G.—2

16

Native defendants; and 23 cases in which both parties were Natives. Quarterly sittings of the Resident Magistrate's Court have been held at Tologa Bay and Awanui, as well as the ordinary sittings at Gisborne. I have, &c, ' James Booth, The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. Resident Magistrate.

No. 12, Captain Preece, KM., Napier, to the Under-Secretary, Native Department. Sir, — Resident Magistrate's Office, Napier, Bth June, 1885. In accordance with the instructions contained in your Circular No. 3, of the 25th of March last, I have the honor to forward the following report on the state of the Natives in the districts under my charge : — ■ Napier and W'aipukurau Districts. During the past year there has been very little change to note in the condition of the Natives. They have conducted themselves very well. There have been no intertribal disputes. The health of the Natives has been very good, and the death rate less than the average. No epidemic has occurred. The young Natives have acquired a taste for European sports, such as football, cricket, etc., and have acquitted themselves very well in some cases, having won contests with old-established clubs. lam pleased to say that drunkenness is on the decrease amongst them, the chief Hori Ropilia, who accompanied the embassy of Waikato chiefs to England, having returned as a member of the Blue Ribbon Army, has been inducing others to follow his example. In the Resident Magistrate's Courts at Wairoa, Napier, Waipawa, Ormondville, and Woodville, the following cases have been, disposed of in which Maoris were concerned, viz, :—Civil Cases—Europeans against Maoris, 131; Maoris against Europeans, 8; Maoris against Maoris, 25. Criminal Cases— Drunkenness, convicted, 13 ; assault, convicted, 4 ; assault, dismissed, 2 ; breach of the peace, convicted, 2 ; horse-stealing, committed for trial, 1 ; larceny, convicted, 6 ; larceny, committed for trial, 4 ; larceny, dismissed, 3 ; Sheep Act, convicted, 2; Sheep Act, dismissed, 5; Public Works Act, convicted, 3 ; Public Works Act, dismissed, 1; Railway By-Laws, dismissed, 1; Licensing Act, convicted, 7; lunacy, discharged, 1 ; Vagrant Act, convicted, 2 ; Vagrant Act, dismissed, 2 ; Malicious Injury to Property Act, convicted, 1 ; Brands and Branding Act, dismissed, 3 ; Dog Registration Act, convicted, 9 ; Dog Registration Act, dismissed, 2; Harbors Act, convicted, 1; Cruelty to Animals Act, convicted, 1; total summarily convicted, 51 ; total committed for trial, 5 ; total dismissed, 20 : total, 76. Native Crops. Large quantities of crops have been grown at the several settlements this year. I have estimated that about 10,300 bushels of wheat, 8,800 bushels of oats, and 1,500 tons of potatoes have been grown in the district. The Natives, both men and women, continue to be largely employed by the sheep-farmers during the sheaiing season, the men shearing, and the women packing and sorting the wool; indeed, in some cases the women also shear. Natives have in some cases sheep of their own, and employ European shepherds ; but Ido not think that, on the whole, they have been very successful in this direction. The number of sheep belonging to Natives in this district is about 106,000. Native Schools. The Te Aute College, Miss Williams' Native Girls' School, and the Convent School continue to be well attended by Natives and half-castes. There are no Government schools in the Native settlements, nor is there any desire on the part of the Natives to establish any. I think this is on account of a feeling they have that the children should be removed from the influence of the Native pa and its surroundings. Possibly in a district like this, where there is every facility for travelling, it is better that the children should be educated away from the Native settlements, but I think that in remote and inaccessible districts which are thickly populated by Maoris that the Native village schools are likely to do good, and should be encouraged in every possible way. Vaccination. Mr Scott, the Native Vaccinator and Native Medical Officer, from the Poverty Bay District, has been vaccinating at the Native settlements in this and the adjoining districts, and has vaccinated a number of Natives. His mission, however, was not so successful as it otherwise would have been, owing to the religious prejudice of some of the Natives against vaccination. Wairoa District. The Natives in the Northern portion of this district have been engaged whaling. They caught 15 scamper-down whales during the summer season, which produced oil to the value of >£600 ; and during this season, 11 sperm whales, yielding 80 tons of oil, of the value of about £2,000. They have also grown about 2,000 bushels of maize, and their sheep have produced 107 bales of wool. At Wairoa, the Natives have at considerable cost erected a flour mill; they have grown about 5,000 bushels of wheat, which they intend grinding at the mill. They have planted less than the usual quantity of maize this year; it is probable they will h^ve about 5 ; 000 bushels for sale,