TE AWAMUTU GOSSIP. THE NATIVE POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2198, 10 August 1886, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU GOSSIP.

THE NATIVE POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND.

The Church of England minister is very much liked, not, only by his congregation but by everybody else. On Sunday evening last he pleached a nice taking sermon on "My house is a house of prayer, kc. ' He told those who sat beneath him to beware of turning it into a house of nier- ■ chandise, or, as I understood it, a quiet place wherein a person could study his accounts and devise ways and means to I meet them. Although the news is old I mwst say a word or two about the meet of the hounds here, Last Monday week they hunted through Rangiaohia, and although no kill was recorded some good stiff em-.*. country " hunting was indulged in. A drag hunt, which -luted it 1 - followers through difficult country, consisting of high leaps and water jumps., made some of them feel an awaken- ; ing love for humanity's universal mother, for they impulsively fell off their steeds regardless of ceremony upon her ferny bosom and embraced her. Othei.s, in the ardour of pursuit, re-baptised themselves in the waters of Rangiaohia., thereby largely increasing the sale of "pectonl »>rup>*' and pockethandkerchief-. Chairs are having a high time of it. for the day* hunting has made those who stro unaccustomed to much hoi-e-riding exercise timidly undesirous of assuming a .sitting posture, they preferring .my other resting position to one th.it causes the leg* to assume a right-angled knee joint. I regret that I am unable to give a nioie detailed account ■ of the sport, for the " hunter ' I expected ' did not come, and Shank-/ pony «-.»■* siitfeiing from corn-. I did the best I could, and tooled through the district in a spring cart, drawn by a high-stepping " prad "ri 1 illustnous degiee. 1 ncu'i -aw the hounds, nor even did I hear the melody of their ■ music, but, while listening to the fanner's lamentations o\er bioken down fences, 1 kept humming to myself Wai burton's advice. If your horse is well up, and in blooming condition, Both up to the cotintiy, and up to your weight, Oh ! then, give the reins to your youthful ambition, Sit down in the saddle, and keep his head straight. Several ladies followed the hounds, and several "fellows" followed them. Sir William Fox and Mr Glover gave a free entertainment— free, barring a voluntary collection here the; other night. Their programme \v;\s, seeking support for the New Zealand Alliance on the local option racket. The Rev. J. J. Mather occupied the chair, and humourously introduced Sir William Fox, one of Kew Zealand's great old politicians, and Mr Glover, a temperance lecturer of great renown. Some of . Sankey's hymns were sung to the acconi p.-iniment of harmonium and mellow Hnte, which musical instruments were well played I>V Messis.T. and C. Fry, of Ngaroto. Mr Glover rippled out anecdote after anecdote, which drew from the audience a bubbling stream of laughter. The object of the Alliance was to allow the people to open or shut a public house, as they saw its necessity or otherwise. Instead of that power being in the hands of rive commissioners it was proposed to transfer it to the people themselves, and tho-n present were invited to join the Alliance, s<» that the mighty voice of its combined members would demand that attention to the people's wish no Government dare refuse. Sir William Fox clearly and logically put the matter to the meeting with all his old j force of rhetoric, and was listened to with | the attention a man of his acknowledged calibre and rowarded patriotism deserves, j The night was wet and d.uk, jet still ,i numerous audience occupied the hall, several of whom enrolled themselves as members >>f the Alliance. No discussion between the preachers and the people took place here, but at Alexandra an advocate of moderation aired his eloquence, and spoke in tavour of good sound drink, that end to be attained by the appointment of grog-inspectors. Mr Sharp held another sale of fruit and other trees on Saturday last, and arboriculture is keeping the fanners from whining in their idleness of depression. The weather is a very popular subject to "gossip" about, but it belongs not to everybody to write {of it enteitainin^ly. Theie are so many different kinds of weather that one can never be at a loss to designate it properly. There is < Queen's weather, fine, warm and mild ; muggy weather, lowering and dribbling ; foggy weather, attractive, even to bruising collision ; soft weather, warm and gently wet ; boisterous weather, fine, gusty, and rude without tenderness : dirty weather, as boots and bottoms of pants will kiss the book and swear to; fiosty weathei, as chilblains, weeping noses, ;uui the English idiom " By Jove, isn't it coki !' have, fiom the long, long ago, vouched for. — l>y the bye, I wonder if Eve ever had chilblains, I fancy she did, for her daughteis still in Ikm it all her tribulations, while, strange a* it may appear, they seem to have lost many of her perfections hot weather, as papei collars do ottimes testify; shocking bad weather, the same *ort as this beautiful region of the Waikato is now wallowing in. 1 recollect an anecdote, concerning the weathei, ascribed to l>r. Johnson. When in Scotland he was one day enveloped in a beautiful, soft, wet, foggy, penetrating, bone, chilling mist, tli.it made him in his humid anger condemn the country as abominable. "Kch, doctor !" u'-pl led his Caledonian chum, repiovingly ; "ye stuely ken Godmideit." "Yes!"' my Gaelic fiiend, returned the doctor ; "but one must always bear in mind that H<* made it for Scotchmen.' Following the line of logic, this tlistnet was, 1 presume, appoi tinned to those who possess it, asarevwud foi their vntue-. <u iii.iv be as a punishment tor then iniquities, which over way yon like, us the showman says, you pny yom money .uul } on take your choice. BILL\.

