avhen they are particularly anxious to bring the book before the public they adopt the plan of holding up a specimen-page in order to give people a vivid idea of what the book is like. I shall on this occasion take a lesson from the publishers, and when I have to comment upon any particular mode of managing the business in this department I shall give a few cases in illustration—in fact, I shall hold up a specimen-page. There is only one objection I can see to this course. But it is an objection which I hope to be able to obviate. I can easily see, when I do hold up a specimen-page it may be imputed to me that I am doing so in personal disparagement of my predecessor in office. I can only disclaim at the outset any such intention. If that honorable gentleman should have any doubts upon the subject, I hope he will remember my disclaimer, and give me the benefit of it. Ido not intend auy personal disparagement to him. Noav, Sir, I think lam right in assuming that a great many members of this House —I ought to say most members of this House —desire to see a great change effected in this department. I think lam am right in saying that they desire to see the personal government of the Native Minister in this department done away with to a very large extent—that is to say, almost completely. But, whether that is so or not with regard to the whole of the members of this House, I am perfectly certain that it is so in the country. Ido believe that from one end of the colony to the other there is a strong desire that this department, so far as personal government is concerned, should be done away with. I believe that that is the Av rish of the country, and I must say that I entirely concur with the country. Sir, this is no new story with me. I have felt this, and believed A rery much the same as I believe now, for many years past. I can remember very Avell the good old days—

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the old days, at all events —when personal government was in its full glory. But I know—at least, I am much mistaken if in the latter days of Sir Donald McLean's life he did not come to the conclusion that it was necessary to curtail this personal mode of government. Circumstances were changed. For instance, a A renr small amount of expenditure at one time Avent a Ions? Avav with the Maoris. t. JL Of/ Bat now it is very different. At one time a great deal .vas to be done with a little sugar, a little flour, and some blankets; but now, Sir, the Maoris know very well how to ask, and, instead of demanding a bag of flour, a bag of sugar, or two or three blankets, they are not afraid to ask even so much as a million of money. That would be one reason, if there were no other, aa rhy I think, although it could be justified in a certain sense at one time, it cannot be justified uoav. I think that, for some years before the death of the gentleman to Avhom I have referred, he was doing his utmost—l do not say that he succeeded fully, or to any large extent, but he was doing his utmost —to reduce the management of the department to such a system that his personal interference in every matter Avould be less and less necessary. But he did, I believe, succeed to some extent; and I ask any one in this House whether during the last two years—l am sure every one must have remarked it —this personal management of the department has not been raised to almost all its former glory. The two great Native experts of the House— the two greatest Native experts in the colony, indeed—have been exerting themselves for the last two years among the Maoris to the utmost for the purpose of restoring the old system; but Ido not think the result is anything in favour of a personal mode of government. It is notorious that this personal government has grown to an extent which makes it almost unbearable. Why, the honorable member who proceeded me in this office could scarcely move about the streets of Wellington, and could not go about the country, without being fairly besieged by Natives waiting on him. They regarded him, apparently, as a sort of providence; and I am sure that, if he were to be put in the witness-box and examined upon the subject, he Avould say that that sort of thing was going on to such an extent as to seriously interfere with the ordinary working of the department. That was not all. He was not only waited upon and besieged in this manner personally, but Avaited upon through the post office and through the telegraph station. I believe it has been no unfrequent thing on his part —I do not know whether he told me so himself, but at any rate I have had it upon very good authority—to receive something like a hundred and fifty telegrams in a single day. Of course a great number of these telegrams Avere connected in some way or another with money, or what our friend Mr. Chadband would call " the corn, the wine, and the oil"—money, or moneys worth. I promised, Avhen I began, to submit a specimen-page occasionally, and I will now do so by reading a telegram addressed to the honorable gentleman, omitting names, which is a very fair specimen of a class of which the honorable gentleman must have received a great many. This is the telegram :— " Friend, do not be vexed at the number of my wires and Avords to you. They are addressed to you as the redresser of the grievances of all the people ; hence I seek such relief at your hands. Friend, do not be annoyed at the multiplicity of my requests. l)o you consent to my request for £2,000, so that I may settle with " I may say here, by .vay of parenthesis, that this £2,000 Was given to him; but I shall have to refer to that more particularly directly, and Avill pass over it for the present. The telegram proceeds, " Eriend, I ani your true servant. Consider my prayer. The money will not be merely given : the Government .vill hereafter obtain what they desire." This is the sort of telegram of which lam sure the honorable member must have received a great number. Possibly, for anything I know, there may have been a hundred such out of the one hundred and fifty received by the honorable gentleman in the course of a single day. What I want to point out in connection Avith this is, that this sudden vigour which has been infused into the personal management of the Natives does not by any means point to the abolition or abatement of the Native Department, but has a tendency exactly in the opposite direction. Personal government by the Native Minister

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means personal expenditure by the Native Minister. To see that, we have only to glance at the sums the Native Minister has at his disposal—sums voted by this House, but the control of Avhich, so far as the manner of spending it is concerned, has passed absolutely aAvay from this House. In going over these sums, and putting them together, although I had a little knoAvledge on the subject previously, I have been perfectly astonished at the amount of money the Native Minister could distribute unknoAvn to the House. I do not knoAV whether the House Avill be surprised or not. When my honorable friend the Colonial Treasurer made his Statement the other night, and laid bare some financial matters, members opposite said, '■' Oh !we knew all this before." And I may be told, as to what lam going to point out, that honorable members are aware of such things already, and clo not disapprove of them. Well, I knoAV this : that there are honorable members opposite aalio, a few years ago, did disapprove of such transactions. Sir, times have changed, and men may have changed Avith them; and that puts me in mind of an old rhyme current in the English Parliament some years ago, which ran something like this : — No more they make a fiddle-faddle About a Hessian horse or saddle, A million and a vote of credit; 'Tis right —he can't be wrong who did it. I do not knoAV, as I say, whether this personal government of Avhich I am going to speak is approved by the House or not. It may be; and, of course, any gentleman who can smooth OA rer or put a gloss upon AA rhat the Colonial Treasurer said the other night Avith respect to the finances of the colony will have no difficulty, I apprehend, in painting transactions connected with the Native Department in the colour of the rose. I want to give honorable members an idea of the various sums that are solely within the control of the Native Minister. I may explain here, again, in case I did not make myself sufficiently clear before, that I am speaking of the office of Native Minister, and not of the Hon. John Sheehan personally. lam speaking of the department as it might be conducted by any one under the system of personal government. There are a good many sums within the control of the Native Minister. Eor instance, last year, 1878-79, there was a sum voted for roads in Native districts, £2,000. Now, of course that amount properly comes within the Public Works Department; but there is this peculiarity about the matter, that the Public Works Department absolutely accepts the recommendation of the Native Minister as to how that money should be spent. I am not aware of a single refusal of the recommendation of the Native Minister as to how the money should be spent and dealt with. And I Avish further to point out that the Native Minister himself cannot possibly have that knoAvledge of the various AA rorks that are required to be executed under this vote. He has no competent staff of officials to fall back upon, from Avhom he might receive what I may call responsible advice, and he has actually to ask advice of the people aalio solicit him for that expenditure. It has so happened that people have come to him and asked him if he did not think such-and-such an expenditure would be a good thing, and he has had to take their advice and their opinion as to the propriety of the expenditure, and in some cases, I knoAV, has relied upon such opinions. Of course it is utterly impossible that the Native Minister can be acquainted with the works for which he authorizes this expenditure. There is another item which was passed in 1878-79 that deserves notice : a sum of £15,000 was voted for opening up Native lands ; and, as it is of so kindred a character to the other vote, I have no doubt it has practically been regarded as part of the other vote : at any rate, it is also within the control of the Native Minister, and his recommendations as to the expenditure are taken by the Public Works Department absolutely without demur. And I may just state that it was proposed by the late Ministry, according to the estimates I have gone through, to increase these items during the current year to £50,000 —that is, £25,000 each. I call the attention of the House to the fact that a good deal of this expenditure is passed over to local bodies. There are a good many small items, such as 7s. 6d., 10s., and so forth; but there are a number of larger items to which I shall call special attention presently. I hold in my hand a detailed return of the expenditure under these heads, and I

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find that, although the return is to a large extent of sums such as I have mentioned —7s. 6c1., lis. Bd., £2 45., £13 6s. —there are some of considerable magnitude. I see one of the first items in the return is, " Main roads in Thames County, £4,450." Mr. Macandreav.—Patea County ? Mr Bryce.—l shall have occasion to refer to the county again. I shall have to repeat tlie name several times; so the honorable gentleman aa"ill be sure to remember it. A similar item occurs in reference to a neighbouring county, the County of Coromandel; and there Avas also an expenditure of £465 in an adjoining county —I forget the name, and the amount Avas so small that I did not think it Avorth while to make a note of it. The sum expended from the vote for roads in Native districts in the County of Coromandel Avas £1,400. That is only a small sum; but to the Thames County there has been paid from the same vote —that is, for roads in Native districts—the sum I have already referred to— namely, £4,450. A little further doAvn, I see another sum of £500 for the Thames County; further down still is another sum for the same Thames County —I hope the honorable gentleman has caught the name by this time —of £4,000. Proceeding onwards, I find another item, " Thames County roads, £500," and another small item of £50 for Avork which lam not sure is in the county. But I notice, also, that there are liabilities for the same county —absolute liabilities, inasmuch as everything is in writing and in proper form —there are liabilities of this kind to the extent of £2,600. That makes a total —not within the last year exactly, because these liabilities extend outside the year 1878-79—of £12,050 for the Thames County. I ought to mention that a sum of £500 Avas paid over to the Thames Borough Council; but that is a small sum, hardly worth mentioning. lam not sure Avhether this county can fairly be called a Native district —I understand that it is to some extent a gold fields district; but Avhat I Avish to say is this: that it is impossible that the Native Minister can understand of his OAvn knoAvdeclgc the particular necessity for these special grants for these special purposes, and he is precluded, by the system A\ Thich the management of this department has fallen into, from taking the advice of responsible officers. He has to take the advice of the persons who are soliciting the money. Noav, I ask whether this is a desirable sort of thing. lam referring to these things mainly for the purpose of shoAving that the expenditure of a very large sum of money has passed aAvay most effectually —as effectual^ as it is possible to pass aAvay —from the control of this House. Of course the House votes the money in a lump sum; but it has no control Avhatever over the departmental distribution of the amount. I will noAV go through the expenditure of the department, and slioav that these items are in the same category —that is to say, that they are dependent upon the will of the Native Minister. There are in this colony Native pensioners to the number of 157, avlio receive an aA rerage pension of £36 each; there are also 81 assessors, Avho are mixed up to some extent with the pensioners, and the aA rera»c annual salary of each of these assessors is £43 155.: the total of these two sums is £9,211. There are 81 Native policemen who receive an annual average salary of £16, Avhich gives a total of £1,313; the three items together —for pensioners, assessors, and policemen—making a grand total of £10,524. Noav, I would point out to the House that these pensioners, assessors, and policemen are dependent upon the personal supervision— may I call it ? —of the Native Minister. Although the pensioners are provided for by laAV under the Civil List Act, yet they have been changed about at the will of the Native Minister—that is to say, he can remove one man and put another in, and so on; and it is the same with the assessors. And I would call the attention of the House to the fact that this is a thing that is growing. When Native members are returned to this House they very naturally make requests for the appointment of pensioners, assessors, and policemen; and, so long as the government of this department is continuously dependent upon the personal influence of the Native Minister with the Maoris, such requests cannot be resisted. Ido not care who he is—if a man Avishes to retain his influence with the Maoris he must yield, as a matter of necessity, to such requests. But I put it to the House whether it is desirable that this system should continue. I have slioavu that in

