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No. 27. Major Mair, E.M., Alexandra, Waikato, to the Undee Secretary, Native Department. Sir,— Alexandra, 2.oth May, 1876. In presenting my annual report upon the condition of the Native tribes in the Waikato District, I may remark that I have very few new facts to add to my reports of former years. The general health of the people during the past twelve months has not been good. In addition to lung disease, so common among them, there has been a great deal of fever of a typhoid character, ending in most cases fatally. Measles, too, carried off a considerable number during the winter of 1875. A more industrious spirit prevails, and grain-growing has largely increased; unfortunately, the prices now ruling are unusually low, and the producers are somewhat discouraged. The desire to live nearer to European settlements is increasing; numbers, both of Waikato and Ngatimaniapoto, having moved down to Puniu, Kopua and other places in the vicinity of the Confiscation line, that they may be nearer to the market, and thus save carriage. Agricultural implements and machinery, and also flour mills, are much sought after. Crime is, I think, less prevalent. This is perhaps owing to the temperance movement, introduced by Tawhiao among the Kingites, and by Te Wheoro among the Kupapa, which has already obtained a strong hold upon the Natives throughout the district. The absence of intoxicating liquors at tangis and huis has been very marked ; even the dissipated Ngatihaua are much improved in this respect. There has been less political discussion than in former years ; even the " March Meeting " at the Kuiti, which had come to be regarded quite as an institution, did not take place. I can only account for this by supposing that, as Tawhiao has now determined to act independently of his chiefs, a gathering for the purpose of deciding upon any particular course now would be even a greater farce than the former meetings called for that purpose. In April, a large party of loyal Tarawera and Taupo people visited the chief Hauauru Poutama, for the purpose of removing the bones of a woman of their tribe who died at Paewhenua last year. They were met by Manga and invited to Te Kuiti, where they were hospitably entertained by Manuhiri and other chiefs of Waikato and Ngatimaniapoto. Poihipi and Perenara, the chiefs of the party, were much struck with the cordiality of their entertainers, the more so that there had not been any friendly intercourse between Tuhourangi and Waikato for several generations. The Hau-Hau section of Ngatiraukawa, living on the left bank of the Waikato Biver, between Taupo and Mangatautari, a country which a few years ago was considered the very hotbed of disaffection, have become very friendly and industrious ; to my own knowledge they have, during the last eight months expended more than £60 in the purchase of hand-mills for grinding their wheat. They have also commenced cattle-keeping on a larger scale than usual in these parts —Te Puke, one of their young chiefs, having got together not less than 180 head, which he tends with the greatest care. The new- form of worship called Tariao, introduced by Tawhiao, appears to have taken a firm hold upon the Kingites ; it has evidently been designed with the view to uniting the people under Tawhiao as their head. The Tariao, though less objectionable than any previous form of Hau-Hau worship, still retains a great deal of the old jargon of broken English. The murder of Edwin Packer near Auckland, in January, by a AVaikato Native called Winiata, who, having contrived to evade the police, is now hiding in the vicinity of Te Kuiti, has disturbed the Natives to a considerable extent. Openly the act is universally condemned by Kupapas as well as Kingites; but he doubtless has sympathisers on both sides, who aided his escape and now screen him from observation. Tawhiao, as far as I can learn, carefully avoids discussion upon the subject. Tawhiao is very anxious to meet the Hon. the Native Minister, aud has invited him to a conference at Kapiha, which will come off shortly, and it is hoped that a solution of the long-standing "difficulty" will at last be arrived at; in the meantime, a better feeling between the two races is becoming more and more apparent, and, in any case, it cannot be long before entirely satisfactory relations are established. Upon the whole, I am of opinion that the Natives of this district exhibit a fair rate of advancement, and there is goo.d reason to believe that they will continue to improve. I have, &c, The Under Secretary, Native Department. W. G. Maie.

No. 28. Mr. C. Marshall, Port Waikato, to the Under Secretary, Native Department. Sir ,— Port Waikato, 18th May, 1876. I have the honor to forward, for the information of the Hon. the Native Minister, a report of the Natives of Lower "Waikato, embracing the tribes of Ngatitahinga, Ngatitipa, and Ngatireko. lam happy to say that the whole of them remain loyal, and conform to and uphold the British law. All within my control are sober and well-conducted, abstaining from intoxicating drinks. I regret to say that there has been a great deal of sickness and many deaths of late, accruing principally from consumption. The Natives in the vicinity of the river have suffered seriously from the late floods, some losing the whole of their crops, others only losing a portion by the flood, and congratulating themselves that they had secured some by cultivating on higher land, but upon harvesting the crop find that they are in equally as bad a dilemma as the rest, as the fly had attacked the potatoes and rendered them totally useless for seed ; and without assistance as regards seed, the Natives will be, this ensuing year, in a state of destitution, as they remark they have to contend with the elements and the pheasants. I have, &c., The Under Native Secretary, Wellington. C. Marshall.

No. 29. Dr. Haesant, E.M., Eaglan, to the Hon. the Natiye Minister. Sic,— Eaglan, 15th May, 1876. In forwarding my annual report on Native matters relating to this district, I have the honor