Thk following extracts from the reports from ofhms in native district*,, recently piesented to Pailiament, will be read with interest : — Nonru ok Aicklani). From Mi S. yon Stunner, R.M., Hukianga. During the ye.ir juit past there hftl orcuin-d hut littU- clruigp t<i report upon in thu condition of the Native m the district. The heliawor of the people haa been exceptionally good, and no increase of crime is to he, repotted upon. In July la«t th€ Government survey party at Motukaraka were forcibly stopped work by a party of w mien. U|x>n complaint hemp made, I is-med a warrant for the ai rest of tlie ringleader, who, after a short confinement, was fined and released, the tribe giving -» guarantee that no fuither opposition would be nude. The survey has since been completed without the least trouble. A f«w years since a cane of tlu.s kind would hare given serious trouble ; but all opposition to lawful authority has ceised to exist among rliem, and 1 do not think .1 more orderly or bettet heha\ed body of people can be found in tin 1 colony. The heilth of the district h ••< been much as usual, and no epidemic has visited it.

From Mr.T. S. Clendon, H.M., Whangarei. Frotn the census lately taken it will be seen that the number* of the native people on the whole ate about the same as shown in the census i etui ns of l.Vil, although at .soimc settlements they have j>erceptibly decieased iv number-. Drunkenness ha.s alao steadily decreased among them for xome tune. The school* have been fairly attended thro ighout the districts, and the reopening of the Pouto School, will lead without doubt, to beneficial results Tiereafter, not only m the education of the children, but also in dispelling in a great meanure tho former morbid disinclination of the elder people to education, or any advancement beyond their original habits.

From Captain Jackson, R.M., Razorback. Siucp my last annual report ne change of any importance has-taken place amongut the Natives, and their condition it much the same, as when reported on by me Ual year. Tho Natives have behaved in an oiderly manner during the past twelve months, and it is satisfactory to note that drunkfmcss is decreasing amongst them.