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these respects the Native Minister has a great deal of power in the distribution of the money A'oted by this House—a power which no other Minister of the Crown can aspire to. But the expenditure is by no means confined to the cases I have given. I Avill now produce another specimen-page or two to show hoAV expenditure spreads itself in other directions. For example, a Native chief enters an action against a European; the case comes on for trial; he retains counsel, takes advice, brings his witnesses to Court, and so on. All tbis, of course, is very expensive. The case goes against him. A new trial is ordered, and the same thing goes on again. Witnesses have to be brought from a distance; lawyers have to be paid; the case goes to trial once more, and again goes against him. And the bills for all this are sent in to the Government, and would have been paid if it had not been that the payment Avould have disqualified a member of this House. Again, Sir, a chief has the misfortune to lose his wife, and he thinks it necessary to have a grand funeral. The funeral expenses amount to something like £300, and he is pressed for the money. He applies, as a matter of course, to the Government for the money. The Government advance it, taking—l do not know whether honorable members will be surprisecbat it—taking a promissory note for the amount. And, curiously enough, there is no due date stated on the face of the document for the repayment of the money. HoAvever, that is how the thing was done. The money was advanced, and the promissory note is now lying at the Government offices. Well, Sir, these things are apt to grow upon the Native Minister. I believe myself that, if I Avere only a year or so in office, I should come to vieAv these things as many other people view them. Very likely I. should excel in this direction. I have not tried it, and I might make a grand hand at it. But this kind of expenditure goes even a little further; and I will give the House some information in reference to the telegram Avhich I read from a Native chief for a loan of £2,000. You have heard me read the telegram, to the effect that £2,000 Avas urgently required. Well, he got that £2,000. I Avill tell the House hoAV he got it; and the circumstance will show —I was going to say the demoralizing effect, but that avouM be too strong a Avord; but it will show the tendency of this personal government. Of course when these requests are made, they have to be granted, and exceptional means have to be adopted for granting them. The method adopted in this instance was this : The Native Minister directed a banker in the neighbourhood where the Maori lived to make the advance to the Government agent —a European agent, be it understood—of £2,000, and then he directed the Government agent to transfer the £2,000 to the Native who wanted it. That was the process that was adopted; and I Avould point out that this is another item that cannot be under the control of the House, because it was never voted by the House. When I have got used to the position I shall very likely do this kind of thing myself; but at present I am bound to say that this appears to be—well, what shall I call it ? To put it in plain Avords, I think the Native Minister had no more right to do that than any private member of this House. That is my view of the case. I say that these things are the result of the personal government and the personal management ofthe Native Department. I ought to say that the Native chief repaid £1,000 out of the £2,000. The remainder noAV stands due at the bank, and I may say that the bank is uoav pressing the Government to pay the money in order to square up the half-yearly account; so that half the amount has been paid, and interest has to be paid on the other half. In this connection, and in order to slioav the growing danger of this personal government, I Avill give another case. It is a case that has excited some little sympathy in me, because I can sec that it may groAv to large dimensions, and may be an injury to the men lam going to speak about, and to others of like kind. A number of Native chiefs have sent their sons to school, and have given them in some cases a very good education. Now, that is a very laudable thing ; but, though these lads have received a very good education, they probably are not as well educated as their parents suppose they are, and in some cases the parents have sent those lads down to Wellington with a request that they should be taken into the Civil Sendee. I say, if the government of the department is to be dependent on the personal influence of the Minister, that is a request which can scarcely be

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resisted. The Natives Avill say to us, " You have told us it is a laudable thing to send our sons to school. We have done so—we have got them educated; and you won't find them employment." Eive lads were sent down to Wellington in this Avay, as I say ; but there is no suitable employment for them. I believe they are honest, industrious, well-behaved boys, and it is a great pity that no employment can be found for them. There is no work in the department to give them. Two are employed in the Government Printing Office, and another is employed in some odd jobs; but, speaking broadly, these lads are going about Wellington idle, at a cost to the colony of £700 a year. The cost is not of much importance. The important point is, that these lads will suffer injury themselves from being idle, and are likely to pick up bad companions. Moreover, it is quite possible that the number of such lads may grow from five to fifty. If the personal system of management is continued it will be almost impossible to send these boys back to their parents. It would be a dangerous thing, and one which I think no Native Minister would care to do. That, I think, goes, as far as any instance I have given, to show the great and growing danger to the country of the personal mode of government in these Native matters. Sir, I have been trying to give the House a general idea of how the work of this department gets on under the personal system of government. Ido not know whether I have succeeded so far; but I shall noAV quote a few figures for the purpose of making my Statement as useful as possible for reference. I stated at the commencement that I would not indulge in figures, but lam afraid some feAV are necessary. I have a return here of the actual expenditure of the Native Department for the year 1878-79, and also beloAV it a return of the expenditure for the succeeding three months. I will take the year first: Eor the Civil List £7,000 was appropriated, and £7,000 expended. That is done under an Act. It was insisted upon in the colony years ago that a certain amount of expenditure on Native matters should take place, and that amount Avas fixed at £7,000. That accounts for the amount appropriated and the amount expended being the same. Eor salaries and contingencies the amount appropriated-aa_is £17,112, and the amount expended £21,676. As a matter of justice to the department, it is right to say that this discrepancy has not arisen from extraA .igance in the department. It has arisen from an item called " Contingencies," to which, presently, I shall have to make further allusion. Eor "Native Schools" the amount appropriated was £14,540, and the amount expended £13,707. I shall have to refer to that item also presently. It is some satisfaction to say that it is passing aAvay from the control of the department altogether, and therefore I need not say much upon the subject. For "Land Erauds Prevention" the amount appropriated Avas £437 10s., and the amount expended Avas £417 13s. lOd. That expenditure is also under Act. Eor the percentage on "Land Sales in the Wairarapa" at 5 per cent., £150 AA ras voted, and £131 19s. 7d. expended. Eor the Native Land Court the amount appropriated Avas £8,071, and the amount expended £9,561, shoAAdng an excess of £1,493. The total amount appropriated for these services Avas £47,311, and the total expenditure £52,498. With respect to the item, "Roads in Native Districts," the amount appropriated was £20,000, and the amount expended £16,146. Then there is another item, which is under a different section of the department —the Land Purchase Department—" Roads to open up Lands purchased by the Government from the Natives," for which £15,000 Avas voted, and £500 expended. But during the succeeding quarter these figures assumed a different aspect, and both these items for roads in Native districts have, during the three months, been about exhausted. In saying they are nearly exhausted, I must explain that I haAre included certain liabilities, amounting to a considerable sum, and I admit that it is an open question, whether they should be included or not. I said I should make further allusion to "Contingencies," because it is owing to that item that the excess in expenditure has taken place. I suppose honorable members will scarcely be surprised to hear that the sum voted for contingencies has been exceeded. The amount voted for the year 1878-79 for " Contingencies " Avas £2,100, and, taking the proportion —£500—for the next quarter, the total amount for the fifteen months Avould be £2,600. The expenditure has been £18,599. I ought to observe that there are in this certain-liabilities which have

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not been paid, but which I am certain should be included in the same period, because they consist of vouchers held back for some reason or another, but which, under ordinary circumstances, should have been paid during the period. Therefore I think those liabilities are fairly included, and they show an excess of expenditure over appropriation under this head for the fifteen months of £16,000. I should, hoAvever, observe that there is an item of £800 included which it may be fair to deduct from this amount, because it is for railway fares, and it may be argued that it ought not to appear. But, even supposing that were taken off, the excess of expenditure under this head would be £15,200. x_nd I may go on to say that these are really not all the contingencies, for there are many other items which, under ordinary circumstances, would have been placed under that heading, and Avhich I presume Avould have been placed under it, if the sum had not been so large. In the Statement, so far, I have purposely avoided all mention of the Land Purchase Department. That branch of the department has assumed such magnitude that I think it deserves to be kept apart, and receive separate treatment in my Statement. Honorable members aaull remember that I placed upon the table a few days ago a return showing these purchases in very considerable detail. I haA'e also had a sketch map prepared Avhich slioavs roughly the position of the various purchases on the "West Coast since 1870, and that I Avill also lay on the table. I must caution honorable members that it is not strictly accurate, because a great many of these so-called purchases ha\"e not been surveyed; but it will give a general idea of where the blocks lie. Honorable members will remember that this system of purchasing land from the Maoris was initiated afresh, if I may say so, in 1870 by resolution of this House. It assumed considerable dimensions under the Government Avhich preceded the late GoA rernment, and betAveen two and three years ago it had got into a position and assumed a form Avhich became very distasteful to members of this House and to the public. It was generally felt that, in the form in which it then existed, it ought to be stopped. The form that then existed, I may say, was, for the most part, purchase by commission. That system is supposed to be abandoned. Although it is not quite abandoned, it is so to a large extent. It was understood, I think, in 1877, Avhen the late Government came into poAver, that the system of purchasing land from the Maoris was really stopped —-that it should not go on to a considerable extent. That may be fairly gathered from the amendment which was proposed by my honorable friend and colleague for Wanganui (Mr. Ballance) to the Native Land Bill of the then Government, and which found support from a large majority of the members of this House. I think that indicated that the purchase of land from the Maoris Avas substantially to cease. However, it has been renovated in a form, and lately it has been going on to a considerable extent. It has been said, and I believe it has been generally felt, that these landpurchase transactions are not a success, commercially speaking; but it has been argued that, although not a success commercially, still they are a success for the settlement of the country. Now, I argue in this Avay : that, if they are a success commercially, that fact will indicate that they Avill be a success for the settlement of the country. I go further, and say that, if they are not a success commercially, they will not be a success for the settlement of the country. I will explain what I mean, and it can all be summarized in two words. If the land bought is good, it will cause the settlement of the country; if the land bought is bad, it will not promote the settlement of the country. At considerable trouble, and Avith assistance for which I cannot be too thankful, I haA re had prepared a return of the land purchases in the North Island since 1870. Whether this return proves interesting to the House or not, it Avill be found highly instructive. I refer to it particularly to illustrate the point I have summarized—namely, that if the land bought is good it will promote the settlement of the country, and will be a commercial success ; but if it is not good it Avill not promote settlement, and Avill not be a commercial success. I think that is a position Avhich all the records we have, or are likely to have, will prove. This statement that I am about to refer to deals with land Avhich has not only been bought from the Maoris, but has actually been handed over to the Waste Lands Boards of the various provincial districts for sale. In the Auckland Provincial District, in 1874,

