A.—No. sa,

6

RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, AND

indeed. The rest of it is very fair land, and has been partially surface-sown. The land comprised in grant referred to as No. 4, Reg. xiv., is hilly land of the average character of the common sheeprun. It has been to a considerable extent surface-sown, but with only partial success. It has not been fenced in. I found tufts of grass growing here and there about this land, confirming the statement of the overseer as to the extent of the surface-sowing. Of the land in No. 12, Reg. xiv., about 200 or 300 acres are bush, from which supplies for firewood and fencing are taken. The sheep on the property were looking very well: I was unable to estimate their numbers. There were a good many cattle about the property ; some upon the estate, and some upon the land adjoining (bought by the Rev. S. "Williams from the Natives). I think the value of the whole estate to let per annum, if the times were as they were about four or five years ago, and the estate in its present condition, exclusive of the stock upon it, would be about £900 or £1,000 ; but at the present moment, if the country were in a state of peace, the estate would be worth from £500 to £GOO per annum. Having heard read the description of the land as it was in 1853, in Mr. Purvis Russell's evidence, I should think the improvements and the sheep—■ if, as represented, numbering about 6,000 of all ages —would, less about £1,000 said to be chargeable against the estate, represent a fairly accumulated rental for the property during the time from 1853 to the present time. Ko te Waaka RewTiareivha (examined through the interpretation of Mr. Samuel Locke, Mr. Locke being first duly sworn truly to interpret) states : lam Tc Waaka Kewharcwha. I live at Te Aute, and am a Christian teacher under the Rev. Samuel Williams. On the first occasion when Sir George Grey came into the district, he was accompanied by Bishop Selwyn and Mr. Tollemache. At a meeting between him and several Natives at the banks of the Roto-o-Hara, he (Governor Grey) asked c Taranone, c Hone Waikato, c Paora Kopakau (since deceased), Noa Taikiroa (since deceased), and myself to give the land to the Bishop and the Governor, for Mr. Williams to establish a school, and the Governor said he would give 500 sheep, the produce of which would go to the school. These sheep were given : I helped to shear them. After the land was given, Mr. Williams came to Te Aute from Awapone. A meeting was held, at which some children from Te Aute and the district were given him to take charge of. He took them to Otaki, and stayed there some time : it might have been about a year. He then returned to Te Aute with his wife and family and those children. Very shortly after the return of the children from Otaki they went back to their parents. I was a teacher at Te Aute at the time the land was ceded by the Natives, and have been so ever since. Between the years 1854 and 1859 there were a few boys at the place, but it was not what we expected when the land was given for a school. The boys being there entirely ended shortly after the fight between Hapuka and Moanamii in the Big Bush, at which Puhara was killed. (See Parliamentary Papers, C.—No. 1, p.p. 335 and 336, in completion of papers presented 14th June, 1861.) Some considerable time after the school ceased, the three Natives —Hone Waikato, Haurangi te Wahiku, and Paore Hopakau—went to Mr. Williams's house. I saw them go. Mr. Williams afterwards told me that they had been to him, asking him for money for the use of the land, as there was no school there. He explained to me and others that ho could give no money for the use of the land, as the land had been given for the school to the Bishop and others connected with the Government, and he was only in charge of it. Mr. Williams did at one time say that if the Government would give him money he would build a school. There was, some time last year, a stir made among the Natives by Renata te Pukututu and others, to obtain an inquiry by the Government into the position of the property, with a view to its return to the Natives, there being no school kept in respect of it. Some are in favour of the land being returned to the Natives; some are in favour of the income being applied in support of a school in the district, in some more convenient situation than the estate. My opinion is that the land should bo given back, or that there should be a rent paid for it. Mr. Locke produces a letter from Renata te Pukutupu, who was unable to attend, which letter he (being first duly sworn) translates as follows, and ho says : I received the letter marked A. now in my hand from Renata te Pukutupu, who personally delivered it to me. The contents are as follows : — "To the Govetinoe. Sir — "To Aute, 20th April, 1869. " Salutations to you. Mr. Locke has been here, asking for some man to give evidence of the reason why we gave the land for the school at Te Aute. I will tell you all about it. The reason why we gave that land was because the Governor and Bishop Selwyn asked for it in the year 1850, or some time after, as a place for teaching for our children and a place for our children to be fed at. That is the reason why we gave it, at the request of the Governor and the Bishop. It was done. But no school has been on the land at Te Aute up to the present time. This is what I have to say is, that the land given belonged to myself and Hoani Waikato. What we are very desirous is, that a school should be built on the land forthwith, as we have a great many children growing up ignorant and foolish, and untaught in the good work of the school. That is all. From "Renata Te Pukutupu." Tuesday, Ist June, ISG9. Wellington. Present:—Mr. Hart. The Venerable Archdeacon Iladjield, being duly sworn, states: lam one of the Trustees of the Te Aute College or School estate, in the Province of Hawke's Bay. I produce certain accounts received by the Trustees in Wellington from the Rev. Samuel Williams, of Te Aute. They are respectively marked A., 8., C, and D., and are accompanied by a letter of explanation marked E. These are the only accounts I can find relating to the estate referred to. They were in the hands of the Bishop of Wellington until his departure, since which they have been in my custody. I wish to have the accounts produced returned to me when the purpose for which they are required shall have teen served.