Waikvto and the King Ccu.vtry. From Mr G. T. Wilkinson, Native Agent, Alexandra. With the exception of the King Natives living at Whatiwhatihop, the health of the Natives all through this d'stuct ha.s been faiily good during the past year. Thone, however, living at the abme-inentiimea settlement, in addition to then ordinary ills, snch as coughs, colds, asthma, Ac., hue suffered fiom an epidemic of low fever, coupled with a sort of erysipelas in the head, which, when not taken in time, pioved in some, cases fatal. 1 think the dise«»-e was similar to that which attacked the l'atihaka Natives some months ago, but not of such a malisrnantform. Thanks, however, to the fact that the Government Medical Officer (Mr Aubin) was clone at hand with the necessary '-kill and medicine to deal with the epidemic, its effects were not nearly so disastrous as tbry otherwise might have been. The reason why it affected the Whatiwhatihoe Natives more than those of other settlements i*, I think, because they are more la/y and dirty in their habits, and are more ill-fed and leas propeily-clothed th.in the Natives of mottt of the other sattlements within my district. They seem to spend most of their time, and what little energy they have got, in political meetings, di^cus-ion.s, and plottings, tather than, by industry and labour, providing food and laiment for thetuselres, their wives, and their families. Tlieie have been a number of circumstances of a inme or le-s eventful character during the past year within this district. In May last the Ngattraukawa-Ngatininniapoto chief and pensioner, Kewi Maniapr.to, of Kihikihi, gave anothei exhibition of bin fickleness of character and love of change by listening vv ith a willing ear to the beguiling tongue of the Mok.iu chief, Wetere te. Keieng.i, who v.is then, ,unl »s now, I believe, a him beli"ver in and supporter of the quondam prophet T»' Wlnti. Wetere te Kerenga paid a \ isit t«>this rh-tiict, evidently with a mission ; and he so gained the ear of Kewi, nnd impressed him with his views from a P.uihaki standpoint, that he actually pennaded the old gentleman to agree to accompany him —it was .said only as fnr a Wait.ira : but rumour, which i? gem rally riirht in matters of this sort, give out that Kevvi's ie.il destination was raiihaka. They pmcrxded in tlie journey g< me up the Wai pa and M.mga o Kewa Uiveis in a c.moe as far .is Te Kumi, from vvliu h place tl.e rest of the journey «'«s far as Totoro. on the Mok \n Rivei, had to be made ovi 11 mil, Tin-, howe 1 v, pioved too iniich toi liew i on ace. unit of in- old age and fcble health, so, after staying two or tlnee u»'<-Ks ,\t Te Kunn, he reluinid to his ho in at Kihikihi, tini" and ciKrm-tance^ liav ng again tau-»'d the old man to change his mind. Notwithstanding his ;ige (about eighty) his he,ilth has Wtn vciv good of Lite—so much so that he ha- b« en able to attend the Laud Coi.it that w.w held a shoit time siute aI, T.iupo, and to look after aome of his land-cl.unis that were being dealt with by that Couit. During the month of Novembn tl.e natives at Whatiwhatihoe staited wh.it thry called a " King Committee ' in opposition to the Kavvhia Committee, which consists of members most of whom have nothing in common with fie King party, who wero duly elected in accordance with "The Native Committees Act, 15.53," the King Committee being a committee nominated (not elected) bv and from amongst the supporter* of the King party. Of course they had no othei standing than th.it which the mana or power of Tawhiao —now but a hhadow of wh.it it once was—could give them. That, howevei, did not cause them to have any the less idea of their own impott nice, and they did not hesitate at issuing summonses to natives to appear befote them who belonged to " the other side," and who would have nothing to do with them btcause they weie not elected fiotn amongst the people, and were uot working in accordance with law. In on» c«se they went sO f lir IIN to arrest and forcibly bring befote them a half caste of Ngatmsaniap ito, living at Kopua, who refused to acknowledge then jurisdiction. They only acted in that way once, however, and refrained from doing .so any more, an they were given to understand that Ngatimaniapoto vvoiill look upon any further action of that sort on their pait .is a memce against the whole tube, and would treat ll accordingly. This policy of th-> King party in setting up Committees was not only carried out at \\ hutiwbatihoe, but also at Kawhia, Aotea, Thames, Ohinemuri, Piako. and other places where Tawhiao had any suppottens-; and they have caused in some cases considerable trouble, especially at Aotea—where fora time they stopj)ed the repaiiing of tho road acioss the harbour and also at Ohinennui, where the Ngatihako Tribe only a few weaks ago stopped the survey of Paeroa-Te Aroha Railway line. Foitunately, whilst the supporters of the King darty were plotting and acting a« embarrass the Government in every possible way, the Ngatiiraniapoto and Ngatijukairo (of Kawhii) were doing all they could to a.ssjst and strengthen the Government's hand*. [The concessions as to timber, prospecting for gold, &c, are then detailed, and full refeience is made to the obstruction to road making at Aotea.J C^NsUs.—During the month of January I was appoint >d chief emunei^toi for tho purpose of taking the Maori census within the counties of Eden, Manakau, Raglan, Kawhia, Waikato. Waipa, Piako, Ohinemuri. Thames and Coromandel. including Great and Little Barrier and adjacent islands. As L furnished a repmt upon thm mitterwlien I sent in invretuni'-, I need not now tefer to it iimh.- than to si\ I am of opinion that the native jiopulation within the counties above mentioned hun ilecreased cousideiably since the census was tak'Mi m INSI, especially in the district known as the "' King Country." As the census in 1881 was not taken in accordance v\ith county boundaiies, but was divided into native distiict*, it is not very easy to make a companion between th© letuuis of then and now in paiticnlar districts. The difference will, however, be seen fiotn the totals. T.iwhiao's annual meeting was held as usual at Whatiwhatihoe dm ing the month of Match, but, compaied with the nuetings of former years, was a very poor one indeed, veiy few natives attending from out-di-trict^. * The ojdmaiy speechmakuig took place, but notwithstanding the Usual peivt'Ksion of facts, i.ish statements, ;>ml stiaimng of the imagination on thepaitof the few leading Mipj.oiteis of the King movement who -l)ok" ,it th meeting, it was piteut to all that the movement it-elt \i,b about <m its l.lst leg-. The sep.uati.in of the Ngatinjmiapotj ancj Ngati'nkaio tubes fiom tho