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122,000 acres were handed over for sale, but none was sold. In 1875 none was handed over, and none sold. In 187G, 427,307 acres were handed over, and 302 acres were sold. In 1878 and 1879, 601,239 acres were handed over, and 389 acres were sold. The total area handed over in the Auckland Provincial District from 1870 to 1879 was 1,153,618 acres, and the quantity sold during the same period Avas 691 acres. That shows that these transactions have not been successful commercially, and they have not settled the country; and, I say, the two things go together. The District of Taranaki furnishes a comparatively satisfactory return. In 1871, 17,770 acres were handed over to the Waste Lands Board, and none AA rere sold. In 1875, 38,499 acres were handed over, and 9,583 acres Avere sold. In 1876 no land Avas handed over to the Waste Lands Board, but 6,911 acres were sold. In 1877, 91,950 acres were handed oarer, and 8,159 acres were sold. In 1878 no land Avas handed over, but 22,121 acres Avere sold. In 1879, also, none was handed over, but 5,557 acres were sold. The total handed over in the Provincial District of Taranaki Avas 182,219 acres; the quantity sold, 52,331 acres. This land was good, and therefore the transactions would probably be a commercial success, and there Avas a probability, also, of a settlement of the country. In Hawke's Bay there Avere no transactions from 1870 to 1874. During the years 1875-79 the quantity of land handed over to the Waste Lands Board consisted of 133,258 acres. The quantity sold in 1875 was 2,554 acres, Avhich was tolerably satisfactory. In 1876, 8,133 acres were sold; in 1877, 9,222 acres; in 1878, 4,437 acres ; in 1879, 2,328 acres; making a total quantity sold of 26,654 acres. This was a tolerably satisfactory result, and Avas owing to the fact that the land was good. In Wellington there Avere handed over to the Waste Lands Board, in 1874, 180,834 acres, and there Avere actually sold 42,423 acres. That Avas before the increase in the price of the land. The subsequent figures relate to sales after the increase in price. In 1875 no land was handed over to the Board, and none Avas sold. In 1876 there were handed over to the Board 100 acres, and sold nil. In 1877, 160,582 acres were handed over; sold, nil. In 1878, 41,831 acres were handed over, sold, nil. In 1879 none was handed over and none sold. The total quantity handed over in the Wellington Provincial District was 383,247 acres, and the area sold was 42,423 acres. In this district the land purchased is of a comparatively inferior description; and I say that proves two things : that, Avhere the land is bad, commercial success is not secured, and settlement is not secured. It proves also, or indicates, that where the land is good commercial success will propably be secured, and settlement also. They go hand-in-hand. I think that Avhen the late Government came into office a good many members of this House expected some moderation in the purchase of land from the Natives. But Ido not think moderation has been practised. I will state to the House, for the purpose of giving it the figures, that the total appropriation for the purchase of Native lands from 1870 to 1879 was £732,000. The total expenditure for the same period Avas ,£705,493. That would leave a balance, but I may explain that that balance has disappeared during the period Avhich has elapsed since the end of the financial year; so that the amount expended is about the same as that appropriated. The amount expended on Native land purchases last year was £124,000. That includes, of course, the sum actually paid for the land, the incidental expenses, and so on; and it includes, also, the sum of £15,000 for opening up roads in the purchased blocks, to Avhich I have already alluded. The estimated expenditure for the current year is a still larger sum than was spent last year. It amounts to £201,100. This, however, ought to suffer reduction by the amount proposed to be expended in opening up purchased blocks, Avhich is estimated this year at £25,000. That would leave £176,000 to be expended during the current year upon the purchase of Native lands. Whatever Government is in poAver, that sum Avill have to be provided, because the liabilities are incurred. By the end of December no less a sum than £84,000 will be required to make payments for land purchased from the Maoris. I will conclude this statement by stating the estimated amount required to complete purchases made ; and by that I mean land on which payments have been made. The estimated amount is £I,] 21,000. And I have only to add 2—G. 1.

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that these transactions are still going on. Considering the magnitude of these transactions, honorable members will not be surprised to hear—in fact, it would take a great deal to surprise honorable members now —that the salaries for the officers of this Land Purchase Department amount to £10,265 16s. Of course, there is another very important item, which I have not time to explain to-night very fully—namely, " Incidental Expenses." But the sum I have named is the sum actually paid for the salaries of the officers of the department. With respect to those salaries, I want to point out —and I do so to strengthen the argument I commenced with, namely, that the control of those moneys is passing away from this House—that, up to the year 1877, the whole of the salaries of those people were voted by the House in detail; the officers' salaries were given in the estimates, and voted in detail. That has now been altered, and in a way which I do not think is an improvement. A lump sum is now voted, and is distributed, practically, by the Native Minister. Those transactions have attained to such magnitude that I think it is a matter for the serious consideration of this House. It is a question for serious consideration whether the transactions are profitable ones or not; and I use the word "profitable" in the widest sense, as expressing not only the commercial idea, but also the settlement idea. One of the principal West Coast purchasers, in his last report sent to the Department, states that he finds that land which he could have purchased two or three years ago for 2s. 6d. or 3s. an acre now costs from 7s. 6d. to 10s. an acre. Now, if the land is worth it, Ido not grudge these payments to the Natives, but that is the question. In my opinion, a great deal of the land purchased on the West Coast is not worth the sum paid, or anything like it. I speak with some little knowledge of this particular matter, and in my opinion a great deal of the land purchased upon the West Coast will not promote settlement for years to come. Shall Ibe saying too much if I say it will not promote settlement to any extent for generations to come ? It is not a rocky country for the most part, but when you get back some distance from the coast you come upon some of the most rugged country I have ever seen. Some of these blocks are inaccessible to a high degree. If you tap one portion of a block, the remaining portion would remain inaccessible until a very great expenditure of money had been incurred upon it. A great deal of this land is rugged bush land of a character that, in my opinion, will not encourage settlement, and will not, in fact, be settled upon for many years to come. I say that, whether it is regarded as a matter of commercial profit or in the view of promoting settlement, the aspect of many of these blocks is unsatisfactory in a high degree. When the large amount of money that has been devoted to the purpose of acquiring them is considered, I think it will be admitted on all sides that it is really a matter to which each member of this House should give his careful attention; because I presume interest on this money will have to be paid for years to come, and, if no good result arises from acquiring the land, then I say it is an unfortunate thing that we have acquired it. Now, it may be argued, and I dare say it will be argued, that there is competition upon that coast, and that, from the fact that there is private competition, the colony is not giving more than the fair value for the land. I think lam stating the argument against myself as fairly as I can. However, I dissent from that view. 1 say this: that, in my opinion, with respect to a great deal of the land —two-thirds of the land acquired upon the West Coast—there has heen no competition, in the true sense. What I mean is this : that private individuals going to buy that land have not bought it for ordinary purposes, nor for purposes of private speculation and profit. I believe they would not have looked at the land with this object. They have treated for it with a certain object. They enter into negotiations with the Maoris, or get a claim upon the land, for the purpose of parting with it at a higher price to the Government: the object is to get a hold upon the land, and then to offer to hand over their interest to the Government for a consideration. That is the sort of thing that is done. That is not competition in* the ordinary sense of the word. There has, in my belief, been no real competition for a great portion of that land which has been purchased on the west coast of this Island. I will give a case in point: There is a block of land estimated at 100,000 acres not very far from Wanganui. lam well acquainted

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Avith the nature of that block. Well, Europeans there got a certain hold upon the land, or acquired what they believed to be some right over it, and they offered to hand over their ri^ht to the Government for a consideration. They had agreed to pay the Maoris Bs. an acre for the land, and they offered to hand it over to the Government for a consideration—not a very large consideration—and the Government took it. That " consideration " had to be added to the Bs. an acre. I know that block ef land Avell: lam talking now about what Ido knoAV. Ido not often say as bold a thing in praise of myself, but I consider that I am as good a judge of land required for settlement as any man in this House —quite as good: Ido not see Avhy I should not be. Well, I know that block of land, and Avill tell the House Avhat it is. It consists of sharp ridges, and gullies of enormous depth— the deepest gullies I ever saw in my life. It is bush country, and the sides of the hills are Avonderf ully steep, so steep that over a great portion of the block, I say, without hesitation, that, if the bush were to be cut doA.m and burnt off and grass sown, the side of the hill would slip away; it would be continually slipping away. No doubt, as is the case in all large tracts of land, there are little spots of some value; but I do not believe that block is worth, on an average, Is. 6d. an acre. That is my opinion, from an intimate knowledge of the land. Well, I will take another case. There are a number of these cases: I do not know that I am taking any of them unfairly. Ido not believe that lam taking any case unfairly, A gentleman acquired a right over a block of land, consisting of 16,000 acres, some distance up the Wanganui Biver. I have not been at the place, so that I do not speak of it from personal knowledge; I speak from a general knowledge of the nature of the country, and I know what the land is like. That land was purchased at 7s. an acre. There is no doubt the land is very inaccessible : it is very broken, and is bush land. The person who purchased it stated that he had paid £3,000 to the Maoris. There were no vouchers showing the payments made. It was stated that he had agreed to pay 7s. an acre, and that he had actually paid £3,000 as advances and incidental expenses. He offered it to the Government to take it over. The Government considered the offer, and gave him £250 in advance. They have taken that block over, and, like many others, it is one of a number of unfortunate transactions. Mr. Macandrew.—What is the date of that transaction ? Mr. Bryce.—lt was only three or four weeks ago. I understand why the honorable gentleman puts the question. If I could give him the exact date, I can assure him it would not benefit him much. I was going to say that the acquisition of these blocks of land Avould not be profitable, and would not promote settlement. I was also going to point out that really a great many of these things must depend, under our present system, upon the will of the Minister. I really ask honorable members whether they are satisfied that a system of that sort should continue. I myself should be A rery sorry to be trusted with the administration under such a system. 1 believe that I should be likely to go wrong and do things that would possibly not be right. At any rate, whether the system commends itself to the minds of honorable members of this House or not, it does not commend itself to my mind. It Avould not, I think, commend itself, as a private piece of business, to the mind of any business man. If it did, I think he Avould soon find himself in a very difficult position. I say, although the resources of this colony are great, although Aye have a power of wealth within ourselves that it is very hard to injure or destroy, a process like this, if carried on to any great extent, Avill be, at any rate, a very great strain upon the prosperity of the colony. Well, Sir, I will pass now from that part of my subject. I had more to say upon it; but the truth is my voice is failing me, and for that reason I shall allude to another point as briefly as possible. Ido not know whether lam able to make myself heard by honorable members. What I wish to allude to uoav is the political aspect of the question. I do not mean the party aspect of the question at all—in fact, I mean quite the reverse of that. When the late Government came into office, I think Native affairs Avere in a pretty hopeful state. I think, in order to satisfy ourselves of that, we need do nothing more than look back at the speeches made by the honorable member for Christchurch City (Sir G. Grey) and the honorable member for the Thames (Mr. Sheehan). Since that time, as I have already

