G.—l.

1875. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORTS FROM OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Mr. E. S. Bush, Eaglan, to the Hon. the Natite Minister. Sib, — Eesident Magistrate's Office, Eaglan, Ist April, 1875. I have the honor to report for your information that I proceeded to Motakotako, on Thursday, the 25th of March, for the purpose of being present at a meeting which was to be held there in honor of Tawhiao's visit. Most of the friendly Natives of the district were present, the principal chiefs being Wetini Mahikai, Hakopa Kotuku, Kewene te Haho, Te Awaitaia, Hone Pirihi, Hemi Nero, Kiwihuatahi, Eenata te Wharepuhi, Te Whareroa, and Paekau. Upon arrival we were received and entertained by Hone te One and his Ngatihikairo relatives. Tawhiao was to have arrived on Friday morning, but in consequence of the illness of his little daughter he did not put in an appearance until about seven o'clock on Monday morning. He was accompanied by his three sons Te Eata (otherwise Tv Tawhiao), Te Pouku, and Te Ngairo. Hone Wetere, Te Hiku, and Te Eawhiti also came with him. When the usual cry was concluded, the speech-making commenced. All the friendly chiefs enumerated spoke, and the whole of the sayings of the Kupapas were merely words of welcome, the words being the same in every chief's speech. When all of them had spoken, Tawhiao replied: his speech and waiata are attached to the notes. His speech ended the talk for the first day. On Tuesday morning early, he commenced by telling Hone te One that he had come to fetch him to go to Kawhia at once, and that, if he consented to go there, he (Tawhiao) would also make that his principal place of abode. About eleven o'clock, Te Kewene and other chiefs, who had returned to the Makaka to sleep, arrived, and the speech-making was again resumed by Wetini Mahikai. Notes of the speeches are attached hereto. Tawhiao waited till all had spoken, when he replied to all of their speeches at once. The custom, in vogue at the Hauhau meetings, of no person speaking after Tawhiao, was strictly adhered to on this occasion, and his addresses terminated all the discussions. The subject of the speeches on Tuesday referred to Waikato becoming one, with Kawhia as head-quarters, and the March meeting being held there. The addresses of the Kupapa chiefs were very similar one to the other. During the afternoon he was talking to Wetini, Hakopa, and myself inside the whare. He told us about the day he spent with you at Otorohanga, and what passed on that occasion ; his statement coincides exactly with what was written at Alexandra, and agreed upon by all of us, as the correct account of your interviews with him at Waitomo and Otorohanga. With reference to his speech, and your reply, he said, when he heard you say you could not comply with his request about the return of Waikato, he closed his hand in order that you might know it was ended: " kua mutu " being the words he used. With regard to the Kuiti meeting, he says he knows you will not come, because you never consented to meet him there, but at Kawhia. Nevertheless, he has left instructions with Te Ngakau to send for him immediately, if there was any chance of your being present. He directed Takerei to reply to the letter you wrote him from Alexandra, with an invitation to you to attend the March meeting, which, in consequence of your absence, falls through. Tawhiao told me, if his daughter was better upon his return to Kawhia, he should go to Te Kuiti for a day or so, and would return to Kawhia almost immediately, as he was going to leave his wives and family there. The reason he gave for pressing this March meeting at Te Kuiti, was to enable the old chiefs who are there to participate ; for the sake of these old men and women, he desires to have it there, the plea being, they are too old to travel to Kawhia. Hakopa replied to this, that he considered he was quite as old as Manuhiri, and therefore Manuhiri was just as able to come to the coast as he to go inland. Were it not for this, Tawhiao would have consented to your words respecting Kawhia, at Waitomo. He insisted upon my remaining with him all the time we were together, and would not hear of my coming away until he left for the Makaka. Every now and again, he would refer to your meeting at Waitomo, and say he knew you would not come to Te Kuiti for the Maehe; hence his spending the Maehe at Aotea. He expressed his regret at not having said more to you than he did at Waitomo I—G. 1.