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the adjoining districts, generally of whooping-cough, but there appears to have been but little mortality among adults. Dr. Armitage continues to attend Natives, and medical comforts have been supplied to the sick as usual. The crops have been fair, and there is no prospect of distress this winter. I can trace an increasing desire amongst the Native population to obtain work as farm labourers, caused, I conceive, by the high wages now offered. It is of importance, as tending to show that, even if tho Natives divest themselves of land, the young men would be able to support themselves. There is also a desire on the part of Natives to obtain work on roads, which, I think, should bo encouraged by the Government. In the Police Court, Tauranga, the convictions of Natives during the past year were —For drunkenness, 12 ; for larceny, 4; for assault, 5 ; other cases, 2. I cannot trace any improvement in the matter of temperance, but this, I may observe, depends entirely on the quantity of money circulating amongst them. A considerable number of civil cases between Natives and Europeans have been decided at the Tauranga Resident Magistrate's Court. No political difficulties have occurred with the Natives of this district during the last year, and there is even nothing to allege against the Pirirakau, hitherto so troublesome to Government. No purely Native school is now in operation in Tauranga, but ten sons of chiefs, collected from the Bay of Plenty, attend the district school, and are boarded in the Government establishment. I have recommended the Natives residing near to send their children, but they are indifferent to the matter. 2. Maketu District. My previous remarks as to infant and adult mortality apply also to this district. Dr. Walker was sent by Government to assist during the epidemic of whooping-cough. The Natives, however, are very desirous to obtain a resident medical man at Ohinemutu, and, looking at the benefits which would result to both races, I trust Government will see fit to grant some subsidy for attendance on Natives to induce a man of ability to take up his residence there. Resident Magistrates' Courts have been held monthly, both at Maketu and at Ohinemutu, in this district. The criminal business has been light, and the convictions few. The Ohinemutu Natives continue litigious, and keep me and my assessors (to whom I am indebted for cordial assistance) fully employed on civil cases during my monthly visits to that place. Since my last report my .recommendation that police should be stationed there has been given effect to, and has already had its influence on the morality of the place. The question of the adoption of the Native Licensing Act has been brought by me under the notice of the chiefs, who will shortly hold a meeting on the subject. The paramount subject of interest to the Arawa tribes has been the establishment of the " Great Committee of Rotorua," as they term it. It consists of about sixty men, selected from the several hapus, having for its object the investigation of Native land titles, their prominent ideas being that, if the committee hold a preliminary inquiry before a case comes into tho Native Land Court, (1) money will not be wasted in overlapping surveys; (2) litigious claimants will not be able to oblige the owners to pay for surveys against their will; (3) they think the committee will have the confidence of the Natives, and could settle intricate claims better than the Court. They do not ask that the Court should be abolished, but merely that the committee should send up claims for confirmation. It has been the opinion of many Europeans, as well as of Natives, that a Native committee would be the best able to deal with Native claims, and certainly if this committee could carry out what they propose they would deserve the thanks of the Government and the tribes, for nowhere are land titles so complicated as in this district; but unfortunately up to the present time the " great committee " have been chiefly conspicuous for quarrels amongst themselves. However, they have amongst them chiefs who are really anxious for the good of their people, and they have appointed July next for a protracted sitting, when it is to be hoped that their proceedings may be more profitable than has hitherto been the case. The committee conduct their sittings with a sort of mimic parade, hoisting a flag on a carved flagstaff when they are sitting, ringing bells, sealing their decisions with a seal, and regulating all their proceedings by a voluminous set of rules. The Natives in the Maketu district are not large producers of grain, but I think they are improving in this respect; they have every encouragement to do so from the assistance Government have afforded them in repairing their mills. Those at Te Ngae and at Rotoiti have been under repair during the past year, and are now nearly ready for use. 3. Opotiki District, I have visited this district several times during the past year. In it the Natives are conspicuous for industry and for their amenity to the law; their superiority as agriculturists over those of the adjoining districts being caused, I consider, by their having no other means of obtaining money. Besides their own industries considerable numbers of Natives residing about Opotiki work as farm labourers. Large quantities of grain continue to be grown by the Natives. Besides the European mill at Opotiki, the Natives have one at Te Kaha, and will shortly have one, if not two, at Whakatane.