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pointed out, the personal influence of the two greatest Maori experts I believe in the colony has been exerted to the utmost; and I should like honorable members to ask themselves whether or not the result has been satisfactory. Are Native affairs in a hopeful state now ? At that time, in my opinion, the Maoris were sick of a state of isolation. lam speaking of a part of the country pretty well understood. The Maoris in that part of the country were becoming sick of the state of isolation in which they had been for some time, and I believe it only required a little patience, a little firmness, and a little justice to secure the best results to both races. But when Aye went among the Maoris and shoAved so much anxiety to do something, and so much anxiety to induce them to do something, I think that we took a Avrong course. I think, when Aye petted them and fondled them, and made too much of them, wc engendered in their minds that suspicion which begat contempt. I think the Maoris were led to suppose that the will of the Native Minister was all-in-all; and justice on all occasions—at all events, on many occasions—Avas made to give place to expediency. I think, if Aye had shoAvn more firmness and justice, and less of what has been mistakenly called kindness, the result Avould have been better for the country —better for the country, I say, in the broadest sense—better for the Europeans and better for the Maori people. Sir, it will be expected, perhaps, that I should say something as to our relations with the Maoris in that part of the country, and that I should speak upon a subject which has been spoken of very frequently in this House— the negotiations with Bewi. Noav, Ido not think it desirable that I should do so —I am not able to say, with the honorable member for Parnell, that, if it had not been for that great meeting, we should have had a war raging in that country. Mr. Moss. —I did not say so ; I said that if it had not been for that meeting Aye should ha. re had to keep a large force in the Waikato. Mr. Bryce.—l am bound to accept the honorable gentleman's denial. I have not the right to refer to a previous debate, and he puts me out of Court on both points. I see no reason to suppose that that Native meeting obviated the necessity of keeping a very large force in the Waikato. I see no reason wkateA^er to suppose anything of that sort. However, Ido not wish to discuss that meeting, and Ido not AA rish to discuss the negotiations "with Bewi, because, as Aye all know, there is a strong possibility —at any rate, so say the Opposition—of the late Native Minister coming back to these benches in the course of a few hours or a feAv days; and if I can do no good I shall take care to do no harm in that matter; and therefore I Avill not go into that question, and say things from this bench Avhich might possibly do harm. With respect to affairs on the West Coast, of which I have perhaps a more intimate knowledge, I am afraid I must say A"cry much the same thing—-that I think it would be imprudent for me to discuss at any great length from this bench the course of treatment which I think ought to be adopted on that coast. I may say this : that Ido not feel inclined to blame the late Government very severely, or as severely as they have been blamed by some persons in this matter. I believe indeed that the time Avas Avhen the difficulties could have been met and cured; but I admit that there was much doubt surrounding the subject, and it has always been my habit in life to give gentlemen, when I differed from them, the benefit of any doubt which existed in my mind. I can add little to what Avas said the other day by the Premier. Por our own sake we ought to cause an inquiry to be made into whatever grievances the Maoris have on that coast. I myself—and I think the late Native Minister agrees with me in this— am of opinion that there are probably no grievances to speak of on what is knoAvn as the Waimate Plains proper. But there are, no doubt, grievances—l think they haA re been magnified somewhat —of one kind or another along that coast; and I think that, for our OAvn sake, for the sake of our oavu reputation abroad and in the colony, we ought to have those grievances inquired into. But, having said that, I wish to say clearly that I have no hope that that inquiry will touch the trouble which exists at present on that coast. That trouble, in my opinion, lies far deeper than that. The question of reserves has been strongly spoken of in this House, and it was thought that a proper adjustment of reserves would settle the difficulty. Ido not think so. I believe the trouble lies deeper. The trouble lies greatly in this: that almost the whole of the Maoris along that coast are

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deeply infatuated with the belief that Te Whiti holds supernatural powers, and that he will recover not only the reserves, but also the Plains, and everything else. But, Sir, I Avould say that it is a melancholy thing at this time of day that for months past the peace of the colony, or, at any rate, of that part of the colony, has had to depend upon the discretion of a man who is so far gone in insanity that he has a belief that he can raise men from the dead. I say it is a melancholy reflection, not only in view of the large expenditure which is going on, and which is costing the colony money that it can ill spare, but it is a melancholy reflection in view of the loss to the settlers on that coast. Honorable members have very little idea of the state of anxiety in which those settlers live. Many of them are my intimate friends—gentlemen Avith whom I have been associated in a way that we are not likely to forget; and Avhen I see them being actually ruined before my eyes by this state of things my feelings are really more than I can express. Great as is the loss to the colony—and much as I regret that loss—entailed by the maintenance of an armed force there, I deplore the loss that is falling upon the settlers far more; and Ido say that the settlers have a claim upon the consideration and sympathy of this House on account of the noble manner in which they both acted and forebore from acting on the late occasion. I Avill pass now for a moment to another trouble —the outrage aalucli took place at Ohinemuri. lam glad to be able to take a more cheerful vieAv of that matter. I believe that the magnitude of that outrage has been exaggerated in a Avonderful degree ; nor do I apprehend that any very serious difficulty is likely to arise from it. It is, of course, highly unsatisfactory that such an outrage should be committed in our midst, and that we should not be able to apprehend the people who perpetrated it without so much trouble. At the same time I think that the hapu to whicli these people belong is a very small one. It is isolated, and I believe I am speaking from good information Avhen I say that they have not got the sympathy of any other section of Maoris, with the exception of perhaps a dozen or two individuals. Then there is another outrage, which took place at the Bay of Islands lately, which is calculated, I think, to leave a very uncomfortable impression upon members' minds, no matter from Avhat aspect they view it. It is true that it is simply a conflict between Maoris —I do not know that white people are in any way implicated ; but the melancholy part of the affair to me is this: that in the Maori eyes our law and government should have fallen into so loav a state that they should suddenly resort to arms about a question Avhich could have been easily settled in a Court of Law. Considering the peaceful and law-abiding manner in Avhich those tribes had previously been living for so many years, I say it is a melancholy thing that this outrage has taken place; and I think this House would do well to seriously inquire Avhether the personal mode of government on which I have been harping throughout my speech has not something to do with the change for the worse which has taken place in the Maori mind. I have now said all that I need say, perhaps, in revieAving the circumstances of the colony as connected with this department; and I might, I suppose, very well stop here. But I should like, before I sit down, to indicate in a few words how I think these things might be cured. To effect a cure, I would deliberately set to Avork to destroy the principal part of the department as a department. I would destroy that part of the department which I have so often called the personal government; and, to do that, I would divest the department of its functions. I alluded just now to the Native schools, and I said I Avould refer to the subject again. What I Avant to say about the Native schools is, that in many cases these schools were, a short time ago, in a highly unsatisfactory state. But that, I believe, Avas brought to the attention of the late Native Minister, and he consented —at least, so I am given to understand—that Native schools, Avhich cost about £14,000 per annum, should be transferred to the Education Department. That, in my opinion, is a very great change for the better. It is so obvious an improvement, indeed, that the only wonder is that it was not done long ago. Then I Avould take, for instance, the roads in Native districts, and place them: — they are noAV nominally under the Public Works Department—absolutely under that department; and the expenditure should depend, not upon the advice of any

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one Minister—not upoft the personal ad\_ce of a Minister —but on responsible reports from officers, just the same as other works in the department are managed. I Avould also take the next vote —the vote for opening roads in purchased land— and deal with it in precisely the same manner. The Native Minister should not have the power of distributing these moneys. Then I Avould send the pensioners, under the Civil List or otherwise, to the Colonial Secretary's Department. I would send the assessors to the Department of Justice. When these things are done contingencies might be put doAvn at a very loav sum, and need not be exceeded. I admit that that Avould to a large extent destroy the prestige—the personal prestige, I would say —of the Native Minister among the Maoris ; but I am of opinion that the sooner it is destroyed the better. If these things that I have indicated were done, the department—or that portion of it, at any rate, Avhich I consider so objectionable—avoulc! in effect disappear, and in respect to the Native Minister himself he might say, " Othello's occupation's gone." That, in the very briefest terms, indicates the course I Avould adoj)t for the improvement of the department; and honorable members will observe that it would be an improvement of a peculiar kind —it would improve it out of existence. Now, with respect to the alienation of Native lands : that is a very important question, and lam sorry that my voice is failing me so much. "With respect to the alienation of Native lands, I have for a long time, as the late Native Minister very well knows, held pretty positive opinions on that question. I may say that it is a question of very great difficulty, and, notAvithstanding that I hold these opinions in a sort of positive way, I have never felt quite sure that, if carried into effect, they would produce good results unmixed with evil. There is no system which could be devised for dealing aa _th these Maori lands that Avould not be open to very considerable objection. ~We ought to take,"T imagine, that system which would be open to the least objection. Now, I may say, by way of precaution, that this subject has not been considered in the Cabinet of which I have the honor to be a member, and therefore what I am going to say just now will not be to any full extent an expression of the opinion of the Cabinet. I may say that I believe all the members of the Cabinet agree with me in these vieAvs; but, as the matter has not been formally considered, I should not like to commit my colleagues to them because I express them. What I think is this : that the greatest facilities that could be granted should be given to the Maoris for surveying the boundaries of their land, for the purpose of ascertaining the title. That having been done, and the title ascertained—the machinery for which, I may say, requires improvement; but I need not go into that —I think that the Maoris ought to have some mode provided for them of placing their land before the public for sale, by auction or otherwise; and I should think that the best way of enabling them to do that would be to create a Board for the purpose. I do not know whether the present Waste Lands Board could not be to some extent utilized, but the great idea Avould be to create a Board which would he popular with the Maoris, and which Avould secure their confidence. That could be done, I believe, by introducing a considerable Maori element into the Board. And I Avould allow the Maoris, if they Avished to sell the land, to place it for sale in the hands of the Board. I may say I would stop the sale to private individuals; but I Avould alloAV them to put the lands into the hands of the Board for sale. Then it should be the duty of that Board to sell the land under the waste land laws of the country, and they might be altered to suit special circumstances. Then the Board Avould deduct all costs of survey and the subdivision of the land. It Avould deduct also a percentage for the purpose of opening roads through the land ; because I would point out that that is required for the purpose of promoting the sale of the land itself. It would enhance the value of the land, and the Native owners would certainly be no losers by it. Having made these deductions, I Avould then hand over the Avhole of the balance to the Native owners. I Avould also provide the means for investment, if they wished to invest it. I Avould not go in for deriving a profit from it, but would. alloAV the Maori OAvners to reap all the advantage from the sale of the land. I think the Maoris Avould soon become aware of the advantages of such a system, and would recognize that this Board were merely their agents in the matter, and

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would get the hest price for the lands that could be got for them. I think it quite possible, if this system were initiated, that it would have the effect, in the first place, of causing a considerable stoppage in the sale of land by Maoris : but I do not think that Avould do much harm. I think upon the .\'hole it would produce a good effect, and I believe that the system Avould become very popular amongst the Maori people. I may say that I have already laid this plan before Maoris, and they appear to take to it. Well, Sir, I do not knoAV Avhether the House is satisfied or not Avith the mode in which Native affairs have beeu conducted in the past. I have indicated pretty plainly that I do not approve it; and that has been my opinion as long as I can remember. Por many years past I have objected to the personal mode of conducting the Native Department. I have suggested a remedy in a very rough way. I have thought a great deal about it, and it will be for the House to consider the plan which I have laid before you this evening. If the House approves of the present mode of conducting Native matters, there is an end of that; but, if they think that mode is wrong, and that I have provided a remedy, they will adopt it. I hope, hoAvever, that, if honorable members do not think the remedy I have suggested a proper one, they will propose a remedy of their own. I have to thank honourable members most sincerely for the attention with which they have listened to me through the most unpleasant speech I ever made in my life. At the commencement of my Statement I promised that I should conclude by moving the adjournment of the House; and I now beg to make a motion to that effect.

