A.—No. 10d.

adjourn the Court. Then, addressing the Natives, he said he felt almost ashamed to have to tell them that they had assembled on this occasion only to be told that they may go home again. He had been aware that they had on two other occasions assembled and been disappointed; and he should not feel surprised at their expressing their feelings strongly on having again to be disappointed. The delay was not the doing of the Court. They had published the notice fully intending to hold the sitting. As it was, however, there was no other course that could be adopted now than to adjourn. He wished to mention one thing : he had heard, when in Auckland, that the Natives here had been told that the Kooti Tango Whenua (Land-taking Court) was to come down here. Ho would take this opportunity of telling them that this was not the Land-taking Compensation Court. This Court was established under the Nativo Lands Act; but there was another element in it, for in this district it was different from the North, where the Court dealt with nothing but tho simple Native title to land; but in this district, where there had been war, the Legislature had decided to deprive those Natives who had joined in the rebellion of their right to the land which should be proved to have belonged to them, but that those Natives who had not engaged in the rebellion would be preserved from the loss of any land, and titles would be given them in proportion to the amount of land they were entitled to, where it should be found that they held jointly with those who had been rebels. So they might rest assured that the duties of the Court were not as they had been described to them, namely, to take their land away from them, but to determine to whom the land belonged, and act accordingly. He was very much pleased with the orderly manner in which they had conducted themselves, and the attention they paid to what was going on. He felt great regret in having to do what he was now bound to do, but there was one thing they could depend on, namely, that the next time the Court was advertised to sit in this place, there would be no further adjournment. Mr. H. E. Rice, who appeared as agent for some of the Aitanga-a-Hauiti tribe, then applied for costs for those claimants, which was granted. Paora Matuakorc, addressing the Court, said that they had fully expected to have their claims heard this time. They had assembled twice before, and thought that this time, at all events, they would have their claims heard. They were all very anxious to have their claims heard now, and felt very much disappointed at the postponement, for they had collected together from all parts in full expectation of having the matter finally settled ; but they would rather have them postponed than that they should be opened and not finished. However, they were in the hands of the Court, and were still anxious to have their titles investigated by the law. Wi Pere also addressed the Court to the same effect. The Court then adjourned sine die.

No. 10. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Rolleston to Mr. Fenton. (No. 454-1.) Native Secretary's Office, Sir,— Wellington, 22nd August, 1867. I have the honor, by direction of Mr. Richmond, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 675, of the 12th of August, transmitting orders for costs given by Mr. Judge Monro, at the sittings of the Native Lands Court, recently held at Turanganui, and in reply to inform you that the Government is advised that the Court has no power to order costs to be paid by the Crown. Tho Crown could not receive costs in such a matter, neither therefore can it be ordered to pay costs. " The Crown Costs Act, 1858," does not apply to this case, and as there is nothing to show that the general rule was not to apply, the order cannot be sustained. At the same time lam to state that the Government withholds any comment on the discretion and propriety of Mr. Monro's conduct in this matter until it receives his account of the proceedings of the Court at Turanganui. I have, Ac, W. Rolleston, Under Secretary.

No. 11. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. J. C. Richmond to Mr. Moneo. Sic, — Native Secretary's Office, Wellington, 24th August, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 15th instant, covering an amended report of the proceedings in the recent sitting of the Native Land Court, at Turanga. The Government regret extremely that you should have indulged yourself in the remarks therein reported. They had a right to expect discretion and reserve from an officer in your honourable position, more especially having regard to your long experience and high character in the public service ; your familiarity with Maori temper and modes of thought, but most of all, to tho difficulties in pacifying the country to which you have been a witness. The Native Lands Court is not a proper place for indicating or promoting political opinions of any sort. The whole tone of your address is highly objectionable, as attempting to draw deep the distinction between the Court and the Government, with a view to extol the former at the expense of the latter. Such partisanship is highly indecent in a gentleman in your position. The Government do not discuss opinions as to their general conduct with respect to the East Coast Titles, and to their industry or otherwise in bringing them before the Court, opinions which you, as Judge, seem to have expressed without a particle of evidence on the subject. I must however request you to inform them on what authority you allege as a fact that Natives have " been prevented from surveying land which they wished to bring before the Court." I must also point out the gross impropriety of the implied statement that there is any Court properly called " The Land-taking Court." If any Court could be properly so called it would be precisely the Native Land Court, sitting under the East Coast Lands

7

AND JUDGES OF THE NATIVE LANDS COURT.