E-No. 9 Sec. I.

No. 3. BEPORT OP THE PIRST MEETING OP THE BAY OF ISLANDS RUNANGA. Civil Commissioner's Office, Waimate, March 29th, 1862. Sib,— I have the honor to inform ycfti that the District Runanga of the Bay of Islands held its first meeting on the 24th instant at the Waimate, and ended its first Session on the evening of the 28th, after sitting sometimes ten hours a day. The whole conduct and proceedings of the Runanga will, I hope, be satisfactory to the Government. It has far exceeded my most sanguine expectations. Copies of Minutes of Meeting, together with papers connected with the whole basiness of thu Runanga, will be forwarded as early as they can be prepared. I have, &c, George Clarke, The Hon. the Native Minister. Civil Commissioner.

No. 4. "REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS OF BAY OP ISLANDS HUNANGA. Civil Commissioner's Office, Waimate, April 5th, 1862. Sir,— I herewith enclose to you, for the information of the Government, the following documents, viz.— Copy of the Minutes of the Bay of Islands District Runanga, with translations, Mnrch 2olh, 1862, at Waimate. Copy of the address of the President &f the Runanga to the Chiefs of the Runanga, with translation. Copy of the proposed Standing Orders, for the guidance of the Runanga, with translation. Copy of the proposed organization of the District, with translation. The accompanying remarks will explain the principal business to which the enclosures refer The proceedings of thefirst day, namely the 2:">th, call for a few observations. About 509 Natives were assembled at the Waimate; and at the request of Tamati Waka, and many other Chiefs, who were not members of the Runanga, the day was given to them to discuss the new policy in their own way, as a preliminary for its formal introduction on the morrow. An outline of the speeches, which were taken by a Native reporter, shall be forwarded as soon as they can be collected. It was gratifying to learn that no objections were raised to any of the appointed members of the Runanga by the assembled Chiefs, and there is every reason to believe, that if there had been an election to-morrow, those Chiefs who have been already approved of by the Government would have been returned by the people, as members of the Runanga, to represent the District. The only complaint I could hear was that the number of representatives was far too small, and when reminded that two more members could be nominated by the Runanga during the Session, their reply was, " that there ought to be ten instead of two," and I apprehended that there would be great difficulty and dissatisfaction upon this point. On the 26th, accompanied by the magistrates and interpreters of the district, with sever.il English ladies and gentlemen, I met the Chiefs of the Runanga, to open our first Session, in the order as stated in the Minutes. We greatly felt the want of better accommodation, and though every arrangement was made to provide for" the public, we were incommoded for want of room. As the day was fine, we might have had our meeting in the open ait; but I submit that such a step would not only have been inconvenient, but contrary to the expectation of the Chiefs, who had been given to understand that their assembly was to be after the model of English councils; moreover, had the meeting been held outside, we could have had no control over the Chiefs, who would (whether members or not) have made their speeches as they pleased; and would have been as disorderly as they usually are at their own meetings • as it was, we had order and regularity, and a precedent for future Runangas. The documents enclosed will shew the amount of business done on the first day. The whole was conducted to the satisfaction of myself, the Xative chiefs, and English visitors. Motions were made and seconded, as described in the Minutes ; the Chiefs having been schooled the night before in the way in which English assemblies are conducted ; and by the energetic and persevering exertions of Mr. Williams, the magistrate of this hundred, who assisti d them in writing out the motions, they soon became masters of the subjects. The Chiefs who could not writs were selected to second the motions, which they did with credit. On the 2Jth the real business of the session commenced; the first subjects discussed were standing orders, and the organization of the District. In considering the organization of th«

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