E.—No. 4

SECTION VIL—TAUPO.

No. 1. G. LAW, E.M., TO THE HONORABLE THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL. Auckland, 25th May, 1862. Sir, — I have the honor to submit the names of the following Chiefs, for the approval of His Excellency the Governor, who have been selected by their respective tribes as their Assessors :— Nga-ti-te-pake. Hohepa Tamamutu ... ... ... Assessor. Hare Tetoroa ... ... ... ... Sergeant. Two Policemen. Ngatiruirange. Te Watene te Apu ... ... ... Assessor. Eru Oho ... ... ... ... ... Sergeant. Two Policemen. Ngatiranhoto. Heremaia Pourangi ... ... ... Assessor. Ihakara Kahuao .. ... ... ... Sergeant. Two Policemen. —And that the appointments should date from the 1st May, 1862. I have, &c, George Law, Resident Magistrate. The Honorable the Attorney-General, Auckland.

No. 2. THE HONORABLE THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL TO G. LAW, R.M. Colonial Secretary's Office, Native Department, Auckland, June 21st, 1862. Sir, — On the occasion of sanctioning a requisition by you for an advance on imprest, of £128 for the establishment of a Government store in the Taupo district, I think it necessary to express to you my opinion as to the utility of such an establishment, and to give you some instructions as to the manner in which its operations should be conducted. 2. The functions of a Commissioner, under the institutions which are now being introduced into the Colony, have for their object, not only the Governmental control and the maintenance of law in Native districts, but a much higher object—the social elevation of the Maori race, and their education into the habits and manners of life of more civilized nations. In devising the means of improving the race, few things seem to me more likely to contribute to the result than to instruct them practically in the ordinary arrangements of trade and commercial business. If the Natives could be induced to undertake their own store-keeping, instead of relying for commercial necessities on the class of persons which is found in most districts pursuing such avocations among the Natives, an immense advantage would be gained. On a late occasion, when this subject was discussed by some intelligent Natives at Tamahere, in Waikato, in my presence, they exhibited the greatest interest in the question, and pointed out numerous evils arising from the fact of their being dependent on a few European traders for the facilities for buying and selling. 3. In attempting the establishment of a general store at Oruanui therefore, you will bear in mind that the principal object is to make Natives storekeepers, and exhibit to the Natives the right method of conducting business. With this object in view, you will be careful to employ some intelligent Native, such as Hohepa Tamamutu, in the conduct of the store, giving only such supervision and instruction as may be necessary to prevent mismanagement, &c, and to secure the proper appropriation of the proceeds. 4. As regards this, it is hoped that in consequence of the very high price of goods at Taupo, caused by there being no store within one hundred miles, a very considerable profit will be made,

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NATIVE AFFAIRS.