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to discuss those questions which related to the welfare of the race. The matter is now under consideration, and it will be discussed by the members of the Government as soon as they gather together in Wellington. As soon as the decision is known, the leading chiefs throughout the Island will be informed of it; and if it should be determined to call a meeting of the kind you will hear more of it. I now presume that we have exhausted all the topics of discussion, and that nothing further of importance is left to discuss at this meeting. I hope, therefore, that you are all satisfied and are of opinion that I have met you fairly and openly. Remember that no people ever get all their wishes satisfied; it would never do if they got all they wanted, for sometimes they prefer wants which, if satisfied, would not be for their good. I think now that we fairly understand each other. We have arrived at this point, that questions can be openly discussed between us, when the reason for and against every request or demand will be fairly and openly argued out. My desire has been to do all that I possibly can to elevate the condition of the Native people; and that is the desire of every member of the Government. The Premier, Mr. Stout, has charge of the question of education, and his anxious desire is that schools should be established in all the Native settlements, and he wishes me to impress upon you the necessity of the elder people seeing that the children attend school with regularity. One of our great difficulties is that, when a school has been established and the children have attended for some time with tolerable regularity, the attendance falls off suddenly without apparent cause. The parents get indifferent and the children fall away. Now, I have to make this request at the conclusion, that, when schools are established, you will all unite to see that the children attend them. You can only hold your own with Europeans if you are an educated people, and you should all see that in the. future, for your own sakes—for your own existence — the children are fairly educated. Where I have found boys sufficiently educated, I have assisted them to get employment in the Civil Service, and I shall continue to do so. I make this, therefore, as a last and most important request, that, while the Government are willing to establish schools—to erect buildings and pay for them, and pay for the teachers—you will do your part, which is to see that the children attend, the schools. And now, finally, I thank you all for the very cordial welcome you have given me, and also for your patient hearing.

Authority: Geoeqe Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBs.