MAORI COUNCIL (CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN TAWHIAO AND THE HON. THE NATIVE MINISTER RELATING THERETO).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1886 Session I, G-14

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1886. NEW ZEALAND.

MAORI COUNCIL (CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN TAWHIAO AND THE HON. THE NATIVE MINISTER RELATING THERETO).

Laid on the Table by the Hon. Mr. Ballance, with the Leave of the House.

No. 1. Whatiwhatihoe, Mci 17, 1886. Xi te Minita mo te Taha Maoei, ara, kite Kawanatnga katoa, —tena koutou. E hoa c te Pabaniiii, — He Pire tenei naku ka whakatakotoria atu nei ki o koutou aroaro, mo nga mate me nga raruraru ipa nei ki a matou ko toku iwi Maori i muri mai i nga kupu aTe Kuini ite Tiriti o Waitangi, i whakatakotoria mai nei, ki to aroaro oku tukupuna oku matua, i te tau, 1840, tae noa mai kite Ture o te Tau, 1852, rarangi 71. Keite titiro tonu au ki aua kupu : kei te takotomarama tonu auakupu ki taku titiroiho i runga i te pai a toku paapa i whakahoa ai ia ki nga Pakeha. Tana Pai tuatahi: —Na, taku matua tonu na Potatau i whakanoho te Pakoha ki Waitemata, Akarana, he aroha nona kite iwi Pakeha. Nana te ki tuturu ko te Pakeha hei matua mo matou, a hacre tahi ana raua ko Kawana Hopihona tae rawa kite tino o Waikato, a tae atu ana hoki ki Kawhia. Heoi, whakahoa ana te Maori kite Pakeha, a karangaranga tonu ana i reira te Maori ki te Pakeha. Tana Pai tuarua : —I te Tiriti o Maraetai i puta ai tana kupu ki nga Bangatira o Waikato i mea ia kia mau kite aroha kite atawhai ki nga iwi Pakeha. Tana Pai tuatoru : —I te tupunga ote kino ki raro ki a Ngapuhi, kihai taku matua i whakaae ki ta Hone Heke mahi. Puta ana te kupu a Hone Heke kia tapahia to kara i Takapuna. Ka ki a Potatau, kaore c tika kia rere noa mai tetahi tangata kite takahi i te mamutu o tetahi tangata, a piri tonu a Potatau kite Pakeha i taua wa. Tana Pai tuawha : —Ko te aranga o to pakanga ki Waitara, i te tau 1860, i te 13 o nga ra o Maehe, ka puta tana kupu ki nga rangatira, kite iwi katoa a muri ki a mau kite whakapono kite Ture, hei aha te aha, hei aha te aha, ehara i te taonga hoko te Bongo Pai, he taonga horatu, ho taonga tarewa, no te Atua Nui ote Bangi; koia ia i mea ai me mutu te whawhai ki Niu Tireni a te Pakeha a te Maori, ko nga hara katoa, hara nui, hara iti, me whakawa kite ritenga o te ture. Ko te pai whakamutunga tenei a toku paapa ka wehe atu ia i tenei ao. Tae noa mai kite tau 1863, ka tupu te pakanga ki roto o Waikato. Ko te tino mate tena i riro ai o matou whenua. Ahakoa nui noa te kino ki roto o Waikato, mau tonu ahau ki nga kupu a toku paapa, tae noa mai ki tenei ra; koia matou c noho ke nei, me te pouri ote ngakau, me te whakaaro ka pcwhea he ritenga mo matou, c noho tika ai c rite ai ki to matau ahuatawhito, i whakapumautia mai eto Tiriti o Waitangi mo matou; koia nei matou i rapu ai i te tikanga mo matou i runga ite pai ite aroha o tetahi ki tetahi. Kaore au i whakaaro me whakaae au ki nga korero ngawari ate Kawanatanga moku, engari i mahara ahau ki nga iwi i uru kite whawhai kaore o ratou whenua i riro, a kua whakahoa ratou kite Kawanatanga. Ko tenei, ka piri ano ahau ki taku tikanga o mua, c kore ahau c whakaae ki nga korero reka a te Kawanatanga kia whai honore ai kia whai taonga ai ranei moku. Engari, kua titiro ahau tera nga iwi kua whakaae kia mutu te noho ke a te Pakeha i te Maori. Ka whakaae hoki ahau ki a whakamutua nga tikanga whakararuraru a te Kawanatanga mo te Maori—nga ruuri, nga Kooti Whenua, me era atu tini mea whakararuraru katoa. He kupu atu naku ki a koutou. Me whakaae mai koutou te Kawanatanga katoa ki taku kupu c tono nei au ki a koutou mo taku Pire mo te Bunanga Kaunihera mo nga rangatira katoa o te inotu nei, kia whakaaetia mai c koutou maku he ritenga, timata mai i te rerenga wairua tae noa mai ki to upoko o te motu nei, engari ko koutou ano hei tautoko mai i a au i aku kupu hoki. Ho mea naku kia tv taua Bunanga Kaunihera hei whakahaere mo nga raruraru c pa ana kite iwi Maori, ma ratou ano o whakahaere tana Kaunihera, ko au he tangata titiro mo taua Kaunihere, ko koutou hei awhina mai i a au i runga ano i nga kupu a te Kuini o te Tiriti o Waitangi, tae noa mai ki a Kawana Paraono, ka korerotia c ia te kupu ate Kuini: "Xi nga Kawana i haere

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mai i mua i a ia, me nga Kawana c tv ake i muri i a ia, kotahi tonu to ritnega mo ratou ko tenei kupu, kia tiakina paitia nga ritenga o taua kawenata o Waitangi kei taka tetahi, a kia.mataara tonu hoki te tirotiro i ona iwi Pakeha, Maori hoki, kite whakatupu hoki i nga mea c ora ai, c neke ake ai i runga i te pai." Koia au i ki ai homai ki a au taua Kaunihera, maku hoki c whakahaere, ma koutou c titiro mai, c whakapai, c whakatika. Xi te oti i a tatou, ma te Kuini c whakaae mai i runga ano hoki ito Ture o te Tau 1852, 71 o nga rarangi. I mea ra ka whai mana ate Kuini kite tuhi i tana reta whai mana i raro i te Hiiri Nui o te Kiingitanga o Ingarangi, kite whakatu hoki i tetahi i tetahi Bunanga Maori, hei whakahaere mo ratou ano— 1. Ko nga mana me nga whenua i whakapumautia c te Tiriti o Waitangi, me tuku rawa ki raro kite mana whakahaere o taua Bunanga Kaunihera. 2. Ko nga Komiti o tv ana inaianei, me tuku rawa ki raro kite mana whakahaere o taua Bunanga Kaunihera, hei whakahaere mo ia takiwa mo ia takiwa puta noa te motu nei. 3. Me tuku rawa c taua Kaunihera he mana ki aua Komiti hei whakahaere i a ratou raruraru, take whenua, me a ratou tautohetohe ki a ratou ano mo a ratou tini raruraru katoa. 4. Kia kotahi turanga i te tau o taua Bunanga Kaunihera. 5. Ko nga moni ma taua Bunanga hei whakahaere i nga mahi, ko ngi takoha a te iwi Maori c riro nei ite Kawanatanga. Tirohia ite Pitihana kua tae ra ki Ingarangi. 6. I penei ai au, kia marama ai te tuku atu o enei take kite Kawanatanga o te Kuini o Ingarangi, i runga i te kore rnanaaki i te manaaki ranei a tenei Kawanatanga i runga i aua kupu o Ingarangi. 7. Koia nei au i mea ai, kia ata titiro kia ata wbiriwhiri koutou i te aronga o enei kupu katoa,. a whakaoti tonu iho kia oti. (Seal.) Na Kiingi Tawhiao.

[Translation.] Letter from Tawhiao to the Hon. the Native Minister. Whatiwhatihoe, 17th May, 1886. To the Minister for Native Affairs, that is to all the Government, greeting to you all. Feiend Mb. Ballance, — This is a Bill of mine that I lay before you, concerning the grievances and troubles which have affected me and my Maori people subsequent to the assurances made by the Queen, in the Treaty of Waitangi, to my ancestors and my father, in the year 1840, down to the passing of the Constitution Act in 1852, clause 71. I continue to look to these assurances: to my mind they appear very clear because of the friendly regard shown by my father to the Europeans. The first proof of this is, that it was my father, Potatau himself, who settled the Europeans atWaitemata, Auckland, out of his love for them. Ho it was who said decidedly that the Europeans should be our parents, and he and Governor Hobson went together into the heart of Waikato, reaching as far as Kawhia. Well then, the Maoris befriended the Europeans, and then and there continued to invite them (to come). Second proof.—At the Treaty of Maraetai his word went forth to the chiefs of Waikato that thoy should continue to show love and good-will to the Europeans. Third proof. —When evil broke out at the North with Ngapuhi, my father did not countenance Hone Heke's action. Hone Heke proposed that the flagstaff at Takapuna should be cut down, whereupon Potatau said it would not be right for any person to unwarrantably come and trample on the authority of another, and Potatau steadfastly supported the Europeans at that period. Eourth proof.—When hostilities commenced at Waitara, in 1860, on the 13th of March, his word went forth to all the chiefs and people that they should henceforth after that adhere to the Gospel and to the law, no matter what happened; for the Gospel is not a treasure that can be purchased, but it is universal, and descended from the great God in heaven; therefore he said fighting should cease between the Europeans and the Maoris in New Zealand, and that all sins great and small should be dealt with according to the law. This was the last good action of my father before he departed from this world. And then in 1863 fighting broke out in Waikato, which was a great disaster, and resulted in the lor=s of our lands. Notwithstanding that there was very much evil in Waikato I steadfastly adhered to the injunctions of my father, and have done so to this day; wherefore we are now living apart in sadness of heart, and are considering by what means wo can live in the same happy state as we formerly did, and which was assured to us by the Treaty of Waitangi; therefore we are seeking what can be done for us in the friendly feeling and love of one to another. I did not consider that I should agree to the liberal proposals of the Government concerning myself, for I was mindful of those people who had joined in the fighting whose lands were not taken, and who have become friendly to the Government. This, then, I will adhere to my former decision, and will not accept the tempting proposals of the Government to do me honour and give me property. However, I see that there are tribes who have agreed that the Europeans and the Maoris should cease to be apart. I, too, will consent that the institutions of the Government that cause trouble to the Maoris—namely, surveys and the Native Land Court —should be put an end to, and the many other things that create evil. I address you all; do you, all the members of the Government, consent to what I ask of you concerning my Bill for the establishment of a Council for all the chiefs of this island, that you should consent to my having the administration, commencing at the place of the departing of spirits (North Cape), and from thence to the head of this island (Cook Strait), you to support me and my word.

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I wish that Council to be formed to deal with all tho troubles affecting the Maori people, that Council to be conducted by them, I to overlook matters in that Council, and you to support me in accordance with the assurance; given by the Queen in the Treaty of Waitangi, and down to Governor Browne's time, who notified the Queen's word—viz., that " Her Majesty had instructed the Governors who preceded him, and she will instruct those who come after him, to maintain tho stipulations of this Treaty inviolate, and to watch over the interests and promote the advancement of her subjects without distinction of race." Therefore it is that I say, grant mo that Council, and I will administer it; you can consider, and sanction, and give effect to it. If wo together settle it, the Queen can confirm it in accordance with the 71st clause of the Constitution Act of 1852, which provides that it shall be lawful for Her Majesty, by any letters patent to be issued under the Great Seal of tho United Kingdom, to constitute Maori Councils for the government of themselves. 1. All the rights and lands confirmed by the Treaty of Waitangi to be placed under the administrative authority of that Council. 2. The Committees at present established to be placed under the administrative authority of that Council, to deal with matters in each district in this island. 3. That Council to give the Committees power to deal with thoir difficulties, land claims, disputes, and other troubles concerning themselves. 4. The Council to meet once a year. 5. The revenue for the use of the Council to be the taxes received by the Government from the Maori people. Sec tho petition sent to England. 6. I do this in this manner in order that these subjects may be clearly brought before the Government of the Queen, whether entertained by this Government or not, in accordance with those communications [literal " words "] from England. 7. Therefore I say, do you carefully look into and consider the bearing of all these words, and bring this matter to a definite conclusion. (Seal.) King Tawhiao.

