H.— 2la

1898. NEW ZEALAND.

[Beprint of A,-sa, 1869.]

TRUST ESTATES FOR RELIGIOUS, CHARITABLE, AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES (SECOND REPORT OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE CONDITION AND NATURE OF).

[In continuation of Papers presented Ist June, 1869.]

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

Wellington, 30th June, 1869. May it please Your Excellency,— The Commissioners, in continuation of the Eeport and Minutes submitted by them to your Excellency on the 25th May, 1869, have now to_ transmit the Minutes of Evidence taken in 'relation to the subjects of their inquiry m the Province of Hawke's Bay. Of these the more noticeable are the Poverty Bay Native School Estate the Te Ante Native School Estate, the Napier School Estate, and the Wairoa School Reserve. The obiects of the grant of 593 acres of land for the Poverty Bay Native School appear to have been steadily pursued until the disturbed state of the country caused its operations to be suspended. The Commissioners regret that of the buildings and improvements effected upon this Estate, at a cost _ of £4 683 15s 3d a considerable portion has been destroyed, and that the remaining portion is, for want of occupation, exposed to injury and decay. The expense of those buildings and improvements was defrayed by means of grants from Government amounting to £1,848 75.; grants from the Church Missionary Society amounting to £1,266 13s. 4d. ; proceeds of cattle, the original stock of which was contributed from private sources, amounting to £586 14s. lid.; and sums rdvanced by the Bishop of Waiapu, amounting to £982 The last-mentioned sum, and two other sums of about £50 and £45, are claimed by the Bishop against the Estate. The Trusts of the four Grants, comprizing in all 7,799 acres of land (since slightly altered in extent and boundary by exchanges) for the Te Aute Native School or College, appear to have been accepted upon the understanding that a school would be erected upon part of the Estate at the expense of the Government that a sum of £500 would be granted by the Government for the purchase of sheep and that a certain allowance of at least £300 per annum would be o-rantedbv the Government towards the maintenance of the school, payment of a Schoolmaster, and improvements of the Estate. The school was not so erected. I—H. 21a.