20

G.—l

With regard to Ngatikauwhata residing at Awahuri, on the Oroua Stream, I have to state that this hapu has obtained Crown grants for 6,250 acres of land out of the RangitikeiManawatu Block. On this they have located thirty-four European families, chiefly on leases for twenty-one years, in some cases with purchasing clause, and in a few instances by absolute sale of the land. One of the grantees, Takana te Kawa, has just completed a handsome and expensive bridge over the Mangaone Stream, for the use of himself and his European tenants. As a part settlement of the claims of Ngatikauwhata to land sold by various tribes to Government, the hapu has obtained a steam thresher and engine, costing nearly £700. Having finished threshing the crops of the Natives, it has been engaged in threshing those of the neighbouring settlers. The hapu is looking forward to a sitting of the Native Land Court to issue titles to the remainder of their land, on the south side of the Oroua Stream. I may say Mr. A. McDonald, on behalf of Ngatikauwhata, has received a very large number of applications from Europeans wishing to lease or buy locations on this block as soon as the title is issued. It is considered this block will carry from fifty to eighty families, witb from 100 to 200 acres each. The estimated area of the block is about 10,000 acres. With regard to education, at Awahuri there is a school established under the Native Schools Acts, but the European tenants and settlers are moving for a school under the Education Board of the Provincial District of Wellington. Tapa te Whata has presented the Education Board with a piece of land whereon to build-: it is therefore as yet a question whether there shall be two schools or only one. The hapu is looking forward to a considerable breadth of crop next season, as they are anxious to provide employment for their steam thresher. As to stock, I have to state that the Natives here have as many as the land they retain in their own hands will carry. At Te Reureu, about six miles from Marton, the German Missionary Society have erected a substantial school-house; the Natives have given about five and a half acres of land for the purpose, and have had it neatly fenced in. The school has been opened, and I hear the attendance, conduct, and progress made by the pupils are exceedingly encouraging. The Natives generally exhibit much interest in this school, and do much to encourage the master, a young German missionary, who is heartily devoted to his work. The Natives here have some very nice little cultivations on the block, but as a whole I find the Maoris indulge too freely in strong drink and card-playing; there are, howevei*, indications of a better disposition among them. In November last a stranger (Maori) from Taupo, staying at Te Reureu, while drunk, fell from his horse, and was found dead the next morning by one of our settlers. The Maoris were much excited about the cause of his death. The Coroner decided to hold an inquest, at which many Natives were present. The jury brought in a verdict of " Accidental death." The Natives expressed themselves pleased and satisfied with the proceedings and the result. About ten months ago another school was opened for the Maoris at Turakina by a Mr. Millson, a Christian gentleman who has done it of his own desire to do good among these people. He has about twenty pupils; they have made considerable progress in reading and speaking English; they have also made a good start in writing and arithmetic. lam told it is a source of much pleasure to hear them sing Sankey's hymns. Some of the children from Parewanui—a distance of over twenty miles—are living now at Turakina for the purpose of attending this school. The Natives assist Mr. Millson with some of the necessaries of life, but inadequately. It appears to me to be a fitting case for assistance from the Government under the Native School Acts. The church in Turakina is used as a school-house. The Ngatiapa tribe (residing here) is as a whole making considerable moral progress, and as a matter of course also in industry. I must note also that at1 Turakina the Natives have built a neat house specially for meetings of "runangas," with apartments for papers and documents —a sort of Maori office. They have aholished strong drink, and look upon it as a crime. I think I may say of this tribe that their number of late years has increased : it is by no means unusual to see families of many children. I must add that the Natives at Turakina have some of the finest grazing farms in the district, carrying many hundreds of the finest sheep and a number of well-bred horses and cattle. I have now much pleasure in reporting upon Ratana Ngahuia's homestead at Awahou, on the south bank of the Rangitikei River, in the Carnarvon Block: it is said to be one of the best in the neighbourhood; it contains about 700 acres of good agricultural land. Ratana (who is a Native Assessor) has made considerable improvements upon it. He has grown some fine fields of wheat and oats, and has a flock of about 1,200 sheep and about 150 bead of cattle, besides a number of draught and riding horses. His wool this last season realized about £400. A few weeks ago he purchased at auction two pure-bred Lincoln rams imported from England by J. W. Gower, Esq., of the Carnarvon Estate, and also a highly-bred short-horn bull, from the herd of J. D. Canning, Esq., of Napier, for which animals he paid a high sum of money. Ratana has every convenience for working his farm—a good wool-shed and other outbuildings, together with all the necessary farming implements. He has shown a good example to the other Natives of his neighbourhood, and will, in the course of a very short time, be able to compete with his European friends in the production of stock of all kinds. Maramaihoea is a settlement near the Rangitikei River, where some of the Ngatimaniapoto and other tribes live. They have about 100 acres under crop, and produce some of the finest wheat in the district, which they dispose of at the highest market value; and also own a flock of about 400 good sheep. They are well supplied with draught horses and farming implements, and are industrious as compared with the generality of Natives. Mangamahoe and Matahiwi are other settlements further up the Rangitikei River, towards