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TABLES REFERRED TO IN THE PRECEDING SPEECH.

RETURN of Actual EXPENDITURE, NATIVE DEPARTMENT, for the Financial Year, 1878-79.

(') An unexpended balance on 30th June, 1878, of £2,484 9s. 9d. has also been expended. (-) This is the gross amount of expenditure; a sum of £106 13s. Bd. has been credited to the vote for recoveries. ( 3) This is the gross amount of expenditure; a sum of £7 12s. 6d. has been credited to the vote for recoveries. ( 4) This is the gross amount of expenditure ; a sum of £18 2s. 6d. has been credited to the vote for recoveries.

RETURN of APPROXIMATE EXPENDITURE of Native Department from 1st July to 13th October, 1879, including Liabilities.

* This amount includes one quarter's salary of -Natives, 1878-79*

KETirBU of Pay of Assessors, Police, and Pensioners of the Kative Department, 1879. 81 Assessors, average salary per annum, say ... £43 ... Total pay ... £3,549 157 Pensioners, average pension „ „ ... £36 ... Total pay ... 5,662 81 Police, average pay, per annum, say ... £16 ... Total pay ... 1,313 £10,524 3—G. 1,

Service. Appropriated. Expended. Civil List 7,000 £ s. d. 7,000 0 0 0 0 £ s. d. (!) 7,000 0 0 ■v .• f Salaries Native ] r, ,. ( Contingencies Native Schools... " Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act, 1870 " AVairarapa 5 per cents. Native Land Court - 15,012 2,100 14,540 437 150 8,071 15,012 5 0 2,100 0 0 14,540 0 0 437 10 0 150 0 0 8,071 5 10 5 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 5 10 n in ( 3) 13,927 15 4 ( 8) 7,748 13 0 (*) 13,707 17 6 417 13 10 131 19 7 9,564 2 1 Eoads, Native Districts Eoads to open up Lands purchased by Government 4<y,3ii 20,000 15,000 47,311 0 10 u w 0 0 0 0 52,498 1 4 20,000 15,000 0 0 0 0 *16,146 10 f500 0 0 0 £82,311 0 10 £69,144 11 4 * Liabilities—Eoads, Native Districts t „ „ to open up Lands 5,973 13 11,575 13 1 6 £86,693 17 11

Particulars. Amount. Salaries* Contingencies ... £ s. d. 5,132 10 4 10,858 6 0 £ s. d. Native Land Court " Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act, 1870 " Wairarapa 5 per cents, Civil List 15,990 .16 4 2,009 0 10 166 16 7 1,190 5 0 £19,356 18 9

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Approximate Annual Cost of Native Youths employed in Native Office, Wellington. £ s. d. 2 Native Youths at 6s. per day ... ... ... 219 0 0 1 ~ „ at ... ... ... ... 50 0 0 1 „ „ at ... ... ... ... 30 0 0 I „ ~ pay not fixed, say ... ... ... 30 0 0 Board at Hostelry, of 2 Maori youths employed in Native Office, 3 in Government Printing Office, 1 unemployed—6 at 3s. per day ... 328 10 0 657 10 0 Incidental expenses of lads'passages to Wellington, &c, say ... 42 10 0 £700 0 0 Permanent Changes, Civil List.—Native Purposes. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland ... ... 52 0 0 Wairoa ... ... 50 0 0 Mangonui ... ... 75 0 0 Taupo ... ... 300 0 0 Bay of Islands ... ... -169 0 0 New Plymouth ... ... 356 0 9 Hokianga ... ... 13S 0 0 Wairarapa ... ... 390 0 0 Kaipara ... ... 452 0 0 Otaki, Eangitikei, and Marton 190 0 0 Hauraki ... ... 150 0 0 Wanganui ... ... 506 0 O Waiuku ... ... 100 0 0 Napier ... ... 250 0 0 Waikato ... ... 607 0 0 Marlborough ... ... 50 0 0 Eaglan ... ... 175 0 0 Nelson ... ... 20 0 0 Tauranga ... ... 353 0 0 Christchurch ... ... 37 0 0 Maketu ... ... 465 0 0 Southland ... ... 225 0 0 Opotiki ... ... 273 0 0 Gisborne and East Coast ... 204 0 0 £5,887 0 0

STATEMENT showing Amount Granted, Paid, and Payable to Local Bodies in the Coromandel and Thames Districts out of the Votes of the year 1878-79, for "Roads in Native Districts," and "Opening up Roads and constructing Bridges through Lands recently Purchased," and under "The Appropriation Act, 1879."

* Promises have also been made amounting to £2,600, making a total paid and payable to the Thames District of £12,757,

Name of Local Body. Particulars. No. of Agreement. Amount Granted. Paid. Payable. Coromandel District. Roads in Native Districts Vote —■ Eoads £ £ £ Mercury Bay Biding Coromandel County Eoad, Thames to Hastings Opening up Roads and Constructing Bridges Vote — Port Charles Eoad 500 200 114 | 750 250 200 750 )> ?. Coromandel County I 200 145 | 200 Thames County ii a a j. Thames District. Roads in Native Districts Vote — Eoads Thames to Hastings Eoad Eoads Tapu Eoad Opening up Roads and Constructing Bridges Vote — Eoads Eoads 4,450 500 164 : 200 357 1,400 4,450 500 357 200 j. jj Thames County Thames Borough AVhangapoua Highway Board 154 I 4,000 158 i 500 4,000 500 Eoads 150 150 9,807*

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EXPENDITURE out of "Roads in Native Districts" Vote (Consolidated Fund), from 1st July, 1878, to 15th October, 1879.

STATEMENT showing APPROPRIATIONS and EXPENDITURE for PURCHASE of NATIVE LANDS, from 1870 to 30 June, 1879.

Amounts. Ixpenditure during Financial Year, 187S-79 ... Ixpenditure from 1st July to 15th October, 1879 Ixpenditure from 1st July to 15th October, 1879, charged to Liabilities Vote £ s. d, 16,140 10 C 798 1 C 1,331 10 7 Total £18,276 1 7

Appropriation. Expenditure. ear 1870-71 1871-72 1872-73 1873-74 1874.-75 1875-76 1876-77 1877-78 1878-79 £ s. ... "I -2 ■•• I"*1 200,000 0 •■■ f,| 500,000 0 ::: j & 103,550 0 125,817 14 91,825 19 150,918 3 d. 0 0 0 6 9 G r £ b. d. 230 0 0 49,432 5 (! G7.S0S 9 4 98,236 14 7 145,615 15 8 84,030 17 5 85,644 4 9 50,033 9 8 124,412 1 1 Total 705,493 17 705,493 17 7 7 'otal Appropriations ... ... ... ... £732,000 0 0 lotal Expenditure ... ... ... ... 705,493 17 7 £732,000 0 0 705,493 17 7 onount required for current year, as in proposed Estimates ... ... ... ... £201,100 0 0 Estimated amount required to complete all outstanding purchases—Estimated areas : — Auckland ... ... ... ... 2,115,S6G acres ... £257,550 Hawke'sBav ... ... ■•• 37,041 „ ... 5,000 Wellington*... ... .. ... 2,252,337 „ ... 739,200 Taranaki ... ... ... ... 738,030 „ ... 119,861 Total ... ... 5,143,874 acres ... £1,121,677 * In this district the average price paid for lands already acquired is 2s. 9d. per acre, aud for lands under negotiation the price is estimated at 7s. per acre.

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APPROXIMATE RETURN of AREAS of NATIVE LANDS PURCHASED since 1870, and handed over to the Administration of the Crown Lands Department.

20

Provincial District. Year. Areas handed over. Areas Sold. Value. Cash received. Remarks. Auckland 1870-1873 1874 1875 1876-77 1878-79 Acres. Nil. 122,102 Nil. 427,307 601,239 Acres. Nil. Nil. Nil. 302 3S9 £ s. * d. £ s. d. Taranaki } 566 0 0 303 0 0 Also scrip, £263 1870-1873 1874 1875 1870 1877 1878 1879 1,153,618 691 Nil. 48,770 384-9 Nil. 91,950 Nil. Nil. Nil. Nil. 9,583 6,911 8,159 22,121 5,557 15,812 10,149 11,318 42,718 9,809 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8,868 6,011 5,006 29,490 7,874 0 0"| 0 0 0 0 » 0 0 0 0_, The difference between "Value" and "Cash received" is accounted for by "Scrip," and land sold on deferred payments. Hawke's Bay 1870 to 1874 1875 1870 1877 1878 1879 Nil. 182,219 52,331 89,806 0 0 57,249 0 0 _ J f 133,258<| Nil. 2,554 8,113 9,222 4,437 2,328 7,332 10,915 9,568 4,990 2,407 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7,332 8,727 4,602 3,578 2,149 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Includes 2,490 acres on deferred payment, cash £302 „ 7,272 „ „ „ 2,291 „ 3,257 „ ,, „ 1,845 ° 975 2 017 JJ fl. ,W JJ ,1 JJ __.,VJJLI AVellington 1870 to 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 133,258 Nil. 180,834 Nil. 100 160,582 41,831 Nil. 26,654 Nil. 42,423 Nil. Nil. Nil. Nil. Nil. 35,212 0 0 20,388 0 0 Cash aud scrip, sales in 1875, 1876, and 1877. 41,116 18 0 11,110 18 0 Totals 383,247 42,423 1,852,372 122,099 166,700 18 0 125,056 18 0