King party gome four years ago, their sub-,, • Sequent friendly attitude towards Govern-* nient in allowing public works in tho shape -•of. .roads, railways, and «uirvoya to be carried \9Ut over their lands, all of which the King have found thomselves helpless to •©ppose, has proved to them that not only 1 "ftaa their glory, but so has their power departed. The putting of the Taupo lands through the Court has aUo been a severe blow to them, becauso so long as the nativo title to the land was not extinguished, Tawhiao and hU people looked upon and'" spoke of it as territory under their man*" and jurisdiction. But the investigation <*fi title by ,the Native Land Court removes.that pillar from the now -tumbling edifice ofthe King movement ; for it is a well-known, fact that of all the natives who have declared themselves willing to give over thcin land to Tawhiao and tho King party before* it had passed the Native Land Court, not* one haa yet been found who, after he h»& .put his land through the court, and dan . then legally give it to Tawhiao, has dunei so. There is an amount of inconsistency* about action of this sort that ought long'ago to have opened the eyes of Tawhiao and Major Te Wheoro to the fact that* the •k'cunients they took so much trouble" toj"§t signed by natives who professed to'-flive. lip their land to Tawhiao wer? not Worth the paper they were written upon, and 'were' never considered binding by thp natives who .signed them. Another blow is "about* to be dealt to the King movement which will perhaps be the severest that it has e\er received since its defeat at arms by* "the British troops twenty -three years a#<f. I allude to the application that has Jatqly .been sent to the Native Land Court by- the representatives of the four tribe*-.— viz : •Ng.itimaniapoto,- Ngatiraukawa, Whanga-i •»vi, nnd Ng.itthikairo — who claim to>.,-,own the balance of the King Country that-. has not<y«t passed the court. Should fche-.title of this large area of land be settled*jby the court, I think tho King movement,* looked . *•* in .the light of a menace or obstruction, to • the Government, will be at'M* end., •\ * * During the montb*»F r April tho -Native Minister visited thist .-district, ajid. held meetings with both tfi«*sffaJjjmaniapoto and Waikato tribes, or, in other words, with those who are on good terms with and assist the Government, audr-thpsje who oppose. The meeting with the^/oraier was held at Kopua, both Wahaijni and Taonui being present. The^-principal speaker was Mr John Ormaby.nUwm-caste, and chairman of the Kawhia Native Comhiittee 1 , to whom the trib« had. .entrusted the task of putting their views before the Minister. The meeting was a very satisfactory one. The natives evinced a willingness to work under our laws, and to ,assist tho Government in every way, to putting the lnnd known as trie' " King Country," through the court "by which means only can settlement be 'promoted. * * The meeting Waikato, or King natives was helcl'Vt WhrrtiVJiatiboe. Tawhiao was pre^pftt,and -was niost aff.iblti and friendly. "*' * * In 'fact at this meeting the naf-ives showed for the first tune, through thefr speakers (Tawhiao nnd Major Te Wheflro) a desire to come to some arrangeuiefnt with the Government. At previous rtfeetings their demeanour has been that 'of a people who,' if they could not ggf'what they wanted, were quite indifferent and per-, fectly satisfied with the etfstmg state of affairs ; and they only seejfieri to meet a Minister out of respect for Im position, and for the purpose of hearing tfWat~ he had to, say and whit proposals he hftJTto make, to them, never intending to ac?e*pTr any until the ones the/ wanted aud \Vei*B waiting for had been made to them. ,TTie march of events during the. last fourj^&ffrs lias, however, greatly altered the posjja7>n of affairs ♦ * * * The reslilt rtf the meeting at Whatiwhatihoe wjift" that a subsequent meeting between * the Hon. Mr Ballance and Tawhiao TivTio was accompanied by Major Te Wfieoro)- took place next day at Alexandra, when certain proposals were made by Mr' Ballance which seemed to bp looked upon" favourably by Tawhiao ; and that meeting was the first at which Tawhiao has ever.'eorie so far as to discuss with a Minister., tHe settlement of the questions at issue between himself and the Government. It was plain all through the interview that Tawhjao had only the interest of his people at h>-(rfc. There was an entire absence of the J^le'ment of selfishness in all his conversation.. He did not even allude to any personal' benefit that he might obtain should he, on behalf of his people, come to any arrangement with the Government, but seemed only to desire th.