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listen with proper respect to any advice he has to offer. Tawhiao has also referred to selfgovernment for the Maori race. He says, " Why not give the people the right to manage their own affairs?" To a large extent I agree with that. We are now extending self-government to the Native race under the Parliament and Government and institutions of the colony. Tawhiao : We want it independently of the Government. Mr. Ballance: To that I answer, there can only be one supreme authority in New Zealand. Every one knows that divided authority would be ruinous to both races; but, subject to that, we are prepared to extend to the Native people large powers of self-government by means of their Native Committees. We propose to give to those Committees larger powers, and to make them really represent the people. Why, what did Tawhiao do the other day ? He signed a petition, with others of the Native people, asking that one of the laws of the colony should be put in force in the whole of the Waikato, taking in Kawhia; and did not the law come to his assistance ? The whole of the country was included, in accordance with the request of those who signed the petition, and the sale of drink was excluded, by the law of the colony, from the whole of this territory. Is it not therefore clear to your minds that, when Tawhiao has made his request, the Government was prepared to grant it, under the laws of the colony ? Does not that prove that the law of the colony is sufficient for the protection of both races'? I have said that requests made by Tawhiao will always be listened to with respect. That request was not only listened to with respect, but was granted ; and Tawhiao may make other requests which will be not only listened to with respect but may also be granted. I have said that the laws of the colony are sufficient. The laws may not meet exactly all the wants of the Natives, but you have the power, through the Parliament, of making them equal to the whole wants of the Native people ; and I have asked that Tawhiao shall consult with us, in order that these laws may be made more perfect and more beneficial to the Native race. That is all at present. Tawhiao asked whether any reply had been sent to England with regard to the petition to the Queen which had been referred to the New Zealand Government ? Mr. Ballance : Tawhiao has asked whether any reply has been sent to England with regard to the petition that was sent Home to the Queen. The Law Officers of the Crown are preparing a reply to the English Government with regard to this matter. The question that has been raised with respect to the Treaty of Waitangi has been carefully considered, and the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown shall be sent Home to the English Government. The Treaty does not give the right to set up two Governments in New Zealand. The chiefs there bound themselves to accept the laws of the Queen, in exchange for which she guaranteed to them their lives, their liberty, and their property. We are prepared, under that Treaty, as I have said'—under the laws which the Queen has given to the colony, and under the Constitution of the colony—to give the Natives large powers of self-government. That is the meaning of the Treaty, and I tell Tawhiao this and the people this: that no foreign body, no foreign Power, will be allowed to interfere with the internal affairs of this colony. I say this in the name of the Europeans of this colony, and of a large proportion of the Native people. We prize and value our own institutions, and no foreign interference will ever be tolerated. I hope my words are clear here. Te Wheoro : The reason that I get up to speak is, that you and Tawhiao have referred to the journey to England, and have referred to the Treaty of Waitangi. I had something to do with that; lam concerned in it, so are all the people in New Zealand, whether they be friendly Natives or rebels. It is right what you said, that Lord Derby would never say anything to disparage the Government of New Zealand. The reason is this. He wants first to get your reply. You will not be able to foretell or to know whether mine would be trampled under foot, neither do I know whether it will be trampled under foot; but it would be known when your reply reaches England. All that we know is, that our petition has been laid before Lord Derby. The only reply that we got from him was, that he could do nothing until he received the Government reply. Lord Derby told us that, if ours was found to be wrong, we would be told so. It is correct that the power in the Island was given to the Government, but I had nothing to do with it. I had nothing to do with giving up the power to your Government. I have had nothing to say. I have been allowed no share in the management of matters for the Natives, and, although you may appoint me as a representative, everything that you instigated, and nothing that I recommended or instigated, was done. Your statement that all power was given by the Treaty of Waitangi to the Europeans is not correct. It was given to both of us. It was given to you, and to me, too. The reason I say it was given to me as well as to you is because it states in the Treaty of Waitangi that the Maori chiefs should be treated in the same way as the people of England, and given the same power. It was understood that the Maoris would be allowed to govern themselves in the same way that the Europeans are allowed to govern themselves. But lam very glad to hear the words that you have said—that is, that we should all join together in making the laws for the Native race. I want you to be quick in sending your answer to the petition. Your speech that you have made to-day shows that you are drawing near to us. Had previous Governments only agreed to do that.—to take the Maoris into consideration —there would have been no trouble, because the Maori race would have taken part in making the laws which govern them. With regard to Tawhiao's expression, "Do you give the Maoris a government for themselves ? " give it to the chiefs of the tribes, and the Island will be safe ; but let there be one head for us all. I will agree to that; and that one shall be to look after you and after me, that will be the Queen. It should not be Tawhiao, because he belongs to me—he is my king. If that is done, we shall both be safe. lam willing to accept the Queen as our head, and we shall be responsible to her for the management of our affairs in the same way as you are responsible to her. Give the government of the Maori race to the Maori chiefs. What harm is there in it? Has it ever been tried yet, to see whether evil will come of it or not? This has been the cause of all the trouble during past years: that the Maoris have not been allowed to try and govern themselves. That is the way that all the people here look at it. Paora Tuhaere : I support what Tawhiao has said, Now the Parliament makes laws; but