G—l.

1873. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORTS FROM OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

Presented to loth Souses of the General Assembly by command, of Sis Excellency. The Undee Seceetaey to Oeficebs in Native Disteicts. (Circular.) Sib,— Native Office, Wellington, 27th March, 1873. I have the honor, by direction of the Native Minister, to request that you will be good enough to send in the usual annual report on the state of the Natives in your district before the 30th of April proximo, in order that no delay may take place in printing tho reports for Parliament. I have, &c, G. S. Coopeb, Under Secretary.

No. 2. The Eesident Magistbate, Mongonui, to the Hou. the Native Minister. Sic, — Eesident Magistrate's Office, Mongonui, 22nd April, 1873. I have the honor to report that I have lately paid my annual visit to the Aupouri of the North Cape. I found them under some little excitement in consequence of a dispute as to how the purchase money for a block of land, to be purcliased by Messrs. S. Tates and S. Jones for £1,050, was to be divided. The dispute ran high, and was likely at one time to have ended in their retaining the land. In this emergency I was called upon to settle the dispute, which I fortunately succeeded in doing. The conveyance was signed, and the money paid. This was a portion of the Rev. Mr. Taylor's claim, which I some time ago recommended the Government to give up to the Natives. I feel assured that the course adopted was the best: the Government could not have taken possession without compensating the resident Natives. This would have led to much excitement and discontent; whereas, by the present course of allowing the Natives to sell, the Government, without trouble or expense, derive a revenue both directly by fees and indirectly by the beneficial occupation of the land by Europeans. I next fixed the site for a church and school-house, and a separate house for the teacher, and marked off a school reserve close to the settlement at Parengarenga. The contractor at onco commenced his work, which is to be completed in two months. A large piece of land was promised as an endowment when a surveyor went up that way. The people are occupied in digging gum. Hitherto there has been but one trader here, Mr. S. Tates, who is very much liked by both Natives and Europeans of this district. He is most kind and gentlo with the Natives, and has their confidence. Lately, other traders have started in opposition, and though opposition in trading is good, iv these out-of-the-way places it results in impoverishing the Natives, for they get into debt far beyond their means of paying: losing heart, they get idle, which soon leads to worse. I have often regretted that it cannot be in law that a trader could not recover more than a certain moderate sum from a Native debtor: this might have the effect of staying much of the reckless credit given them. Soon after my return, Colonel Russell, Inspector of Schools, arrived on his annual tour. I accompanied him, and though I am frequently in the habit of visiting the schools established in the district, I was very much gratified at the manner the children acquitted themselves. I have, since our return, addressed a letter to Colonel Russell ou this subject, which I presume he will make the Government acquainted with. Throughout the district there is a most eager desire to establish new schools. 1 am happy to report that the district is most quiet, the people steadily improving in civilization. The various Road Boards and public works carried on in the district give plenty of employment; laud has been sold both to Government and private individuals, enabling the people to live better; consequently the general health has been better. Petty thefts are not nearly so common, and I think the gradual dispersion of the people into families, residing in separate houses, is effecting improvement in their moral conduct. Altogether, I see much of steady improvement,—enough to give hope of better things. I informed the Natives that I contemplated retiring in consequence of my health breaking up, and I was much gratified at their affectionate and respectful conduct. Old Morenga presented me with a mere, with many expressions of regard from himself and people. Colonel Russell was much amused at Morcnga's apology that the mere was rather short, but in killing a man with it he splintered the end, and it had to be ground down. I naturally feel a strong interest in and regard for the people over I—G. 1.