E—No. 9 Sec.

[Memorandum. —His Excellency Sir George Grey visited the Bay of Islands in November, 1861, for the purpose of introducing into that district His Excellency's plan of Native Government. The Governor reported the steps which His Excellency had taken at the Bay of Islands, in a Despatch to the Secretary of State dated 6th December, 1861, printed in Sess. Pap. 1862, E. No. 1, Sect. 11, p. 42. The Orders in Council of 21st March 1859, which constituted the Mongonui District, were revoked on the 7th December, and the Bay of Islands District appointed instead, including Mongonui. This arrangement was again varied on the 25th January 1862, and the two Districts separated by Orders in Council of that date.]

No. 1. FIRST REPORT FROM GEORGE CLARKE, ESQ., CIVIL COMMISSIONER. Waimate, December 30th, 1861. Sir,— Id accordance with my instructions, and in conformity with the scheme of Native policy sketched by the Government, a copy of which has been furnished me, I proceeded at once to visit the principal Chiefs and Tribes of this District, for the purpose of making myself personally acquainted with them, and of more fully explaining the details of the contemplated plans for the better government of the Native race. In order to accomplish this object, it appeared to me that the selection of the Chiefs to form the District Runanga to be submitted for the approval of His Excellency, must be the basis upon which I could hope to build with success upon this plan; I, therefore, assisted the different tribes of the district in selecting the most influential and intelligent Chiefs to constitute the future government of the District, with what success the future must unfold. I herewith enclose No. ], the names of Chiefs and Tribes, together with their places of abode; also, Enclosure No. 2, the names of Kareres. It was to be expected that some difficulties would be met with in the selection of the Chiefs, arising from jealousy, and a fear that the favoured Chief, supported as he would be by the Government, and made powerful by his large salary and favoured position, should drive other Chiefs of rauk into the shade, and thus nullify their hereditary influence in their respective Tribes. In some Tribes the selection had to be made from Chiefs of equal rank, each apparently modest and courteous in naming his neighbour, but hoping to be himself the successful candidate. In these cases I pointed out the usages of Europeans in their choice of members to represent them, both in England and in this country, with which they professed to be satisfied, and generally concluded with " Kei a te Kawana te tikanga." Upon the whole, the Natives are aware that those who are nominated to represent them are Chiefs of the first rank, and are those whose parents ruled in this District indisputably for nearly half a century. With these preliminary remarks, I proceed to give the general plan of the District. I submit that this be nominated the Bay of Islands District, comprising the territorial claim of the Ngapuhi Tribes, and should be bounded as follows: —South, Wangarei, from thence in a line West to Mangakahia, from thence to Kaihu on the Western Coast, from thence to the South Head of Hokianga, continuing up that river as far as Motu Karaka, from thence to Maungataniwha; from thence in a line North-east to the North Head of Wangaroa; from thence following the line of Coast to Wangarei. These lines will embrace the whole of the Ngapuhi country. I further suggest that this District be divided into three Hundreds for the present, instead of (as proposed in the Government plan) into six. to be supplied with the same number of Native Officers as allowed to a District divided into six Hundreds. In this proposal I have been guided by the usages of Ngapuhi from time immemorial. Tai Tokerau, the Eastern Coast from Wangarei to the Heads of Wangaroa, should, perhaps, form two large Hundreds, as they are populous but the Natives a good deal scattered. I propose that the most Southern Hundred, extending from Wangarei to Cape Brett by the Coast line, "^d including Wangarei, should be called the Hundred of Waugaruru. The Middle Hundred, ex! cdlng from the South Head of Wangaroa, from thence South, including the Bay of Island0 as f;i / •■ Ruapekapeka, from thence West to Mangakahia on to Kaikohe, from thence North to Okaihau, from thence to Upokorau, embracing the whole of Wangaroa to the North Head, should Le termed the

BAY OF ISLANDS.

SECTION I.