\t they should be placed in a proper position by any change that may take place. From the c mveisation 'that he and Major Te Wheoro Ir-ul with' Mr Ballance, it is clear that the King party have much modified their views and/demands during the last few months. There base been numerous reasons for this, somja.'of which have been already leferred to by me ; but one of the reasons that has helped to bring about this feeling is the utter barrenness (from a political point of view) a? to lesultof the jomn»y of Tawhiao and the delegates to England. Until they received the despatch from Lord Derby iwforjning them that whatever they wanted 'Ihey must go to the Parliament of the colony to obtain, they fondly cheiished the hope that they would be allowed to govern themselves by the aid of a soit of miniature home rule, which was to have been gran-ted them by the English Government, and which would be independent of the New Zealand Parliament. That idea has now been dispelled, and they have come face to face with the fact that their oily chance of doing any good f«>r themselves and to prevent their political ruin is to be on friendfy terms with, instead of antagonistic to, "the Government. Tawhiao has now modihcd'his proposals to such an. extent that all olr nearly all he asks for is to be allowed to have a say, in conjunction with the Government, in what is proposed to be done in the locality of Kawhia and Aoten, and thaJ .the House .shall pass an Act this session'enip'owering a Council of Native Chiefs 1p be elected (or_ nominated) to arrange matters for the Native race, the result of their deli bet ations to be laid before the House of Parliament for its approval. * ♦ • lam glad to be ablft to report that I hope before six months from now has elapsed there will, be three schools for Native children within my district, as tenders have already been called for by the Education Department for building them. Ono is to be at Kopua, neai Alexandra, ope at Waotu, near Cambridge, and one at Tapapa, near Oxford. * * I am of opinion that by the time the title to the whV>le of that area (the King Country, some three million acres) has been investigated/ there will be very few natives at present >mked upon as landless who j have not been able to acquire an interest, small or great, in part of it. And as when t&at time arrives the " native difficulty* Avill be settled, there need not, I think, be any political reason why the Government should give up its Crown lands to the natives unless it should be shown that there ! are some even at that time who have failed to obtain an interest in any land that ha« been before the court, and therefore land- J less and must be provided for. As you are 'aware,, the Waikato Confiscated Land Act. 1884,* expires in November next, and I would suggest that instead of renewing it for another, term, the natives be notified through the Kahiti, and by circular, that unless they take advantage of the Act already in force, and which will continue in force until November, after that date the opportunity to become possessed of Crown lands will have passed away. It will be saen during the time b^-ween the present and the next sitting of the House whether J it is advisable or necessary to bring the Act into force again or not. From the returns it will be seen that amongst the 8,218 (exclusive of those in we«t Taupo County) natives which the census just taken shows are living in the abave-nained districts, only eleven have been punished for drunkenness and eight for larcepy, during a period of twelve months, the other offences being of a minor character. This speaks volumes, I think, for the uatives as a law-abiding and— to a much- greater extent than used to be the ( case— temperate race.

