G.—lb

1873. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORTS FROM NATIVE OFFICERS OF NATIVE MEETINGS.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency. No. 1. Mr. H. T. Clarke, to the Under Secretary, Native Department. Civil Commissioner's Office, Sir, — Tauranga, 3rd December, 1872. I have the honor to report, for the information of the Honorable the Native Minister, that I, at the request of some of the chiefs, met representatives from all the Ngaiterangi hapus, on the 19th ulto., at AVhareroa, Hori Ngatai's settlement. The principal men present were, Hori Tupaea, Te Muri, Hori Ngatai, Harawira Kotai, Enoka Te Whaneka, Raniera Te Hiahia, Kuka te Mea, Tareha Kaliiroa, Hone Makarauri, Te Wherehera, Hauwhenua, Maihi Pohepohe, besides several chiefs of inferior rank. Hori Ngatai commenced the business of the meeting, by inviting me to spread before the meeting tho contents of the sack that I had brought with me from AVellington, meaning the Parliamentary news. I gave them as succinctly as I was able an account of what had passed in reference to those measures immediately affecting Native interests, particularly with regard to the Maori Representation Act, and the proposed measure intended to confer a limited amount of self-government, under certain restrictions, to Native districts, should tho Native inhabitants desire to avail themselves of its provisions. I explained to them that the latter had not become law, on account of the lateness of the Session, and because the members thought that it was a measure of such importance, that it should not be hurried through the House without careful deliberation, consequently, it was withdrawn. It was the wish of the Native Minister, and of the majority of the members who spoke on the subject, that the Bill should be put into circulation amongst the Natives, with a view to elicit their opinions. The Native Representation Act of 1872 caused some discussion, and it was very evident from the warm remarks made, that the Natives of this district felt disappointed at the action taken by the Legislative Council, in disallowing the clauses granting a fifth Maori member. I was not at all surprised at this, seeing that the disallowance immediately affected the Bay of Plenty District. Hori Ngatai and Enoka Te Whaneka were tho principal speakers. They desired me to explain the reason assigned for disallowing the fifth Maori member. I accordingly related, as far as my memory served me, all that had been said in both branches of the Legislature. I told them that it was thought by some of the pakeha members that the Natives were sufficiently represented, others of them wished to ■see their Maori fellow subjects placed precisely on the same footing as themselves ; that the same law should apply to both Europeans and Natives, as regards the qualification to note; that in the face of strong opposition, the Bill passed through the House of Representatives, and five members were accorded to the Natives instead of four, as under the old Act; that tho Bill was then introduced into 'the Legislative Council, when it underwent some changes in Committee, and the fifth member disallowed; that the alterations were submitted to the Lower House to be agreed to, but that the House refused for a long time to give their consent; and that it was only on account of the lateness of the Session, that the House of Representatives yielded ; for had they persisted in withholding their consent, and the Assembly was prorogued, the consequence would have been that there would have been no Maori representatives at all. Hori Ngatai then stated that they had heard that the measure had passed the House of Representatives, and that at a meeting held at Maungatapu, they felt so sure that the Bill would became law, they had discussed plans for bringing forward a member. He then related a conversation which ho stated had taken place between his Honor the Superintendent and Te Kuka, Harawira, and other Tauranga chiefs, from which they gathered that Tauranga was not included in the Maori representation in Parliament, that he had made some kind of drawing showing the boundaries of the different electoral districts, and that the Natives believed in the correctness of his statements. Hori Ngatai added, that they felt themselves badly used by the action of the Legislative Council, so much so, that they wished to press their claims, provided they only knew how to do it properly. I was .appealed to for advice. I told them that there was only one course open to them ; that it is not only I—G. Ib.