G.-5.

1882. NEW ZEALAND.

WEST COAST ROYAL COMMISSION. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER APPOINTED UNDER "THE WEST COAST SETTLEMENT (NORTH ISLAND) ACT, 1880."

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency.

Hon. Sir W. Eox, West Coast Commissioner, to the Honorable the Native Minister. West Coast Commission Office, Sir,— New Plymouth, 3rd June, 1882; I have the honor to forward a report on the progress and present position of the work of my Commission, and to request that you will lay the same before His Excellency the Governor. I have, &c, William 3?ox. The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington;

To His Excellency the Honorable Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon, G.C.M.G., &c, &c, &c, Governor of New Zealand. May it please your Excellency,— In pursuance of the 9th section of the Commission issued to me by youi* Excellency on the 23rd December, 1880, under the powers contained in "The West Coast Settlement (North Island) Act," of that year, I have the honor to make a further report of the progress of the work which, under that Commission, it has been my duty to do. 1. When in January, 1881, I commenced under that Commission to give practical effect to the recommendations made to your Excellency by Sir Dillon Bell and myself under a previous Commission, I had to decide at Avhat part of the large tract known as the " Confiscated Block" it would be most advisable to commence my operations. I had already ascertained that the Natives in the southern portion of the block, from the Waingongoro to the Waitotara Rivers, were more desirous of having their reserves denned and their Crown grants issued than those to the north of the former river, who were more immediately in contact with Te Whiti and more under his influence, which had led them to believe that a title under Mm was better than one Linder the Queen. I therefore determined, with the exception of one or two cases which were ripe for action, to give immediate attention only to the southern portion, which comprised rather more than a third of the whole block. lam glad to be able to report that, within those limits, I have now disposed of every case in which pledges, either expressed or implied, had been given to the Natives, except some half-dozen small reserves in the Moumahaki District (the extreme southern portion of the block), with regard to which I anticipate no practical difficulty. I have, with these exceptions, recommended the issue of grants by your Excellency of all the reserves which have been, or will have to be, made in that part of the block. In order to be in a