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summer. The Omaahu and Pakowhai Schools have, lam sorry to say, been closed for some timo. The several villages at Waiohiki, Moteo, Omaahu, and Porangahau do now boast of very handsome buildings for churches, and the Natives have all seemed to take to religion more earnestly than ever, and are very attentive and regular at their respective places of worship. lam also sorry to report the death of Mr. Karaitiana Takamoana, M.H.R., who, after a short and painful illness, shortly after his return to Napier from Parliament, departed this life on the 24th February, 1879, at his residence at the Maori Club, White Road. A great many Natives from Te Wairoa, Wairarapa, Taupo, and tho Urewera country, came to tangi over their late friend and chief. Wairoa. The Natives in this portion of the district arc still persevering in agricultural pursuits, and have been going in largely for wheat, and have had a flour-mill erected. An old and loyal chief named Maihi, belonging to this district, died at AA^airoa about the time of the death of Karaitiana Takamoana. There have been some accounts current lately of a slight disturbance at Takapau re obstruction to the railway line, but I happened to be at AA'aipukurau when the police were ou their way to Takapau, and proceeded at once to the spot, and found that the matter was not so serious as reported. I will send you a separate report on that subject. Other than the above, the Natives at Takapau are a very orderly, well-behaved, and industrious lot. I have not had an opportunity (since I have beeu in charge of the Native Department here) of visiting the remaining portions of my district, but, at the samo time, I believe, if anything unusual had occurred, I should have been informed of it at once, and I trust that by next year I shall be able to give a more concise report on this district. I have, &c., The Under Secretary, Native Department, Jas. S. Master, Wellington. Native Officer, Napier District.

No. 9. Mr. H. S. AA'ardell, R.M., AVairarapa, to the Under Secretary, Native Department. Sir, — AVairarapa, 28th May, 1879. I have the honor to report that the Natives in this district continue in the satisfactory state last reported. In two or three instances a desire on the part of local bodies to construct roads through certain Native land, the title to which had not been adjudicated upon by the Native Land Court, has given occasion for negotiations which I undertook at your request, and which in each case have led to satisfactory arrangements. The Natives resident in several villages having expressed a desire that one of their number should be sworn in as special constable, I acceded to their request; and, the result of six months' experiment being satisfactory, I recommended, and you were good enough to approve, that six Natives should be appointed constables, one in each village, at a salary of £5 a year and a suit of uniform. I believe that these men will occasionally be an assistance to the regular police force of the district. I have, &c, Herbert S. AVardell, The Under Secretary, Native Department, Resident Magistrate. AVellington.

No. 10. Mr. R. W. Woon, R.M., Wanganui, to the Under Secretary, Native Department. Sir, — Native Office, Wanganui, 24th May, 1879. I have the honor, in accordance with the direction of the Hon. the Native Minister, as contained in your circular of the 7th April last, No. 5, to forward the annual report on the state of the Natives in my district. The Native feeling is much about the same as that of last year. The Maori is an impressionable being, and affected by influences from within and without, and as time passes on his character alters, and from the force of education he becomes a wiser if not a better man. The race, from increasing contact with the Anglo-Saxon (the great colonizers of the earth), advances every day in the scale of civilization, and soon all Maori customs and habits will become a thing of the past, and the one race will merge into the other, and we shall have a united people, speaking one language, aud conforming to the same manners, customs, and laws throughout the land. A very good understanding exists here between the two races, and all bitter feelings, arising out of the late strife, are fast dying out; and very soon the whole Wanganui Natives will become amenable to law, and no distinction will need to be made between the races, and class legislation will cease. Quite recently a Native of Manganuioteao (a most inaccessible country, 100 miles back) was given up to justice by his chief, AA riari Turoa, and tribe, the most warlike of the AVanganui hapus;