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resisted. The Natives Avill say to us, " You have told us it is a laudable thing to send our sons to school. We have done so—we have got them educated; and you won't find them employment." Eive lads were sent down to Wellington in this Avay, as I say ; but there is no suitable employment for them. I believe they are honest, industrious, well-behaved boys, and it is a great pity that no employment can be found for them. There is no work in the department to give them. Two are employed in the Government Printing Office, and another is employed in some odd jobs; but, speaking broadly, these lads are going about Wellington idle, at a cost to the colony of £700 a year. The cost is not of much importance. The important point is, that these lads will suffer injury themselves from being idle, and are likely to pick up bad companions. Moreover, it is quite possible that the number of such lads may grow from five to fifty. If the personal system of management is continued it will be almost impossible to send these boys back to their parents. It would be a dangerous thing, and one which I think no Native Minister would care to do. That, I think, goes, as far as any instance I have given, to show the great and growing danger to the country of the personal mode of government in these Native matters. Sir, I have been trying to give the House a general idea of how the work of this department gets on under the personal system of government. Ido not know whether I have succeeded so far; but I shall noAV quote a few figures for the purpose of making my Statement as useful as possible for reference. I stated at the commencement that I would not indulge in figures, but lam afraid some feAV are necessary. I have a return here of the actual expenditure of the Native Department for the year 1878-79, and also beloAV it a return of the expenditure for the succeeding three months. I will take the year first: Eor the Civil List £7,000 was appropriated, and £7,000 expended. That is done under an Act. It was insisted upon in the colony years ago that a certain amount of expenditure on Native matters should take place, and that amount Avas fixed at £7,000. That accounts for the amount appropriated and the amount expended being the same. Eor salaries and contingencies the amount appropriated-aa_is £17,112, and the amount expended £21,676. As a matter of justice to the department, it is right to say that this discrepancy has not arisen from extraA .igance in the department. It has arisen from an item called " Contingencies," to which, presently, I shall have to make further allusion. Eor "Native Schools" the amount appropriated was £14,540, and the amount expended £13,707. I shall have to refer to that item also presently. It is some satisfaction to say that it is passing aAvay from the control of the department altogether, and therefore I need not say much upon the subject. For "Land Erauds Prevention" the amount appropriated Avas £437 10s., and the amount expended Avas £417 13s. lOd. That expenditure is also under Act. Eor the percentage on "Land Sales in the Wairarapa" at 5 per cent., £150 AA ras voted, and £131 19s. 7d. expended. Eor the Native Land Court the amount appropriated Avas £8,071, and the amount expended £9,561, shoAAdng an excess of £1,493. The total amount appropriated for these services Avas £47,311, and the total expenditure £52,498. With respect to the item, "Roads in Native Districts," the amount appropriated was £20,000, and the amount expended £16,146. Then there is another item, which is under a different section of the department —the Land Purchase Department—" Roads to open up Lands purchased by the Government from the Natives," for which £15,000 Avas voted, and £500 expended. But during the succeeding quarter these figures assumed a different aspect, and both these items for roads in Native districts have, during the three months, been about exhausted. In saying they are nearly exhausted, I must explain that I haAre included certain liabilities, amounting to a considerable sum, and I admit that it is an open question, whether they should be included or not. I said I should make further allusion to "Contingencies," because it is owing to that item that the excess in expenditure has taken place. I suppose honorable members will scarcely be surprised to hear that the sum voted for contingencies has been exceeded. The amount voted for the year 1878-79 for " Contingencies " Avas £2,100, and, taking the proportion —£500—for the next quarter, the total amount for the fifteen months Avould be £2,600. The expenditure has been £18,599. I ought to observe that there are in this certain-liabilities which have