East Coast. From Mr H. W. Brabant, R.M., Tauranga. During the past year there has been but little sickness or mortality amongst the Natives of this district. The census just taken of the Ngaterangi tribe shows a slMit decrease when compared with that of 1881 but when compared with the return of 1873 it will appear that the rapid fallingnff has been arrested. It is not so evident to what this is to be attributed, as the social condition of the Natives i* but little Unproved except in the ir.atter of sobriety. Thw last, however, must have its effect, and probably the schools winch have been established are beginning to have & ome influence. In this district there are three S in operation. The Maori King SSyVve during the past year conSued their efforts to increase their iXerice in the district, and to induce the tSSjtot here to postpone the settling of S.l md seUir q of land till Tawhiao's S^L^tteaTwiS the Home Ctovmmmt

.jjre finally concluded. The Natives seem, -however," to be losing the confidence they professed last year in Tawhiao's scheme ; and if, aa seems likely, that chief should come to terms with the Government, it must, of course, collapse.

-. . From Mr R. S. Bush, R.M., Opotiki. ' > It affords me much pleasure to report some slight improvement in the condition of home «■>£ the tribes resident in this district, notably the Ngaitai, of Torere, and ' : that section of the Whakatohea under Te • Hira te Popo. It is to be hoped that at no •distant date a like improvement may be noticeable, in other sections and tubes. There is a marked decrease in the consump<tion of intoxicating liquors. At settlements where a great deal of npiiits were given to '■visitors on occasions of tangis and suchlike. f none is now distnbuted amongst those tribes residing in the eastern portion of this district. The Whanau- i-Apauui, at Maraenui 1 and Omaio, are the only people who are not advocating temperance principles. * * * Out of a population of 3,951. Natives only seven have been convicted for drunkenness since the last annual report. This tact is the best proof of the improvement in this direction. The Whakatano Natives have much improved in their habits with respect to dunk, but 1 think a considerable quantity of liquor is still consumed by them at their uhungaa. The Ureweia, the most uncivilized ot the tribes lesidiug m this district, when visitnig our settlements, do not e\en indulge so freely as they did a few yeais ago. * * The conduct of the Natives throughout the past year has been peaceful and friendly, and 1 do not think they have any do&ire for a different state of affairs. * * * The Natives aigue that the Native Minister is expressly apuointed on their account ; he ought therefore to make himself personally known to them all, and he can only do this by visiting them at their settlement*, and there discussing matters of interest to them ,nnd the Government, and affecting their welfare. Of one thing I am quite sure — the late visit will assist greatly in allaying the Maori mind, which has been much disturbed for some years for want of an opportunity to unburden itself to some one in authority, -la my humble opinion, the next best thing to a Maori receiving all he asks for is to be afforded an opportunity of j giving vent to hib pent-up feelings, which in I most instances are grievances of some kind or another, over which he ha« been brooding more or less for some time. The late interview between the Hon. the' Native Minister and the Natives in this district will, I feel sure, be productive of the best results. * * The Urewera volunteered their services in the event of a foreign invasion. The Te Kooti form of Church Service is a be,te noir to the more intelligent j and law-abiding sections of the Natives, who look upon this form of religion, though I many of them were at one time adherents of it, "as antagonistic to the Queen's authority, and ux pi ess a fear that sooner «r later it may be the cause of trouble between the different sects of Natives, which might end m involving them with us * * * I m.iy say lor years past no member of Wi Kingi's tribe at Torere has been an adherent ot this form of religion. These people, with those at Te Kaha and Raukokore, have been the main cau.se of a resident native cleigyman being located at the Jvahaj necessarily they are ardent suppotters of his. These natives have repeatedly urged upon me the advisability of Government intervention to suppress ToKootism on the ground that trouble might arise in the event of the different .sects clashing in the future. 