Ngatirauicawa Chiefs, to which they readily assented; and after some discussion on both sides, the Ngatiraukawas partially admitted the justice of the "Ngatiapa claim, endeavouring to persuade them at the same time, against disposing of their land to the Europeans; as they were desirous that the native proprietors should retain all the country between Pori--rua and Wangaehu. At this meeting, the Ngatiraukawa Chiefs informed me that Hakariah, the head teacher of Otaki - Tamihana, Te Rauparaha's son - and a few other young Chiefs, had drawn up, at a public meeting, an Agreement, (for the signatures of the whole tribe, or any other tribe that might join them), in which they embodied resolutions passed at the said meeting, to the effect that neither them, nor their posterity, should ever dispose of their lands to the Europeans, excepting by annual lease for cattle grazing. This document, of which I have not a copy by me, they talked of having printed; and some of them even spoke, with a view to the more sacred observance of their promise therein contained, to have copies of it affixed to their New Testaments. Rangihaeata proposed to hold a large public meeting, to take the Ngatiapa claim into consideration; anticipating, no doubt, that he would be so well supported in his opposition to the sale, that the Ngatiapas would be intimidated against treating with the Government. I prepared for this Meeting, by representing to the natives inclined to favour Rangihaeata, that it was needless to oppose the Government, in effecting the purchase of land; and invited several Chiefs from Wanganui and the West Coast to be present, as impartial witnesses of all the discussions and proceedings which might take place at the Meeting; which did not, from the tediousness of native movements, take place till the 15th. of March. The Chiefs I invited came readily forward; and Rangihaeata, finding that he could not carry out his wishes, declined making his appearance at Rangitikei; where the right of the Ngatiapas to the purchase now concluded, was publicly acknowledged by a large majority of the Manawatu and Otaki natives, including those who had recently been most firm in their opposition to the purchase. The result of this Meeting was not only favourable as regarded the acquisition of the Rangitikei district, but it was rendered more so, by having the consent of a powerful tribe, who had previously opposed it, and who were at the time in correspondence with the Wairarapa and other natives similarly disposed in their opposition to the sale of land. It also weakened such combined opposition, before becoming, in any way, formidable and manifested to these tribes; that although the Government did not rashly take any steps in proceeding with the purchase, it was, nevertheless,