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Expenditure out of "Roads iv Native Districts" A 7ote (Consolidated Fund), from Ist July, 1878, to 30th June, 1879. 3878. £ s. d. July. Wi Kaipuke, Maintenance, Kawakawa-Muriwai Eoad ... ... ... 25 0 0 H. Trimmer, Salary, Ist April to 30th June ... ... ... 500 Hamiora Kairoiroi, Salary, Ist April to 30th June ... ... ... 2 10 0 Thames County, Grant for Roads ... ... ... 4,450 0 0 Mercury Bay Eiding, second payment to Mercury Bay Boad ... ... ... 250 0 0 A. Barnes, Cartage of Pile-driver, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 0 7 6 Waikato Steam Navigation and Coal Company, Freight on Tent Poles, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad 0 14 8 Porter and Co., Tar and Nails, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 2 4 0 Aug. Auckland Timber Company, Timber, Piles, <__0., Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... 136 5 5 A. M. Moon, Travelling Allowance, Tokanui-Poutu Eoad ... ... ... 1 10 0 J. M. Eoberts, „ „ ... ... ... 5 0 0 Are Kat era, Salary, July ... ... ... 500 ~ „ August ... ... ... 5 0 0 T. Wrigley, Bill and Fern Hooks ... ... ... 4 17 5 Bokonata and Others, Labourers, Tauranga-Taupo Boad ... ... ... 20 0 0 Utiku and Others „ „ ... ... ... 49 18 0 J. .A r. Gray, Timber, Nails „ ... ... ... 0 18 9 T. Fenton, Carriage Timber „ ... ... ... 1 10 4 Ihaka, Maintenance, Eotorua-Tarawera ... ... ... 500 Te Harete, Eepairs, Tokeke Bridge, Maketu-Eotorua ... ... ... 25 0 0 Waitoa Highway Board, Grant to Board, for Thames-Waikato Eoad ... ... ... 377 14 9 J. McAllister, Hauling Timber, Whakane-Te Teko ... ... ... 15 0 0 Sept. New Zealand Eailways, Bailage Timber, Cambridge-Taupo Boad ... ... ... 310 Ernet and Others, Wages, Tauranga-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 40 10 0 Are Katera, Salary, September ... ... ... 500 J. Wilson, Planks, Carpenters, &c, Eotorua-Tarawera Eoad ... ... ... 3 10 6 AY. Mcintosh, Eefund Telegram „ ... ... ... 0 14 T. Eedmond, Wages as Chainman, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 10 16 0 Marine Ihaka, Maintenance, Eotorua-Tarawera Eoad ... ... ... 500 W. Mcintosh, Eefund, Telegram, Tauranga-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 0 13 0 Haumia and Others, Wages Telegram, „ ... ... ... 32 1 4 Pakana and Others, Wages Telegram, „ ... ... ... 38 6 8 Coromandel County, first Payment on account of Grant ... ... ... 150 0 0 Oct. Waikato Steam Navigation and Coal-Mining Company, Freight on Timber, Cambridge-Taupo ... 10 14 9 15 11 5 Auckland Timber Company, Timber, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 1 17 0 T. Eedmond, Hotel Expenses, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 0 16 6 J. M. Eoberts, Extra Pay to Armed Constabulary ... ... ... 40 2 0 W. C. Lyon, „ „ Waikato ... ... ... 15 11 3 J. M. Eoberts, „ „ Taupo ... ... ... 40 18 6 Are Katera, Salaries to 31st October ... ... ... 5 0 0 H. Trimmer, Ferryman, Eoads, TJawa ... ... ... 2 13 9 Hamiora Kairoiroi, Ferryman, Eoads, Pakarae ... ... ... 2 10 0 Nireaha Tamaki, Ferryman, Maungatinoko-Manawatu District ... ... ... 7 12 1 Huru to Hiaro, „ „ ... ... ... 7 12 1 Waitoa Highway Board, second Payment Thames-Waikato Eoad ... ... ... 122 5 3 Thames County, Expenditure on Thames-Hastings Eoad ... ... ... 250 0 0 J. McAllister, Hauling Timber, Whakatane-Te Teko Eoad ... ... ... 50 0 0 Akaripa and Others, Labourers, Tauranga-Taupo Boad ... ... ... 26 0 0 Hemara „ ~ ~ ... ... ... 34 10 0 A. Gilmore, Screw Bolts, _<_~ „ ... ... ... 0 15 0 Marine Ihaka, Maintenance, Eotorua and Tarawera Eoad ... ... ... 100 A. J. Hunter, Eefund Expenses, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 0 14 0 T. Eedmond, Chainman ... ... ... 10 16 0 Nov. Coromandel County, second Payment on account of Grant, Coromandel-Hastings ... ... 50 0 0 Bay of Islands County, Grant for Bridges and Boad Derrick, Wioinio-Kawakawa ... ... 300 0 0 Bay of Islands County, Grant for Eoad, Eussell, Hokianga, Oahewai, and Kaitoki ... ... 250 0 0 S. Crapp, Eefund, Carriage of Instruments, AVairoa-Tarawera Eoad ... ... ... 7 3 0 Minarapa and Others, Laborers, Tauranga-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 55 13 0 AY. Mcintosh, Eefund, Expenses ... ... ... 180 Are Katera, Salaries, November ... ... ... 500 Dec. Eaglan County, Contribution, Waipa-Eaglan Eoad ... ... ... 500 0 0 J. AA r. Gray, Timber for Waioeka Bridge, Tauranga-East Cape Eoad ... ... ... 235 12 0 Are Katere, Salary ... ... ... 500 Hamiora Kairoiroi, Ferryman, Pakarae-Gisborne ... ... ... 2100 Hare Niu, Pointing out Eoad at Hokianga ... ... ... 14 8 0 Katikati Highway Board, first Payment Grant for Bridges, Uretara, Tarawai, and ManiaEivers 250 0 0 Nov. D. Seannell, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, Taupo ... ... ... 42 18 0 ~ ' „ „ „ ... ... ... 25 12 0 J. M. Eoberts, „ ~ „ Opotiki ... ... ... 12 2 0 D. Seannell, „ ~ „ Taupo ... ... ... 35 11 6 Dec. W.C.Lyon, „ „ „ Waikato ... ... ... 87 3 6 B, Keane, 25 Pipes, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 3 15 0 E. Porter and Co., Powder and Fuse, Cambridge-Taupo Road ... ... ... 2 7 10 38 Gallons Tar „ ... ... ... 15 4 B. Keane, 65 Pipes, Taupo Eoad Warekahe Poutu and Others, AVork done Opening Road, Waikare and Kawakawa ... ... 100 0 0 Ihaka Marine, Maintenance, Eotorua-Tarawera Eoad ... ... ... 200 T. Eedmond, Coach Fares ... ... ... 0 16 0 „ Chainman's Pay ... ... ... 10 8 0 W. J. Palmer, Eefund Travelling Expenses, Waikato District ... ... ... 5 12 6 J. McAllister, Drawing Timber, Whakatane-Te Teko Road. Bay of Plenty ... ... 80 0 0 J. White, 8,075 feet Timber, Waioeke Bridge ... ... ... 80 15 0 Carried forward ... ... ... 8,491 10 U

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£ s. i. 1879 Brought forward ... ... ... 8,49110 11 Jan. Te Pina and Henui, Maintenance, Rotorua-Tarawcra Road, Bay of Plenty ... ... 610 0 Akoripa and Others, Labourers' Pay, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... ... 19 10 0 J. M. Roberts, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, Opotiki ... ... ... 14 2 0 D. Seannell, Extra Pay, „ Taupo ... ... ... 38149 W. J. Palmer, Survey, Hamilton and AVhatawhata Road, AVaikato District ... ... 26 10 0 J. E. Fulton, Travelling Expenses, Bay of Plenty ... ... ... 24 14 9 Are Katera, Salary as Native Assistant ... ... ... 500 W, Mcintosh, Salary for November, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 18 4 0 J. Fenton, Carriage of Tools, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 0 8 11 AY. Mcintosh, Paid Telegrams, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 093 A. B. Donald, Tent and Fly, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... 4 10 0 F. Tuxford, Tools, Bay of Plenty District ... ... ... 20 0 0 Feb. T, Redmond, Chainman, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 10 8 0 AY. J. Palmer, Survey, Whatawhata-Hamilton Road, Waikato District ... ... ... 53 6 0 2 17 0 Opaheke Highway Board, Grant, Road Maketu-Awainui, P.W. 79/523 ... ... ... 500 0 0 East Pukekohe Highway Board, Grant, Road Waikato River to Tuakau, do. ... ... 500 0 0 Paparata Highway Board, Grant, Road Bombay-Paparata, do. ... ... ... 500 0 0 Are Katera, Native Assistant. Salary, February ... ... ... 5 0 0 AVaikato Steam Navigation and Coal-Mining Company, Freight ou Powder, &c, Cambridge-Taupo 4 6 5 E. Porter and Co., Spikes, Powder, __c., Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 12 5 2 W. Mcintosh, Salary, December, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 18 4 0 J. Conner, Repairing Road, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 0150 G. Fenton, Carriage of Tools, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 1 18 0 G. Gardner, Billhooks, &c., Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 4 15 0 T. Migley, Timber at Tautau Bridge, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 127 3 0 Hemi Nerai and Others, Labourers' Pay, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 32 10 0 Harihuteha and Others, Labourers' Pay, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 41 0 0 Te Pina, Maintenance, Eotorua-Tarawera Road ... ... ... 5 o 0 Wairemu Maihi, Gratuity for Services re Ohinemutu-Cambridge Road, AVaikato District ... 10 0 0 W. M. te Rangi Kaheka, Gratuity for services re Papatu Road, AVaikato District ... ... 50 0 0 AA T. Kingi, Maintenance, Opape-Tarere Eoad ... ... ... 7 10 0 H. Eewete, Maintenance, Maraenui-Omaio Eoad ... ... ... 7 10 0 Katikati Highway Board, second Payment, Bridges, Uretara, Tarawai and Mania Eivers ... 250 0 0 _Z_ ay of Plenty Times, Advertising tenders for Bridges, Tauranga-Taupo Eoad ... ... 3 6 0 Honatau and Others, Labourers' Pay, Tauranga-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 21 10 0 Akaripa and Others, Labourers' Pay, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... ... 51 18 0 Nerai aud Others, Labourers' Pay, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... ... 33 3 1 T. Haratua, Makiug Oromahoe to Main Road ... ... ... 30 0 0 Coromandel County, Grant to County Road, Coromandel-llastings ... ... ... 247 0 0 Hirinui Tamihana, AA'ork on Mangaruru-AVhangarei Road, Bay of Islands ... ... 11 0 0 W. C. Lyon, Extra pay, Armed Constabulary, Cambridge ... ... ... 30 5 0 „ Paid Contingencies, „ ... ... ... 56 8 10 D. Seannell, Extra pay, Armed Constabulary, Taupo ... ... ... 38 5 9 J. M. Eoberts, „ „ „ ... ... ... 9 11 0 D. Seannell, „ „ „ ... ... ... 31 16 O W.C.Lyon, „ „ „ ... ... ... 59 16 7 Hokianga County, Grant for works, AVaihou and Coast Road, Bay of Islands ... ... 150 0 0 Taranaki County, „ Lrenui Eoad, Taranaki District ... ... ... 150 0 0 Hare Nui, Services as Guide, Hokianga ... ... ... 20 16 0 Mar. Are Katera, Salary, March ... ... ... 500 Bawke's Pay Berald, Advertising Otara Bridge Contract, Bay of Plenty ... ... 2 8 0 Poverty Bay Standard, ~ „ „ ... ... 5 0 0 Newcastle District Board, First payment, Grant for Works, Waipa Road ... ... 150 0 0 Arama and Ngawati, Labour, AVhanganui Road, Bay of Islands ... ... ... 50 0 0 Pita Tumua and AVi Tawaka, „ „ ... ... ... 25 0 0 T. Redmond, Chainman's Pay, Cambridge-Taupo Road ... ... ... 10 16 0 AY. J. Palmer, Refund, Travelling Expenses, AVaikato District ... ... ... 2 11 4 AA r. J. Palmer, Survey, AVhatawhata Eoad, Waikato District ... ... ... 42 8 0 D. Fallon, Piles, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... y lo 0 Hercwine and Others, Labourers, Tauranga-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 38 10 5 J. H Phillips, Services on Aotea-Kawhia Road, Waikato District ... ... ... 7 18 4 R. S. Bush, Horse-hire, „ „ „ ... ... ... 3 0 0 Karewa and Others, Native Labourers, P.W. 79/192 „ ... ... ... 153 9 0 AVTiarara and Others, „ „ „ ... ... ... 89 14 O E. S. il. Bush, Travelling Expenses, Waikato District ... ... ... 3 0 0 Hamiora Kairoiroi, Ferryman, Pakarac ... ... ... 2 10 0 G. Faulknor, 6 AVheelbarrows, Napier-Taupo ... ... ... 7 10 0 W. C. Lyon, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, Cambridge ... ... ... 46 12 6 D. Scannall, „ „ Taupo ... ... ... 30 14 6 April. Railway Stores and Workshops, Labour, Repairing Pile-driver, _c, Cambridge-Taupo Road ... 9 8 2 A. Burrows, Drawings of Bridges, &c, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 200 Karahama and Others, Pay as Labourers, „ ... ... ... 28 6 8 Harehuka and Others „ „ ... ... ... 14 19 6 "W. Mcintosh, Eefunds ... ... ... 066 T. Wrigley, Timber, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 127 3 0 T. Eedmond, Chainman's Pay, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 9 12 O D. 11. Lusk, Overseer's Pay, „ ... ... ... 24 0 0 E. S. Bush, Horse-hire, Raglan-Waipa Road, AA'aikato District ... ... ... 1 10 0 T. G. Sands, Engineer's Pay, „ „ ... ... ... 10 10 0 11. Rintoto, Contribution towards feast „ ... ... ... 25 0 0 "Waikato Steam Navigation and Coal-Mining Company, Freight on Pile, &c, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 2 4 6 E. Porter and Co., Fuze and Powder, Cambridge-Taupo Eoad ... ... ... 4 2 7 E. H. Bold, Survey of Roads, Poverty Bay District ... ... ... 3110 0 Evening Post, AVellington, Advertising Tenders, Otara Bridge, Bay of Plenty District ... 3 2 6 New Zealand Berald, Auckland, „ „ „ ... 2 5 0 Evening Star, „ „ „ „ ... 3 15 0 Carried forward ... ~. ~, 12,744 15 11