1 have pointed out to them that the Government does not consider it a part of its duty to interfere with the religion of .any subject, and that it is the privilege of every subject to adopt and adhere to any creed or form of religion he m.iy fancy, and that the Government would not interfere with tiny of them unless a breach of the law was commuted. There is one peculiarity in the Te K<u»ti faith which has lately come under my notice, and that , ii the rebaptizing of those persons who arc members of that creed — not only persona who newly join, but nho those who maintained that form .since the days of the rebellion. I made thib discovery while preparing the Native census. I found, upon comparing the names of individuals with my lis»t of 1881, that only a very few were known by the names they at that time bore. Tha mobt noticeable instance of this is amongst the Urewera. Ido not know how thi* is to be explained, unless it is connected with the fact of Te Kooti being pardoned, whereby a new era was commenced, and it therefore became necessary to reb;tptizo hie followers, perhaps because under their former names they were mixed up with and known to bo participators in acts of bloodshed, but now, us they had been pardoned, it was nocus.sury, n.s it weie, to be rechnstened, and commence a new and different life. I .sincerely hope, fi-r their sake.--, that thib act miy boar such an interpretation. Sonoors. — There are nine Native schools in this district under my s ipervUion. The last quarter's returns show that on the 31st March ultimo there was an average attendance of 247 boys and 17>*> girls, making a total of 422, being an increase of seventeen over last year's attendiince. It will be seen that the males far outnumber the featnales. * * I have more than once, when conversing with Natives about diseases and the means of preventing the same, had my attention drawn by the si eaker to what was told them by Mr Pope in his book "Health for the Maori " ; thereby showing mo that they are reading the woik and evidently taking notice of its contents : but I fear our endeavours to improve their condition will bs of little avail until we can find some means to make them renounce their old custom* with respect ti tohunga^, makutu, pnropitis (i.e., healers of the sick, beliefjin witchcraft, and prophetic persons of any other description). These in my humble opinion, do more towards the destruction of the Native race than anything else I know of. '

Taupo. From Major Scannell, R.M., Taupo. During the past twelve months the Natives generally, although a Land Court has been sitting for nearly three months, have conducted themselves very quietly, no serious cases having been brought before me in my capacity as Resident Magistrate, and drunkeuness has considerably decreased. A census of the Maori population was taken in February, when a nominal return of 1,259 was given ; but, as the census was taken during the sittings of a Land Court, and as in many instances they refused to give any information whatever, this number must be considered as only approximate. Or Leslie, who ha? tor some months been in medical charge of the district, informs me that there has been a considerable amount of sickneos among the Natives, he having attended several nundrcd cases ; and that, especially during the Land Court, there have been an exceptional number of deaths.

