E.—No. 2c

16. He wished to be informed whether the intention of the Regulations was that a Native who came in under these terms forfeited all his land, whether in the proclaimed districts or in other parts of the Island, receiving the portion of land to be assigned to him as the only land he was to be allowed to retain. He believed that this was the intention of his responsible advisers. 17. He felt that a distinct offer ought to be made to the Natives in plain terms, regarding which there could be no misunderstanding; and that it could not be expected that any large body of Natives would accept of the offer proposed to be made unless they knew the consequences that were to follow from their acceptance of it. 18, 19, 20. The Governor however found that the views of his Responsible __dvisers on these points did not accord with his own. He understood them to saythat they simply at present advised the Governor to approve the Regulations they then laid before him, which had only relation to a small district, and that they would afterwards from time to time tender to him advice regarding other districts; that when the time came they would tell him what advice that would be ; but that they declined now to say whether they would hereafter give or not give more land to the Natives who might take it under the Regulations they then advised the Governor to approve, and that they would not then say whether or not they intended to consider the residue of the land of the Natives of the proclaimed districts to be forfeited, whether in the districts themselves or in other parts of the Island. The Govemoralso understoodhis Responsible __ dvisers to decline to state what was the general policy they proposed to pursue regarding the confiscation of Native Lands, and the extent to which they intended to carry such confiscation.

and it was entirely in the Governor's power to limit the extent to any quantity he might think fit. The Regulations were proposed to be issued under the 18th section of the Act, which authorises Regulations to be made prescribing the mode in which land taken under the 4th section may be disposed of. Tho Governor thought it quite reasonable to press his Ministers in May to declare at once to what extent they intended to carry the forfeiture of land; but after he had taken the matter into his own hands, irrespective of his Responsible advisers, in September he thought, even with the great additional light that four months had thrown on the subject, that he should not be asked to state even the minimum quantity which he would require to be given up by the Natives. 16. He wished to be informed whether the intention ofth,e Regulations teas It is remarkable how His Excellency managi to mystify the plainest matters. The regulations, it is repeated, had nothing whatever to do with the extent of forfeiture, or forfeiture indeed in any shape. Their object was the disposal of land, and not the acquisition of it. The Order in Council fixed the extent of the forfeiture, and the regulations were not intended to, and did not iv any way, affect the question. His Excellency's belief as to the intention of his Responsible Advisers is altogether erroneous. 17. He felt that a distinct offer ought to be made. Ministers have frequently proposed and urged on the Governor the propriety of making a distinct offer to the Natives, but His Excellency has always found some reason or excuse for not doing so. His Excellency's idea of a distinct offer is rather a curious one. Now that he has assumed uncontrolled power, he has had the opportunity of shewing what he means. His Excellency offers to take such an extent of territory as may in each instance be fixed by the Governor and Lieutenant General, and the Maoris are supposed to know what His Excellency deems it essential that they should know, the consequences that are to follow from tbe acceptance of such an offer. 18. The Governor, however, found that the views of his Responsible Advisers on these points did not accord with his own. It is impossible to understand by whatjirocess His Excellency arrived at this conclusion. The best answer to His Excellency's assertion is what His Excellency himself says on the subject. Tho following extracts from the Memorandum under consideration shew this. " They declined now to say whether they would hereafter give or not give more land to the Natives who might take it under the regulations." "He also understood his Responsible Advisers to decline to state what was the general policy they proposed to pursue regarding the confiscation of Native land." 19. They simply, at present, advised the Governor to approve the regulations. Ministers did not give such advice, and they did not lay the Regulations before His Excellency on the 2Sth of May ; he had had them in his possession since the 17th of May, when they v, _re sent to him in reference to another Order in Council —he himself produced them from among I the papers on his table, and Ministers objected to importing a discussion on the Regulations into tho matter of the Orders in Council of the 28th of May —the district to be taken'under these orders not including any land on which the regulations could operate. 20. But that they declined now to say The Governor having signed the Orders in Council, which had been prepared entirely to meet his views, then produced tho regulations, which

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