last week for the same reason. On my return last Saturday I was astonished when a native told me he had injured a boy by throwing a paddle at him which caused a great noise amongs the natives. The circumstance was this, he was in a small canoe preparing to cross the creek near our house, one of Hakopa's lads was on the shore holding the bow of the canoe and for mischief rocked her so as to throw your cousin into the water and wet his trousers, in the heat of the moment he unfortunately threw the paddle at the boy who was running off and caught him (the boy) a blow on the head which of course knocked him over, the parents were absent at the time and it was as well some of the troublesome folks were away also --- The lad is not seriously hurt although he has a cut in his skull about an inch or two. Hakopa waited quietly until I came home and after several hours talking with Mc. Innes and the parents I managed to settle the matter quietly by Mc. Innes promising to pay him £5 as compensation. £10 was the sum demanded and I consider £5 an imposition but we were in the hands of the Philistines and I was anxious to save a reference to the Court at Auckland which would have compromised us and which would have been the result, had we not closed with the fellow for the above sum. Some of the people here of the beachcombing class appear to think the amount excessive and others think that the matter was settled cheap for Mc. Innes. The Natives make loud complaints to me of his manner towards their women and I have not hesitated to talk with him in plain terms on the subject, which is of course a great liberty on my part. At the same time I quite believe he has committed no direct fault in the place