OEEICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

13

P.—No. .3*.

and it comes up by the coach at once. In addition to the roads and the telegraph, I recommend to you the foundation of schools for your children. The Government will assist you also in this matter. As there are no other points on which you wish me to address you, I will conclude by again thanking you for the hearty welcome which you have given me.

No. 8. The Hon. Native Ministee to Mr. Locke, Alexandra, Waikato, Sic,— Bth June, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 6th ult., containing a highly interesting Eeport of the tour of His Excellency through the Taupo district, and an account of the speeches delivered by the Natives at the different settlements visited. I trust sincerely that the beneficial results which you anticipate will arise from the presence of the Governor in the interior of the Island, will be realised, and I have to thank you for the zeal and exertions used in conducting His Excellency through a portion of the interior in which your official services have always been found of such a beneficial character. I have, &c, Donald M'Lean.

No. 9. Lieut.-Col. ErssELii to the Hon. the Native Ministee. Sic,— Poverty Bay, 10th February, 1872. Having lately passed through the Native district lying between Poverty Bay and Waiapu, I take the liberty of submitting the following observations for your consideration : — The country beyond Tolago Bay is little known or traversed, though its value as a pastoral district is by no means inferior to the coast country between the Tukituki Eiver and Castle Point, which now carries so many thousands of sheep, and adds so much to the wealth of the country. I saw it under disadvantageous circumstances, for it had been scorched by the long prevailing drought, and was,, moreover, blazing with bush fires, which were over-running the whole country, and had even destroyed some few sheep, cattle, and horses. But on the hills bordering the coast, and so far as the track led inland, I found English rye-grass flourishing luxuriantly (though it is difficult to say how it came there), and it is evident from the rich growth of the Tutu, Koromiko, and other Native shrubs, as well as from the Native cultivations (which were invariably on the steep hill-side, rather than in the small intervening valleys), that the hills are of a very rich character—to me they seemed very superior to those of the sheep country to which I have alluded, and if stocked, would in a very few years carry a greater number of sheep But the great feature of the district is the valley of the Waiapu. So far as I could judge from the ranges as I approached it, and from a ride of a few miles which I took up the valley to Pukemaiere, it extends beyond Ilikorangi, and cannot be less than thirty miles in length, with a breadth varying from one to four or five miles, averaging perhaps two miles, and with many lateral valleys debouching upon that of the Waiapu, and containing more or less of flat cultivable land. I have no doubt that after deducting one-third of the area for unavailable river bed, that more than 20,000 acres of rich cultivable land may be found here fit for European settlement, all accessible for dray carriage to the place of shipment at Waiapu. I was detained a week at Waiapu, and from the opportunities which I had for observation during my journey could perceive no disinclination on the part of the Natives to lease their lands. On the contrary, it was in one case offered and even pressed upon me. They are aware that the Natives of Tolago Bay are already receiving £800 or £900 a-year for but a comparatively small amount of land, and they feel themselves to be very poor with the means of riches at their hand. The road, or track, between Tolago Bay and Waiapu is simply execrable, and every journey is made at the risk of the life of both horse and rider—sometimes it takes them some distance into the sea, amongst clefts in the rocks into which the horse must descend and scramble out as he best may. On one occasion the Eesident Magistrate, having succeeded in reaching a rock, had to hold on by his horse's bridle for five hours, until the tide fell sufficiently to admit of his continuing his journey. Im other cases the track down precipitous hills is excavated by the rains so that the horse moves in a cleft higher than his back, and which in wet weather can be passed only by sliding from the top to the bottom. I believe no difficulty whatcyer exists in carrying a bridle path over good road if the Government would authorise the expenditure of the money set apart for this district, under the supervision of Captain Porter, and Mr. Campbell, E.M., both of whom have a most intimate knowledge of the country, and could employ Native labor very advantageously. They inform me that they have long been waiting for the services of a Government surveyor, but a professional man is really not necessary (although of course always desirable), and I believe that authority to those gentlemen to proceed with the work upon their own judgment would be a very great boon to themselves, who have to travel it,, and to the inhabitants of the district generally. I have, &c, A. H. Ehsseli,..