A.—No. 3

38

RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, AND

The Native Reserves at Motueka were made by the New Zealand Company, in accordance with their original scheme, that one-tenth of the land within the then settlement of Nelson should be set apart for the Natives, for educational and charitable purposes. The estate at Motueka comprised 100 fifty-acre sections (5000 acres), of which 918 have been granted to the Bishop of New Zealand as an endowment for an industrial school; 1020 acres are occupied by the Natives; and the remainder (3062 acres, less 150 exchanged with Mr. Thorpe for section 9, at Takaka,) is under the management of the Governor through his delegate. The average value of this portion of the estate may be classed as follows, viz.: —■ 1500 acres, poor land, value —about 20s. per acre. 350 acres, middling land, value—between 40s. and 60s. per acre. 1062 acres, good land, value —between 80s. and £30 an acre. In 1844, as will be seen by the accompanying map, Mr. Commissioner Spain appears to have awarded out of the land originally selected at Motueka as Native Reserves, sections Nos. 157,159,160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 182, 183, 187, 188, 212, 219, 220, 241, and 242; in all, 800 acres, for the use and occupation of the Natives of Motueka, in consideration of the unequal payment made to them by the New Zealand Company for the relinquishment of their claims to land at Motueka and surrounding districts ; and one cause of the dissatisfaction continually expressed by the Natives of Motueka, is owing to four of these sections, Nos. 219, 220, 241, and 242, containing 200 acres in all, having been included in the grant made by Sir George Grey to the Bishop of New Zealand. The Ngatitama, or Motueka Natives, prior to the grant to the Bishop of New Zealand, resided on a portion of the block, and considerable dissatisfaction was manifested by them at being compelled to remove in consequence. Provision was afterwards made for these Natives by allotting them land in another part of the estate. The only Native who has any claim now to consideration, is a woman named Ramarie, who was absent (in the Asylum at Nelson) when the others were provided for. It was proposed to have allotted her a portion of section 9, at Takaka, received from Mr. Thorpe in exchange for land belonging to the trust at Motueka; but, owing to the jealous and domineering conduct evinced towards her by some of the local Natives, she could not be prevailed on to locate herself amongst them. The intention is now to allot her a small piece of land at Motueka, as soon as circumstances will permit, whereon to reside; and when section 9 is subdivided, to reserve a share for her out of it, where she can remove to in course of time, when the present feeling amongst the local Natives dies out. Notwithstanding the award made by Mr. Commissioner Spain of certain sections of the trust estate to the Natives, it has never been considered that tho Natives had more than a life interest in the land, and it is thought Mr. Spain exceeded his authority in making this award, and his action in tho matter is looked on as a contravention of the original scheme. Looking also at this arrangement in a pecuniary point of view, it is greatly to be regretted that the interest of the trust was not better considered, by taking the precaution in the first place to have provided land for the Natives elsewhere, instead of allowing them to settle on some of the richest land belonging to the estate, whereby the trust is deprived of a considerable addition to its revenue annually, as a large proportion of the land so occupied would let readily at from 20s. to £2 per acre. Or, if it had been found impossible to have removed the Natives then in occupation, to have selected an equivalent in land elsewhere, in place of the quantity appropriated to their use. The portion of the estate the Natives have been allowed to retain possession of was subdivided and apportioned by the former trustees; but owing to the peculiar shape of many of these blocks, it was thought advisable to re-survey the whole of the land, taking care to award the same number of acres to each family as were formerly allowed them. In some instances there were allottees who had more land than they absolutely required for cultivation, and as they were desirous in most cases to let the surplus to the European settlers, it was thought advisable —as it had always been considered that they were entitled to receive any pecuniar}' benefit derivable from the land allotted to them —to allow them to do so, through the commissioners, as it enabled them to do regularly and legally that which it was found difficult to prevent them doing in an irregular and objectionable manner. One hundred and forty acres have been let in this way, from which they derive an income of £180. The population of Motueka, by a census taken during the early part of last year, numbered 96, viz., 45 adult males, 31 adult females, 11 male children, 9 female children —total, 96 of Native population. If the Natives residing along the shores of Blind Bay and Golden Bay could be induced to send their children to one central school, —say at Motueka, for instance ; although I am inclined to think that a school established at Nelson for the purpose would prove more successful, as it would do away, in a great measure, with the feelings that exist amongst the Natives in the other districts against sending their children to the school at Motueka, owing to local jealousies, the Natives there being under the impression that they alone are entitled to any benefit derivable from the school, —there are a sufficient number of children of school age to form a very good central school. The number of children of all ages residing in the aforesaid localities, including also Motueka, is 97, viz. : —■ Wakapuaka, 18 ; Motueka, 20; Motupipi, 20 ; Takaka, 9 ; Paruihakaho, 12 ; Takurua, 8 ; Collingwood, 10; —total, 97. Besides the children enumerated above, there are at the Pelorus, 11 ; Queen Charlotte's Sound, 44 ; Wairau, 11; D'Urville's Island, 18 —total, 84 ; some of whom might be induced to attend a school of the kind, although, strictly speaking, tho Natives in those localities are not entitled to participate in the benefits accruing from the endowment funds ; but admission might be obtained for the children on the payment of a fee by their parents, and a capitation allowance under " The Native Schools Act, 1867." The greatest obstacle to the success of Native schools, I am afraid, will be found in the apathy and indifference of parents to the importance of sending their children to school. The children may be willing enough to attend, but the parents like to have them near themselves. Unfortunately the Natives have only an animal love for their offspring, and cannot be got to see the advantage of a temporary separation, even although it might be conducive to the greater good of their children.