G.—IB.

4

this small section of the Arawa). Accordingly after breakfast a few of them assembled in front of Capt. Mair's whare. Capt. Mair was present. Their grievances were that Capt. Mair and his men were making roads over their country, and consequently were taking bread out of their mouths. They were very anxious for me to understand that they did not oppose road-making on the same ground as the Hauhaus did. They wished for roads, but they desired to have the making of them in order that they might receive the money. Capt. Mair explained to me that he had had a great deal of trouble with the Natives on this point, that if he set his men to work and had to go away on other business, as soon as his back was turned the working party would bo stopped ; that on more than one occasion a serious disturbance had taken place; that owing to their frequent obstructions he had not done so much as he could have wished; that he had always made a point of consulting the principal people of the place before he attempted to carry out any work, and usually he succeeded in carrying his point; but in the case complained of a woman was his principal opponent, and she was so obstinato that nothing but a money consideration would induce her to withdraw her opposition. This, of course, I could not recommend as it would form a bad precedent. If some arrangement could be mado for some of these people to work with Capt Mair's men I have little doubt that the difficulty could be overcome. In the meantime I requested Capt. Mair to suspend his road making operations near Kaiteriria, as soon as he had completed tho cutting up the steep hill on which he was employed, and await further instructions. These hindrances are very annoying. The work already completed by Capt. Mair skirting the Rotokakahi Lake is most satisfactory; a very little widening would make it a very good cart road of yery easy gradient, and one cannot but regret that such a useful work should be delayed for a day. On the same day (the 12th) I went to Wairoa (Tarawera) to see the Tuhourangi in reference to the land to be handed over to trustees as a Native school reserve. I did not meet with many Natives as most of them had gone to their settlements at Te Matata; Aporo one of their chiefs, pointed me out the site they proposed for the school, just below the Mission Station, having a good view of the Tarawera Lake. The site is a good one, and every way fitted for the purpose intended. The Natives are very anxious to start the school at once, and have handed over temporarily a house containing five rooms for the schoolmaster to reside in till the schoolhouse, Ac, is completed. The Natives have paid over to Mr. Hamlin £50 towards the necessary buildings, and the Hon. the Native Minister has beeu good enough to grant £100 out of school funds for the same purpose. I have written to the schoolmaster, Mr. Thos. Lewis, to start the school at once, and he will do so as soon as he can complete his arrangements. On the morning of the 13th I went according to appointment to Te Ngae, the principal settlement of the Ngatiuenukukopako and Ngatirangiteaorere hapus, and here again I was requested to explain the proposed Native District Council Act. The Natives expressed themselves highly satisfied, and only regretted that it was not law now as they had several laud disputes amongst themselves and with other hapus of the Arawa which they wero anxious should be settled. The Natives here as well as at the other Arawa settlements are anxious to extend their cultivations and to grow wheat and other cereals, and applied to me for agricultural implements and seed. I think it is a good feature and shows a disposition to settle down to steady work—a movement that ought to bo encouraged. I, therefore, respectfully recommend that the Natives be supplied to a limited extent with ploughs, Ac. The money I submit would be much better spent in this direction rather than in the purchase of large supplies of food which the Government have so frequently of late years been called upon to make to keep the people from starving. From the Ngae,l proceeded to Te Taheke (Rotoiti), where I found a large number of the Ngatipikiao assembled. The principal men present were Te Pokiha, Te Waata, Pita, Te Matangi, Tahuri, and Anaha, besides a great number of men of less note. There, again, I was requested to explain the Native District Council Bill, and elicited from them the same expressions of approval as to the principles of tho proposed Act. The only objection raised was by Te Pokiha, to that clause whero the Governor is empowered to nominate a President. He suggested that it would be far better to allow the elected members of the Council to choose from the outsiders a person to fill that office, as the power given to the Governor might be exercised without reference to the standing and capabilities of the person nominated, whereas the Council themselves would bo in a much bettor position, from personal knowledge, to select a proper man for the office. The suggestion is deserving of consideration. Tho next subject discussed was tho land set apart for a School Reserve by Te Waata and his people. Some of the younger men appeared to be dissatisfied as to the manner in which the matter had been managed by the older chiefs ; that in making their selection, the quantity of land taken from some individuals was greater in proportion than others. Some idea may be formed of the smallness of some of their holdings, when I state that the Reserve contains only twenty acres. After a great deal of talk, the matter was amicably arranged. I also, at the request of the owners of the land, consented to insert in the deed of trust, that in the event of the land not being required for school purposes, that it should revert to them, but that it should be for the Government to say whether it was required or not. A few matters connected with the Public Works Department wero then arranged with the Natives, and at about midnight our business closed. I am happy to be able to report the peaceable demeanor, and the firm loyalty of this powerful hapu of the Arawa tribe. They seem contented, and arc making preparations for enlarging their cultivations next season. I regret, however, to report the death of two old men of this tribe from starvation. It appears that one section of the Ngatipikiao were so straightened for want of food that they left in a body for the gum diggings near the Thames, leaving four of their old men, who were not able to travel, in charge of their settlement and cultivations ; two of the old men died, and the other two were found