G.—2

1886. NEW ZEALAND.

NATIVE MEETING AT HASTINGS (NOTES OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency .

The Hon. Mr. Ballance, upon the invitation of the Natives, proceeded to Waipatu, near Hastings, on the 2nd January, 1886, accompanied by the Under Secretary, Native Department, his Private Secretary, and Captain Mair, Native Interpreter. A large number of Natives was assembled on the occasion, comprising representative chiefs from the principal tribes of the Island, excepting that of Waikato. The meeting had been called together by Eenata Kawepo, Henare Tomoana, and other prominent chiefs for the purpose of considering the proposed Native Laud xVdministration Bill.

The following are shorthand notes of the speeches made : — Hcnare Tomoana: Welcome, welcome, the stranger. lam very glad that you have come to see us in the new year. I greet you. The people assembled here bid you welcome. When Sir Donald McLean was alive it was his custom to visit the Native people at their various settlements. He went over the whole Island, and so visited them. The Native Ministers who succeeded him, however, have not followed in his footsteps. They have not thought fit to visit the Natives at different places, and inquire into their grievances. We welcome you the more cordially because you accepted our invitation to come here and meet us. This is the new year, let all the works be done in it be new. I will now read an address of welcome from the Natives assembled: " Welcome, the Honourable the Minister for Native Affairs, welcome, Mr. Ballance. We are very grateful to the Government, and to you for coming here to see us face to face. Our hearts are rejoiced because you have come here in accordance with our invitation, and stand in our presence "now. We thank you for your consideration in submitting your Bill for discussion by the Native tribes of this Island; and we appreciate your kindness in accepting our invitation, and sending your Bill here for the second time for our consideration. We, the chiefs, tribes, and hapus of Heretaunga, together with the chiefs from all parts of the Island, have much pleasure in expressing our gratitude to you. The following tribes are represented in this address : viz., Ngaiterangi of Tauranga, Ngapuhi, Ngatiawa of Whakatane, Ngaitai, To Arawa, Tuhoe, Ngatiporou, Eongowhakaata, Te Whanau-a-Bua, To Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngatikahungunu of Te Wairoa, Ngatiraukawa of Waikato, Ngatiraukawa of Otaki, Wairarapa, Whanganui, Eangitane, Ngatimutuahi, Ngatipakapaka, Ngaitahu, Ngatimarau, Ngatiwharenui, Toroiwaho, Te Whatuiapiti, Ngaiterangikoianake, Papatuamaro, Ngatitekura, Ngatiwhakaiti, Ngatikurukuru, Ngaitamatera, Ngatihawea, Te Upokoiri, Ngatihinemanu, Ngatitukuaterangi, Ngatihinepare, Ngatimatepu, Ngatipopoporo, Ngatikeri, and Ngatihori. These have all assembled here to welcome you, Mr. Ballance. We are exceedingly grateful to you for coming here, and wo will disclose our thoughts to you, so that there may be unity in thought between us, in accordance with the peace which we now enjoy through Her Majesty's Treaty of Waitangi, in which Her Majesty, regarding with Her Eoyal favour the Native chiefs, protected their just rights and property. Therefore may we grow up together, and our descendants after us, for ever and ever.—God save the Queen! " Signed by Henare Matua, Eenata Kawepo, Henare Tomoana, and seventy-three other Natives. Bcnata Kaiuepo : Welcome, Mr. Ballance, the Native Minister. I wish to greet you for having come here to see us. I thank you very heartily for having accepted our invitation. I desire to express my thanks and gratification to the whole of your colleagues on account of your having come here to see us. That is all I have to say at present. I have also to thank you for referring your Native Land Bill to us for consideration. There will be no real work done to-day; it is only a day of greeting. The real work rests with you, because we, the Native people, are an ignorant and foolish people. It is for you to teach us what to do. It is for you to tell us what is right. Hon. Mr. Ballance: My friends, the Native people, it gives me great pleasure to meet you on this occasion. When I received your invitation to be present at this great meeting of the Native tribes I was pleased, because I saw that it gave me an opportunity of meeting you face to face and discussing those matters of interest to both races. lam all the more pleased because of the great number of tribes which are here represented. In fact, I may say that this is the most gratifying address that I have ever received from any portion of the Natives in this Island. It gives me pleasure also to meet you for another reason. We are now inaugurating a new year, and therefore I take the opportunity of wishing you not only a happy new year, but that the year 1886 may be a prosperous one to the Native people. I thank you very much for the sentiments that you have expressed towards the Government, of which lam a representative. Of course I only expected those sentiments of loyalty which you have expressed towards the Queen. The day is not far dis--I—G. 2.