E—No. 9 Sec. II.

W.Te Wheoro: Said he was in favor of Tipene asupoko for Ngatinaho, Noa or Rawiri as upoko for Ngatitipa. He explained that they (Ngatinaho) had selected eight persons as members of their Runanga, and proposed that Ngatitipa should select four more from their tribe. He also said that he had asked the Governor for payment for these parties, but His Excellency declined agreeing to such request; and that the tribe had therefore decided to pay them themselves by appropriating a portion of the salaries of the upoko and kaiwhakawa to that purpose. He also proposed Eraihi Mako Mako, as the second kaiwhakawa. Eraihi: Wished to know if the Runanga intended to appoint a clerk. Te Wheoro: Stated that he had heard that the Governor had agreed to give Ngatiteata £15 per annum for their Clerk. * Eraihi: Thought that the Runanga ought to pay their own clerk. Ultimately the following selectiou of officers was unanimously agreed to. Upoko of the Runanga for Ngatinaho, Tipene Hori Hareapata. ditto Ngatitipa, Noa te Tawhara. 1 st. Kai-whakawa for both tribes, Wiremu Te Wheoro. 2nd. ditto ditto Eraihi Mako Mako. Policemen for Ngatinaho. Ratima te Ahi-whakapo, residing at Wai Eriki. Te Wirihana te Kepa, ditto Matana Hira Areawaru, residing at Puke Kawa. Hetaraka Niti, residing at Takinga Wairua. Policemen for Ngatitipa. Paora Tarawhete, residing at the Punga Pun<ra. Ropati Tira, ditto. Ko Ngawharau, was appointed clerk for the Runanga. I would beg to observe that in tacitly allowing Waata to propose one upoko for each tribe, I did so for the reasons above stated; and that had not this proposal been made and acted upon, the Runanga would have come to no results whatever. I am aware that this proposal is an infringement on the instructions I received from Mr. Fenton; but under the peculiar circumstances above stated, and furthermore the alleged promise made by His Excellency of two upoko, I felt 1 could pursue no other course. I would also most respectfully suggest that, in future, these matters of detail might with advantage be left in the hands of the officer appointed to at: end the Runanga. In this case, had not His Excellency's alleged promise been made public, I should have had no difficulty in limiting the Runanga to the appointment of one upoko only; as Ngatitipa afterwards told me that to facilitate matters they were prepared to abandon the question of appointment of upoko for themselves in favour of Ngatinaho: but when the latter relinquished the appointment of one upoko in their favour, it would have been an insult to Ngatinaho if they had not appointed an upoko. A further consideration also influenced me in this matter, viz., that this is the first step of the introduction of the 'Pure, &c, into what is termed the King's territory —all Ngatinaho, except Te Wheoro, having been previously Kingites. Their conversion is, from what I have heard, entirely attributable to the personal influence of His Excellency. It appeared to me highly desirable, by a slight concession, to secure their adhesion as a " Tauira," for future operations in this district. W. Te Wheoro: Our proceedings will be submitted by Mr. Armitage to the Governor, and when His Excellency's consent is obtained, then the Runanga will meet to make laws. [Note. —I objected to their making laws at the Runanga until the question of two upokos was settled.] Tipene: I have a question to ask, it is this; where is the Runanga to meet in future; at the Punga Punga or at the Kohe Kohe? Ngati Tina (all): This is a good place in summer or in fine weather, but it is all flood in winter; look at our house now almost under water. Rawira: Let the Runanga assemble on dry land at the Kohe Kohe, not on the sea as at Punga Punga. Te Wheoro: Let the Runanga and whakawa business be transacted at my place, the Kohe Kohe; what is the building to be, raupo or timber? Rawiri: If I couid find sawyers I would have a wooden house; what is the good of a raupo building, it is always out of repair, besides my people are all young men and don't know how to build raupo houses. v Pouaka: I propose that Ngatitipa shall get the logs and make the pit, and Ngatinaho will do the sawing, the Governor to pay for the sawing and building. Eraihi: Let the Governor pay for the sawing and building, and we will get the logs and build the pit, there are two of our tribe who know how to saw. I have further to observe that 1 arrived at the Kohe Kohe early on the morning of Sunday the 2nd February; that in the evening I had a long conversation with Te Wheoro about his arrangement with His Excellency; that he informed me that his tribe would not attend the (then) proposed Runanga at the Punga Punga, on accouut, as they alleged, of all matters being already arranged between them and His Excellency, but would hold a Runanga at the Kohe Kohe the next day; that I then informed Te Wheoro 1 had been instructed by Mr. Fenton to arrange all the details of the Runanga at the Punga Punga, such as appointment of officers, &c, in order to submit the same formally to His Excellency for approval or otherwise; that I had no powerto depart from or vary my instructions;

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