Wellington. From Mr 15. S. Maunsell, Native Agent, Greytown, Wairapapa. The result of the census - recently taken shows a small increase, chiefly males. Several of the principal men have died during the past year." * * * The social state of the Maoris is improving, and good dwellings are taking the place of the Maori whare. At the principal villages, Te Oreore, near Mastertown, and Papawai, near Greytown North, very good houses have been built— at Papawai especially — timber being purchased from saw-millers with the proceeds of the sale of totara and other timber, of which large i quantities abound. The houses have been i erected by themselves in a very creditable manner. A carved house is now in cour.se i of construction by a party of the Ngatiporou from near Gisborne. The carvings have occupied about six years in execu- [ tion, and are of a most elaborate kind. The building will, it is believed, eclipse | any similar one in the colony. Much i money has been wasted over this house. It cannot be said that the Natives are le^s indolent. They look to rents und sale of whatever can conveniently be disposed of to supply temporary wants ; cultivation and honest occupation is neglected. The Maori Volunteer rifle corps which has been enrolled at Papawai attends regular drill. It is to be hoped that this movement will not die out among the Maoiis, for training of a military kind must gieatly improve them. Little accustomed to be ruled, any discipline to which they must conform would train them to appreciate good government and would have a civilising effect. Politics engage the attention of the Maori only so fai as he Relieves himself concerned. Religion among the Maoiis is 'in a suspended state. They became # in the past converts to many faiths. Joining in the early days Christian denominations, their oastors abandoned them and sought other fields. The Hauhauism became a religion to their way of thinking, only to die out, A. f<iith in "prophets," men who gained great ascendency over them, lasted for a curie. Few of these " prophets " are now alive. No memento of their worth remains.

A good "tatigi" and a feast commemorated their deaths. Mormon elders hate been fcuionj? them, gaining many converts ; but a paucity of women in the district — in the Maori oye a sine qua non in Mormonism—and the call to contribute to the maintenance of these elders influenced them to drop this "karakia" religion. The elders came from Utah, and endeavoured without avail to persuade the leading chiefs to return with them to Salt Lake City, The various church societies cannot be praised on their zeal to evangelise this race. A fair field remains open. Reviewing the general condition of the Maoris in the Wairarapa, I may report that they are not dying out ; they have abundant means for their support in the way of land, but are very lazy, and subsist largely on their wits after their rents have been expended.

From Mr R. Ward, R.M., Wangamii. In" reporting on the state of the natives in my district, I am gJad to be able to aay that there is a steady improvement in their moral and religious condition. Their habits of Hfo are more satisfactory in every respect. They have in some parts built better dwellings, and their cultivations, though not large, are sufficient for their requirements, taken in conjunction with their flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, and numerous pigs. In the settled districts they live more like their European neighbours. lam alpo glad to say that their numbers have kept up during the past five years, particularly in the countries of Rangitikei, Oroua, Manawata, and Horowhenua. I beliere their sober habits are telling advantageously on them. I am pleased to be able to say that the Native Land Court has got through an immense amount of work here during the past year : the titles to large blocks of land have been investigated ana .determined, and the Government have purchased large blockfe at fair rates from the Native owners, which will, I understand, in due course be thrown open for settlement. I rejoice also to report that the feeling of the Natives towards the Government seems to be of a most satisfactory character. They realise that they are 'being dealt with fairly, and that Parliament is actuated by a strong desire to preserve, in a way not to interfere with colonisation, the best interest* of the Native race. Their chiefs evince a strong wish to do all they can to cement the cordial feeling which exists between them and the pakehas; ' '

Taranaki. From Mr W. Rennell, Trustee, New Plymouth. The influence of Te Whiti is as great as ever o\er the minds of the majority of the Natives here, particularly between White Cliffs and Patea, and it extends in a weakened decree much farther than that. There has been no special sickness ainongat them thjs year. Education is almost entirely neglected, and cultivation is only carried on to the extent of pro\ idinj? themselves and visitors with food, and growing a few strawberries and similarly easilyraised articles for sale. Near the towns they may bring 1 in a fewjoada of firewood, but as a rule they do pot settle down to anything beyond the supplying of their own immediate want". The Native census show-, an apparent increase in numbers in this district ; bnt I put that down to the boundaries of the district being altered, an 1 to the names of many Natives being en oiled in hapu-grantp, omissions being mo -e easily detected now than* formerly : but I am of opinion that as a race they are decreasing considerably.