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so often involved in matters relating to Native title. In fact, they speak and write as though they had a vested right in the lands now in the possession of the Natives. This is well known to those most interested, and a certain section of them are determined to obstruct what they consider "Pakeha" encroachment, and with some slight show of reason. They see thousands of acres of valuable lands awarded to military settlers lying waste, and yet the Europeans are hankering after the limited extent of country still in their possession. I regret to say that a large section of the Natives are being imbued with the sentiment, " Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." They are perfectly oblivious as to the future, and will inevitably pauperize themselves and their successors if the Government do not stretch forth a protective hand to save them from their own reckless extravagance. It is quite a common thing to hear people say that " they are not children, and therefore quite capable of looking after their own interests." If they are not children, they are equally unable to act with judgment and discretion so far as their landed property is concerned, and equally require their interests to be guarded by some authority wiser than themselves. The Tauranga District is estimated to contain 214,000 acres. The Government have purchased 80,000, and confiscated 50,000. I estimate at the very least 15,000 acres have been acquired from the Natives by private individuals, making a total of 145,000 acres. By "The Native Lands Act, 1873," sec. 24, there is a proviso that "No land reserved for the support and maintenance of the Natives, as also endowments for their benefit, shall be considered a sufficiency for such purpose, unless the reserves so made for these objects added together shall be equal to an aggregate amount of not less than fifty acres per head for every Native man, woman, and child." The Native population of Tauranga, by last census, was 1,245. Taking this as a basis of calculation, the Tauranga Natives ought to have 62,250 acres : adding those figures to the acreage already acquired gives a total of 207,250 acres, leaving a small balance of 6,750 acres open for purchase. I am aware that the views I have ventured to express above are by no means popular, but that should not deter any one from giving his opinion on so important a question, and I only advance what I have said on the subject to show that the Europeans of Tauranga have no real cause of complaint, notwithstanding the statement so repeatedly made, that the settlement of the district and its progress has been retarded owing to the Native land being locked up through the influence of the Native Department. With regard to the opposition of the Pirirakau, it should be clearly understood that it is no new thing. It is simply a repetition of the active protest made in 1866, not against any individual European purchaser, but against the system of confiscation altogether. W rhile this agitation is going on I would strongly urge upon the Government to retain for the present under its own control all the unallotted or unsold lands in the Te Puna District; and, on the other hand, I would as strongly urge that the Pirirakau be made to understand, on every suitable occasion, that the Government will not relinquish their right to an inch of land purchased or confiscated —any sign of wavering may be followed by bad effects. I would also suggest that every possible means should be used, short of a display of force, to induce the Ngatirangiwewehi Natives to return to their own country. So long as such a formidable baud of malcontents remain in Tauranga, they will encourage the Pirirakau in taking up any position they choose to assume, and be a constant source of anxiety to the Government, and annoyance to Ngaiterangi and their European neighbours. I have, &c, Henry T. Clarke, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Under Secretary.

Enclosure in No. 17. E hoa ma,— Tauranga, Mci 4, 1877. Tena koutou. I mua i takuhokinga ki Poneke c hiahia ana ano ahau kite tuku pukapuka whakamahara atu ki a koutou mo aku korero i whakapuaki atu ahau ki a koutou i Huharua i te 30 o Aperira. Inaianei kua noho tahi koutou me nga pakeha; kua tae ratou ki nga piihi i tika ai i runga i te ture. Kaua koutou c whakararuraru i aua Pakeha, kei waiho hei mea whakakino i te whakaaro o te tangata, erangi kia pai ta koutou noho, kia atawhai whakatupuria te pai. Ko nga tangata o koutou c noho ana i te piihi a tetahi Pakeha me neke atu, waiho taua whenua. Tenei hoki tetahi kupu, kaua koutou c whai reo ki nga Pakeha, mehemea he korero ta koutgu, ahu mai kite Kawanatanga ara, kite Kai-whakahaere c noho nei i Tauranga ki a Te Paramena, kia pai ai, kia marama ai he tikanga: tena ko te ahu atu ki nga Pakeha, ehe ana tena. Kua ki hoki te Minita mo te taha Maori mehemea c noho tika ana nga Pakeha i runga i vga piihi i riro tika i a ratou ka tae te Kawanatanga kite awhina i era. Ko tenei, kia pai ta koutou noho. Na to koutou hoa tawhito, Na Te Karaka. Xi a Pene Taka, ki a Parata, ki a Manuera, ki a Hetaraka, Henry T. Clarke. otira ki a Te Pirirakau katoa kei Whakamarama.