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make carriage roads, and I find fault with them because I have to pay for those roads. I will not find fault with the Government because of these Councils. They were not forced upon us. They were offered to us to carry out if we wished. It was for us to approve of them or to reject them. Ido not blame the Government for taking the land; the blame rests with the people who sold the lands. They offered to sell, and the Government accepted their offer. Therefore it was not the fault of the Government. The only fault I find with the Government is the establishment of these Road Boards— the Road Board on the West Coast, from AVairoa to Hokianga. I was always in the habit of using the road that has been there, but now the Road Board want to make me pay for using that road. I am grieved about that. Perhaps Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan will remove this wrong, and carry out this road out of the Government funds without asking the Maoris to pay rates. Arama Karaka : The first word that I have to say to-day is, that we are adherents of the Queen, and living under the shadow of her laws. These days are set apart for us to make known our grievances. lam like a man that has been married to the Queen for ever. (Song.) For the last three days we have been talking about grievances. The Queen sent the Governor to protect us, so that we might become her subjects. When the Queen's laws came here we agreed to them. We did not know adversity then, but we saw it afterwards. I shall support what the Ngatipaoa said in reference to that block of land. A law was made by the Governor that the lands should be surveyed and adjudicated upon, and then that a Crown grant should issue in order to secure the land to us. I approved of having my land surveyed in order that I might get a Crown grant, but after that I found that there was mate for me in the Crown grant, because I found that it rendered me liable to be taxed every year by the Road Board. That is one of the grievances that I have to complain of, because the land belongs to me, and I ought not to be taxed for what belongs to myself. I have another grievance. I own a piece of land, and a pakeha asked me to sell it to him. I agreed to sell it for a certain sum, but the pakeha said to me, " I shall have to pay a certain amount of duty out of the purchase-money to the Government, and that will have to be deducted from the amount which I havo to pay to you." For this reason I think it is better you should retain the land under the original Native title, because no trouble will then come upon it. I think of the first word that was taught us when the pakehas came here, that we should love God with all our soul and might, and that we should love our neighbour as ourself. God aud the Gospel first; then the Government. I have experienced some of these grievances, and therefore I approve of the remarks that have been made by you. Paraone Ngaweke: I apjirovo of what the Chairman has said as to the questions for us to discuss here. Ido not approve of people wandering away from the subjects that we ought to discuss. lam glad that Paul has made a rule for our guidance. I have a word to say to Sir George Grey and Sheehan, our fathers who have been appointed to take care of us and our lands. Although Sir Donald McLean has departed, his words still remain in this world. We still follow the policy of Sir Donald McLean. It is for the new Government to protect the Maori race. The troubles that afflict this Island have not been caused by the Government, but by the Maoris, the Government, and private individuals. It was you, the Maoris, who sold your lands to the Government and to private individuals. The Government have been accused of having been the cause of those troubles. They were produced by private purchasers. Ido not know whether it was by the direction of the Queen or not. I refer now to the reduction in the price of land. The greatness of my love for the Government was proved when I sold them some of my lands. The Queen has given us our love in return for that land because we have derived many benefits from the railway that runs to Kaipara now-. My opinion of Sir George Grey and Sheehan is, that they are now protecting the people of this Island. It is for those two to look into the grievances of the Natives. The Government have shown great love for the Natives by appointing magistrates. There is a piece of land which was taken from me by the pakehas without my permission. The name of that land was AVaipiro. It was not purchased by the Government, but it was taken by Dr. Pollen, who bought it from some other Natives, my claim being ignored. I will not speak of that to-day. Paul was always a great man up to the time the Europeans came, and he is a great man now. It is through him that wo havo been invited to come to this house to discuss our grievances. AYe never did any wrong. All the troubles that have come upon us havo been caused by Europeans. The wrong of the Government is, that they have the lands surveyed without passing through the Court, and afterwards Crown-granted. Formerly only one person's name was inserted in the Crown grant, and the other owners' names were left out. This law came from the Government of England. Another grievance I have is this: I live in the bush, and I want to find out who it was that introduced the pheasants here. That is a most destructive treasure that the pakehas have introduced into this country. I think the law ought to find out the person who introduced that bird into this country. 1 suffer great loss through this bird. lam obliged to go out and watch my kumara beds with a gun. I had a cat beside me when a certain bird came. The pheasant took up my cat and flew away with it. That cat was named after me, " Koropiko." The pheasant carried my cat up so many feet and then let it go. Ido not know how many feet. Another grievance is, that lam compelled to take out a license to shoot pigeons and to collect oysters. I think I ought to be allowed to shoot that bird on my own land, though it is only right that a person should take out a license to shoot on Government land. I shall finish my speech with a song. (Song.) The meeting adjourned at 1 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. for dinner. Thediscussion was resumed at 2.30 p.m., when the building was crowded. About a hundred Europeans were present, a steamer having been laid on to make trips from Auckland. There were several ladies amongst those present, who were accommodated with seats near the platform. Paul Tuhaere then read a Maori translation of the address sent by Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan. At the request of the Natives present the speech was read a second time, amidst great applause. He then said, "It is for you to express your opinions on this speech. To-day we have plenty of work before us, as this telegram will afford many subjects for discussion. [Printed copies of the speech were then distributed amongst the Natives.] Pairama: Salutations to you, Paul and Henry Kemp. My word in reference to this Treaty of AVaitangi is, that the good and the evil were ours. It was agreed to by our ancestors who are dead. They accepted the mate and the ora for the land. It was done by that Parliament. If the tree had