4

G.—2

the latter, as a body, are quite content to accept things as they are, and to believe that the Government means well by theni. The Ngapuhis view everything emanating from a Government official with a great amount of suspicion, and are constantly harping upon the Treaty of Waitangi, embassies to England, Acts, which they contend are ultra vires, as affecting the Maori people, petitions to the Queen, &c, &c. This feeling of unrest and dissatisfaction is fostered by those persons who are never happy unless they are bringing themselves into prominence, or acquiring notoriety of some sort. Though many of the Natives do not understand what it is they do actually want, I imagine that the sum and substance of it when reduced to quasi common-sense, is a desire for some sort of wild homerule. At the same time there is a great lack of unanimity of thought and action amongst them, and one tribe at all times is inclined to be suspicious and mistrustful of the aims and intentions of another. When " King " Tawhiao recently visited the Bay of Islands, very little notice of the matter was taken throughout the north, although the occasion had been notified for some months beforehand. Only one representative of the Rarawa Tribe attended, and in conversation with me shortly after his return, he expressed himself pretty plainly on " King " matters generally. The Bay of Islands Native Committee held their first meeting here in January last; eleven out of the twelve members were present, the majority having travelled great distances in order to take part in the proceedings. Hone Mohi Tawhai, late member of the House of Representatives, was elected chairman, and as provided by law, he immediately took the oath of allegiance before me, subsequently administering the same himself to the other members of the Committee. lam not aware that the Committee has as yet done anything worthy of note, and I do not think very much interest is taken in its existence. The enormous district within its jurisdiction, and the great distance that some of its members will have to travel in order to attend meetings, must militate against its usefulness in some degree. A matter which has been for some time past attracting attention in every direction amongst the Natives, is what is known as " surplus land." The Maoris have a fixed idea that it is possible for them to recover possession of these lands, and in some cases considerable sums of money have been collected in order to enable these claims to be prosecuted. I do not think, however, that anything has so far been done in the matter, beyond bringing an occasional case before the Native Land Court. Considerable difficulty has been experienced by the Sheep Inspector in getting Native owners of sheep to make the returns required by law, and some time ago we were compelled to prosecute several defaulters. They were duly brought to Court, and though the cases had excited very great interest, and several Natives had openly expressed their intention of defying the law, after the whole matter had been, thoroughly explained, and. a few quiet but firm words of advice spoken to them, they one and all made the returns required of them, and the cases were withdrawn upon payment of costs. Sydney Taiwhanga was present as a sort of legal adviser, having been brought from Auckland for the occasion at the expense of the Natives, but after being put in his proper place by the Court, he subsided, and contented himself with subsequently haranguing the Natives, outside the Court, upon their " burning wrongs," and recommending various questionable courses of action. Direct taxation, such, as that under the Sheep Act, and the Dog Registration Act, is extremely obnoxious to the Native mind, and it will be a long time before they will reconcile themselves to the inevitable. For a long time past Natives have got into the way of looking upon the Government as an opposing power, determined to grind them down as low as possible, and treating them entirely as aliens. It has been my constant aim to prove to them, by word and action, how utterly wrong they are, and how earnest is the desire of the authorities that all official acts should tend as much to the benefit of the Maori as the Pakeha, making no distinction of colour or race, and taking the broad line of placing all upon an equal footing as British subjects. I trust that the day will come when we shall see the Maoris a happy and prosperous people, able to compete with the Europeans in all those industries and walks in life which conduce so much to prosperity. It would not be right to close a report of this nature, without alluding to the good work being carried on by the Native schools. Owing to a liberal and enlightened administration by the Education Department, a good, sound English education is now placed within the reach of every Maori child in the north, and year by year the parents are becoming more alive to the great advantages to be gained by availing themselves of the facilities thus placed in their way. Intermittent sickness at all times is apt to injuriously affect the attendance at the various schools, but taken all in all, there is great cause for satisfaction. I have, &c, H. W. Bishop, The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. Resident Magistrate.

No. 4. J. H. Gkeenway, 'Clerk, E.M., Court, Eussell, to the Undeb-Seceetaey, Native Department. Sic, — Resident Magistrate's Office, Russell, 16th April, 1885. I have the honor in accordance with the request contained in your Circular, No. 3, date, 25th March, 1885, to forward for presentation to Parliament, a report on the state of the Natives in the Bay of Islands District. During the past year, nothing of any public interest has transpired to disturb their usual quiet, except occasional meetings to discuss political matters, and the advent of a so-called prophetess, who crazy herself, succeeded in making a number of others hardly less so, her first appearance was near Kaikohe, where a body of about four hundred people collected to await the appearance of Jesus Christ,