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£ s. d. 1879. Brought forward ... ... ... 12,744 15 11 April. Tauranga Times, Tauranga, Advertising Tenders, Otara Bridge, Bay of Plenty District ... 3 12 0 Evening Chronicle, Wellington, „ „ „ ... 2 16 3 New Zealander, Wellington, „ ~ ... 2 5 0 Are Katera, Salary as Native Agent ... ... ... ... .... ... 500 New Zealand Railways, Railage on Scoria. ... ... ... 21 2 9 J. M. Roberts, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, Opotiki ... ... ... 18 18 0 Thames County, Grant for Road, Thames to Hastings ... ... ... 250 0 0 W. C. Lyon, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, Cambridge ... ... ... 48 16 7 D. Seannell, „ „ Taupo ... ... ... 35 18 0 Taurau, Compensation for Road, near Whangarei ... ... ... 50 0 0 W. T. Bell, Advance on Cost, Waioroi and Tautau Bridge, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... 25 0 0 R. S. Bush, Refund Horse-hire, &c., Waikato District ... ... ... 4 10 0 AVharara and Others, Native Labour, Aotea and Kawhia Road, AVaikato District ... ... 166 15 0 J. G. Sands, Engineer's Salary, &c., AVaikato District ... ... ... 27 6 0 May. Newcastle District Board, second Payment, Grant £700. AVaikato District ... ... 200 0 0 Coromandel County, second and final Payment, Grant £750, Waikato District ... ... 503 0 0 AVaikato Steam Navigation and Coal-Mining Company, Freight on Powder, Fuse, &c, Cambridge and Taupo ... ... ... 0 13 3 B. Keane, 30 Socket-pipes, Cambridge and Taupo ... ... ... 4 10 0 E. Porter and Co.. Paint and Brushes, Cambridge and Taupo ... ... ... 27 8 6 T. Redmond, Chainman's Pay, Cambridge and Taupo ... ... ... 10 8 0 A. B. Donald, Tents, Flys, &c. „ „ ... ... ... 120 0 0 Are Katere, Native Agent, Pay ... ... ... 500 J. 11. Phillips, Services in Kawhia-AVaikato District ... ... ... 12100 R. S. Phillips, Horse-hire and Pay, „ ... ... ... 3 0 0 James Salt, Iron for Tautau Bridge, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... ... 11 19 3 Karahama and Others, Labourers' Pay ... ... ... 41 0 10 Wanganui County Council, first Payment on account of Grant of £800, Wanganui District ... 600 0 0 A. B. Donald, 1 cask Tar, Cambridge and Taupo Road ... ... ... 15 4 Cowell and other Natives, Pay as Labourers, Waikato District ... ... ... 96 16 6 T. G. Sands, Inspector's Pay, Waikato District ... ... ... 21 0 0 T. G. Sands, Refund, Expenses, AVaikato District ... ... ... 3 10 0 J. H. Phillips, Services on Kawhia Road, Waikato District ... ... ... 8 14 0 C. F. Hotley, Travelling Expenses, Cambridge and Taupo Road ... ... ... 0 11 0 C. F. Hetley, „ „ „ ... ... ... 19 6 T. McAllister, Drawing Timber, Te Toko-Whakataneßoad, Bay of Plenty District... ... 5 0 0 Hamiora Rewiti, Maintenance of Road, Tauranga, E.G., Bay of Plenty District ... ... 210 0 Wiremu Kingi, „ ~ ~ ... ... 2 10 0 June. Eangiaohia District Board, Grant for Te Awamutu Bridge, AVaikato District ... ... 200 0 0 Auckland Timber Company, Timber for Cambridge-Taupo Road ... ... 20 11 11 Bay of Islands County, Grant for Russell AVharf Extension, Bay of Islands District ... 100 0 O Cowell and other Natives, Native Labourers, Waikato,District ... ... ... 230 18 3 T. AVrigley, Timber for Waioroi Bridge, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... ... 19 16 8 J. Salt, Expenditure, Bolts, &c, for Waioroi Bridge, Tauranga-Taupo Boad ... ... 3 18 10 W. J. Bell, second Payment, AVaioroi and Tautau Bridges, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... 20 0 0 Matua and others, Native Labourers, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... ... 43 1 7 Kahukiwi, Labourers, Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... ... 5 0 0 A. Gilmore, Repairing Tools, Mangarewa Road, Taurauga-Taupo Road ... ... ... 1 11 6 Newcastle Road Board, third and final Payment on account of Grant, Waipa Road ... ... 350 0 0 Hawera Road Board, first and final Payment, on account of Timaru Bridge ... ... 150 0 0 Are Katera, Native Agent, June ... ... ... 5 0 0 Waikato Steam Navigation and Coal-Mining Company, Freight on Timber, Cambridge-Taupo Road ... ... ... 5 2 0 G. Recce, Bridge Ironwork, Bay of Plenty District ... ... ... 4160 AY. J. Palmer, Surveyor, 12th to 18th April, Waikato District Bregman and Company, Advance on account of Bridges, Kawhia Road, AVaikato District ... 20 0 0 B. S. Bush, Horse-hire, &c., Waikato District . ... ... ... 5 0 0 AY. J. Bell, third Payment on account of Waioroi and Tautau Bridges, Tauranga-Taupo ... 9 13 3 Wi Parata and Others, Labourers, Ist to 31st May, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 40 13 4 James Fenton, Carriage of Tools ... ... ... 0 16 0 T. Redmond, Chainman, Cambridge-Taupo ... ... ... 10 16 0 J. AY. Ellis, Axes, Wedges, &c, Waikato District ... ... ... 76 8 10 J. M. Eoberts, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, March ... ... ... 18 1 0 D. Seannell, „ „ „ ... ... ... 32 17 0 W. C. Lyon, „ „ April ... ... ... 53 16 0 D. Seannell, „ „ „ ... ... ... 11 3 3 W.C.Lyon, „ „ „ ... ... ... 49 7 6 J. Phillips, Wages for January ... ... ... 500 J. Cowell and Another, Guides, &c, December-January ... ... ... 2 8 0 A. Tuke, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary ... ... ... 3 10 0 Hamiora Kairoiroi, Salary, June Quarter ... ... ... 2 10 0 D. Seannell, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, May ... ... ... 6 6 6 W.C.Lyon, „ „ June ... ... ... 56 15 0 AA. J. Bell, Eepairing old Waioroi Bridge, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 500 Pouriui, Eepairing Eapapuka Bridge, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 2100 C. Wilson, Planking, Tauranga-Taupo ... ... ... 29 8 0 T. Wrigley, Spikes, „ ... ... ... 2 6 8 W. G. Stack, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, Opotiki ... ... ... 4 19 0 E. Gahan, Eods, Wedges, &c. ... ... ... 12 3 Total Gross Expenditure ... ... ... 16,699 16 0 Less Amounts received and Paid to Credit of the Vote ... ... ... 553 6 0 * Total Net Expenditure ... ... ... £16,146 10 0

24

G.—l

Expenditure out of "Roads in Native Districts" A 7ote (Consolidated Fund), from Ist July to 15th October, 1879. 1879. Bat op Islands Disteict. £ s- vJuly. AVhangarei County, first Payment on account of Grant, Nguguru Eoad ... ... ... 80 3 0 Aug. 11. Tamihana, Work on Whangaroa-Whangarei Eoad ... ■•• ■■• 14 0 0 A\. Mcintosh, Salary as Overseer ... ■•• ■•• 18 4 0 Waikato District. Aug. Are Katera, Salary as Native Agent ••• ••• ••• 5 5 2 Sent ... ... ■■• 5 0 0 " " " _._. ir o Brymen and Co., erecting Bridges ... ■•• ••• _4 io v Aug. Tuhikaramea District, first Payment on account of Grant for Newcastle-Alexandra Eoad ... 100 0 0 Oct. T. G. Sands, Laying off Eoad, Alexandra-Puniu AValker and Others, Salaries, Pukekohe Eoad ... ... ■•• 19 5 4 Bay of Plenty District. July. Are Katera, Native Agent, Salary ••• ••• ••• uOO Aug. AY. J. Bell, fourth Payment, Wairoa and Tautau Bridges ... ■•■ ••■ 60 6 9 Sept. S. Crapp, Overseer, Salary ... ■•• ■•■ 43 13 4 W. Ellis aud Others, Labourers ... ••• ••• 44 18 6 A. Tyrrell, Eenewing Culvert ... ■•• ■■• 0 12 0 J. H. Lakin, Eepairing Eoad ... •■• ••• 4 15 0 W. Mcintosh, Travelling Expenses ■•• •■• ■•• 1 12 3 Paurini and Others, Labourers ■ • • • • • • ■ • JJ • ' McGovern and Others, Labourers ••• ••• ••• 2o 16 11 K. Wirihana, Maintenance, Eotorua-Tarawera Eoad ... ••• ••• 1 1" H D. Seannell, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, Taupo ... ••• ■•• 850 Kairoiroi, Salary ... ••■ ••• 2 10 0 Oct. D. Seannell, Extra Pay, Armed Constabulary, Taupo ••■ ■•• ••• 836 Wanganui District. July. AVanganui County, second and final Payment on account of Grant for Track, AVanganui-Murimoto 200 0 0 Sept. J. Walsh, Overseer and Labourer, Hawke's Bay District ... ■■• ••■ 68 3 6 £798 1 0

Expenditure out of "Roads in Native Districts" Vote (Consolidated Fund), from Ist July to 15th October, 1879, Charged to "Liabilities" Vote. 1879. £ s. d. Aug. Mr. Kepa, Eock-work, Eotorua-Tarawera Eoad, Bay of Plenty District... ... ... 14 8 0 Tamiona and Others, Labourers, Tauranga-Taupo Eoad, Bay of Plenty District ... ... 49 8 3 S. Bates, Spikes, Nails, &c. „ „ „ „ ... ... 3 16 7 Wi Parata, Maintenance, Eoad „ „ „ „ ••• ... 6 0 0 July. W. J. Palmer, Survey of Whatawhata Boad, Waikato District ... ... ... 3 3 0 W. J. Palmer, Travelling Expenses, Waikato District ... ... ... 450 Spencer and Stunner, Inspecting Eoad, Bay of Islands ... ... •■■ 680 J. H. Taylor, Prospecting Eoad, Eotorua-Cambridge, Bay of Plenty District ... ... 2 12 6 Aug. Madigan and Miller, 12 Finger Posts, Taupo Eoad „ „ ... ••• 12 0 0 E. S. Bush, Eefund, Paid Labour, Waikato District ... ... ••■ 0 15 0 T. C. White and Another, Carpenters, Bay of Plenty District ... ... ■•■ 17 0 0 T. C. White and Another „ „ „ ... ... ... 28 12 0 Gilmour and Sons, Tools, Axes, &c, Waikato District ... ... ••• 19 14 0 T. 0. White and another, Carpenters, Bay of Plenty District ... ... ... 9 0 0 W. J. Palmer and Others, Surveyor, Clerk of Works, &c, Salary, Waikato District ... ... 51 0 10 Eongomau aud Others, Labourers, Waipa-Eaglan Eoad, AVaikato ... ... ... 500 0 0 Wallis and Others (Maoris), Labourers, &c, „ „ „ ... ■•• ••■ 500 0 0 D. Seannell, Extra Pay for Armed Constabulary, Taupo ... ... ... 956 W.C.Lyon, „ ' „ „ Waikato ... ... ... 17 511 D. Seannell, „ „ „ Taupo ... ■•• ••• 456 Sept. A. Tuke, „ „ „ Taranaki ... ... ... 490 D. C. Simpson, Travelling Expenses, Bay of Plenty ... ... ■•■ 7 7 6 Wi Matu, Gratuity for Travelling Expenses, Eotorua-Cambridge Eoad ... ... ... 2 0 0 WiKatene, „ „ „ „ ... ... 10 0 July. Hawera Eoad Board, Grant for Eoad, Tawhiti, and Eepairs, Ketane Eoad ... ... 57 14 0 £1,331 10 7

25

G.— l

Boads, Native Districts. —Liabilities, 17th October, 1879. £ c. d. | £ s. d. Ilobson County, Road, Ilokianga Couutv to Napior-Taupo Road ... ... 37 11 4 the Wairoa River ... ... 500 0 0 ~ .. ... ... 50 0 0 Whangarei County, Ngaruru-Whangaroi ~ ~ ... ... 156 10 6 Road .'.. ... ... 319 17 O Whangapoua Highway Board... ... 150 0 0 Orewa Bridge ... ... ... 300 O 0 Napier-Taupo Road ... ... 1,560 0 0 Wharf at Herd's Point ... ... 1,000 0 0 Hamilton-Wliatawhata Road ... ... 500 0 0 Bridge over Pokapoka Creek ... ... -170 0 0 Cambridge, Rotorua Road ... ... 500 0 0 Tauranga-Taupo Koad ... ... 7 18 1 Railway Terminus to Punui River Road ... 300 O 0 „ „ ... ... 8 18 2 Alexandra-Punui Road ... ... 400 0 0 Utukina Bridge ... ... ... 10 12 0 Waitara to Camp at Pukearuhe ... 3,200 0 0 Rotorua-Tarawora Road ... ... 15 10 3 TJrenui Bridge ... ... ... 300 0 0 Waioeka Bridges ... ... .. I 12 5 CambrUlge-Taupo Road ... ... 11 4 5 Wairoa-Tarnwera Road ... ... 200 0 0 „ „ ... .... 6 17 0 Rotorua-Tavawera Road ... ... 5 10 1 ~ ~ ... ... 4 6 9 Otara Cart Bridge ... ... 274 16 3 „ „ ... ... 300 0 0 East Cape Hill, Hicks's Bay ... ... 100 0 0 ' Bridge over Waipa ... ... 500 0 0 Wnioeka Bridges ... ... ... 0 7 7 Hamilton-Whatawhala Road ... ... 2114 6 Wairoa to Tarawera Lake ... ... 1,500 0 0 „ „ ~ ... 16 8 Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... 181 16 5; ' Tauranga-Ohinemuta Road ... ... 300 0 0 17.646 15 5 Tauranga-Taupo Road ... ... 100 0 0 Vouchers not passed through Treasury Books 29 5 6 3,500 0 0 Te Toko-G-alalea Road ... ... 850 0 0 #£17,676 0 11 ' * N.B. —The following liabilities are not included in this amount, as the agreements required by the fifth section of 'The Appropriation Act, 1879," which places the sums at the disposal or the local body, have not yet been fully executed :— Thames County, on Roads, Hope to Karaka Creek, inspected by Mr. Sheehan ... £500 0 0 „ ' Ohinemuri Road to Komata ... ... ... ... 100 0 0 „ Te Papa Gully Road ... ... ... ... ... 200 0 0 „ Tararu and Hastings Road, £300 ; Hopo Creek, Otarui, £500; Paeroa and Te Aroha. £500 ; Hastings and Mercury Bay, £200 ; Kauaerangi Valley Road, £300 ... ... ' ... ... 1,800 0 0 Exi'KNDiTUitE. —" Opening up Roads and Constructing Bridges through Lands recently purchased." 1879. From lrf July, 1878, to 30th June, 1879. ■ £ b. d. May. Narrows Bridge Committee, first and final Payment on account of Grant for Bridge ... 100 0 0 June. Tauranga County, first Payment on account of Grant for Native Labour on Road to Hot Lakes 200 0 0 Ooromandel County, first and final Payment on account of Grant for Port Charles Road ... 200 0 0 £500 0 0 From lti July, 1879, to \&th October, 1879. £ s. d. July l'atea County, first Payment on account of Grant, Mountain Road ... ... ... 400 0 0 Thames County, first Payment on account of Grant for Roads ... ... ... 4,000 0 0 Aug. Thames Borough, Grant for Roads in Native Lands ... ... ... 500 0 0' Patea County, second Payment on account of Grant ... ... ... 600 O O Taifanga County, second Payment oh account of Grant ... ... ... 200 0 0 Pakinga and Others, Labourers on Whangnpe and Herekino Road ... ... ... 300 O O Taranaki County, first and final Payment on account of Grant for Roads ... ... 4.500 0 O Sept. W. J. Palmer and Others, Surveyor, &c, Waipa-Raglan Road ... ... ... 120 16 2 J. Mitchell, erecting Bridges, Waipa-Raglan Road ... ... ... 238 7 0 W. J. Palmer, Travelling Expenses, Waipa-Raglan Boad ... ... ... 3 12 0 Waikato Steam Navigation Company, Freight on Dynamite ... ... ... 120 H. A. Wallis, Carting Pipes, Waipa-Raglan Road ... ... ... 12 3 O Wright and Vincent, Socket -pipes, Waipa-Raglan Road ... ... ... 7 13 0 Gilmour and Sons, 1 Saw, Waipa-Raglan Road ... ... ... 12 6 W. E. Bailey, 8 Spades, Waipa-Eaglsn Road ... ... ... 110 Cambridge Highway District, Grant for Works on Victoria Road ... ... ... 150 O 0 £11,035 17 2 li Opening tti> Hoads and Cokstettcting Bridges."—Liabilities, 17th October, 1879. £ s. d. Maintenance, Waipa—Rasdan Road ... ... ... 164 17 0 Bush-falling, Mountain Road ... ... ... 267 6 0 Road, Tokano to Poutu ... ... ... 900 0 0 Road, Whangaroo Harbour to Kaeo ... ... ... 600 0 0 Repairing Road, East Cape Hill, Hieks's Bay ... ... 100 0 0 Okaikau to head of Waihou River Road ... ... ... 3,500 0 0 Road, Tauranga-Ohinemutu ... ... ... 300 0 O £3,832 3 0t Voucher not pimsed through Treasury Books ... ... 357 13 6 £4,189 16 6 t N.B.—The following liabilities are not included in this amount, as the agreements required by the fifth section of " The Appropriation Act, 1879," placing the sums below slated at the disposal of tho various local bodies, have not yet been fully executed : — 'Thames County, Ohinemuri Road ... ... ... ... ... £100 0 0 ~ Road between the Cape and Karaka Creek ... ... ... 250 0 0 4—G. 1.

G.—l

26

LIST OF OFFICERS Employed in the Native Land Purchase Department, with SALARIES and ALLOWANCES, on the 30th September, 1879.

By Authority s George Didsbury, Government Printer, AA rellington.—lB79. Price Is. 3d.]

District. Name of Officer. Oflice, &c. Amount of Salary or Allowance. Chief Oflice. Wellington North of Auckland lliamcs Taupo, Bay of Plenty, &c. Opotiki East Coast and Poverty Bay ... Richard J. Gill Patrick Sheridan ... R. A. P)ke C. E. Nelson E. W.Puekey G.T.Wilkinson ... C. J. Dearie Waata Tipa Henry Mitchell jj J. C. Young A. Warbrick B. Edwards Kepa Rangipuawhe Petera Pukeatua ... AV. J. Young T. AV. Porter Under-Secretary Accountant ... Clerk Agent Forage Allowance Agent Forage Allowance Clerk Assessor Agent Travelling Expenses Agent Interpreter ... Assistant ,, ... Agent. Forage Allowance Assistant Interpreter ... Assistant Agent Travelling Expenses Interpreter ... Clerk' ?.'. Assistant jj Agent £ s. d. 600 0 0 325 0 0 150 0 0 500 O O 54 15 ti 50 0 (I 400 0 O 54 15 O 200 0 0 30 0 0 500 0 0 100 0 O 500 0 0 350 0 0 250 O 0 300 O O 200 0 O 300 O 0 500 0 0 54 15 0 300 0 0 200 0 0 100 0 0 COO 0 O 150 0 O 350 0 0 ... I 350 O O 300 0 0 300 0 0 300 0 0 400 O 0 180 0 O 182 10 O 52 o 0 130 10 O 109 11 O 72 0 0 120 O 0 650 0 0 Wellington, Wanganui, &c. ... »" jj ... J. A. Jury A. Brooking Eopata AVahawaha... James Booth Taranaki G. Mair E. Booth H. T. H. Knight ... Major Keepa Mete Kingi W.Williams W. Carrington E. S. Thompson E. J. Blake J. T. Blake Andrew Coffee Katene Takiora Dalton James Alaekay £10,265 16 0

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/AJHR1879-II.2.1.8.1

Bibliographic details

NATIVE STATEMENT, BY THE NATIVE MINISTER, THE HONORABLE MR. BRYCE, On Friday, 17th October, 1879., Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1879 Session II, G-01

Word Count
17,275

NATIVE STATEMENT, BY THE NATIVE MINISTER, THE HONORABLE MR. BRYCE, On Friday, 17th October, 1879. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1879 Session II, G-01

NATIVE STATEMENT, BY THE NATIVE MINISTER, THE HONORABLE MR. BRYCE, On Friday, 17th October, 1879. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1879 Session II, G-01

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