Extract from address by His Excollcncy tho Governor to tho Maori chiefs assembled at Waitemata, July 10th, 1860. (Kohimarama Conference. E. No. 9, I860.)

No. 2. E hoa c Tawhiao, — Tari Maori, Poneke, Huno 8, 1886. Tena koe. Kua tae mai to pukapuka o to 17 o nga ra o Mci, na to taua hoa na Henare Kaihau i kawe mai, ho kupu mai nau mo nga mate i pa ki a koutou ko to iwi i muri iho i te Tiriti o Waitangi. I whai kupu koe i roto i taua pukapuka mo runga i " Te Ture whakamana i to Tikanga Whakahaere Kawanatanga mo Nui Tircni" 71 o nga rarangi, c mea ana, ka whai mana Te Kuini ki to whakaputa Xi Bunanga whakarite tikanga whakatu Huihuinga Bangatira Maori hoi whakaaroaro i nga tikanga o nga mea c pa ana ki to iwi Maori ake ano. Ka nui taku koa i taku korerotanga i o kupu whakaatu mai i nga mahi o to papa o Potatau, i arohaiua nuitia c nga Pakeha o te Koroni i runga i te tika o tana mahi me ana whakaaro pai, a c maharatia nei ano inaianei ana mahi i Niu Tireni nei. Kei to tika to kupu iki ai, i piri tonu ia ki te Pakeha, me tana kaha kite houhou rongo. Ko tana pai i te putanga o tana kupu l te Tiriti o Maraetai ki nga rangatira o Waikato, i mea ai ia kia mau kite aroha kite atawhai kite iwi Pakeha; tana whakahe hoki kite kupu a Hone Heke kia tapahia te kara i Takapuna i taua wa; tana kupu hoki kia houhou te rongo i te aranga o te pakanga ki Waitara i te tau 1860, i mea ai ia kia mutu te whawhai, ko nga hara katoa me whakawa kite ritenga ote ture ;na enei pai katoa o taua tangata ingoa rongo nui c tapu ai ia, ana runga hoki i cna c tika ana kia manaakitia kia atawhaitia tana tama c to Kawanatang ame nga tangata o Niu Tireni. Kei to ki mai koe c Tawhiao, i to tupunga o te pakanga ki roto o Waikato i mau tonu koe kinga kupu ato papa a tae noa mai ki tenei ra, ahakoa i whawhai atu to iwi ki aTe Kuini; eki ana hoki koe " mo te whakaaro ka pewhoa ho ritenga mo matou, c noho tika ai o rite ai ki to matou ahua tawhito i runga i te pai i te aroha o tetahi ki tetahi." He mea tika, i te whakaaturanga tikanga mai kia whai mahara mo koutou tahi ko to iwi; ki taku titiro atu he whakaaro rangatira tena nau, a na tena whakaaro au ka mohio ahau c mahi ana koe i runga i te ngakautapataln, kahore i whakaaro i te tikanga mou ake, engari he hiahia pono nau kia nui haere te pai me te ora oto iwi Maori. Ko taku hiahia tenei ko te mahi c mahia a muri ake nei kia puta ai te pai mo te katoa, ehara i te mea ko nga tangata takitahi kia whakanuia ake. Kua pumau te rongo inaianei i waenganui ite Kawanatanga me nga Maori o Nui Tireni. Konga raruraru c toe nei kahore he tino tikanga i roto, engari ka taea te tv whakahaere mo ena te whakarite c te Minita mo te Taha Maori ratou tahi me nga kai korero o nga iwi Maori i runga i te ata korero. E korero atu ana ahau i runga i te ingoa o nga iwi Maori katoa i au ka ki atu kahore ratou i te whakahe kite Buri me to Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori, engari na runga ita ratou hiahia itv ai te Kooti kite whakapumau ite take ote tangata ki o ratou whenua. Heoi, iau c hapai nei ite Kooti Whakawa Whenua Maori ho whakamana kau taku i to kupu tuturu o te iwi he mea whaki c o ratou rangatira iia wa, iia wa. Kaua koe o pouri iau c ki atu nei ki taku titiro kei te he to mahi arai i te iwi i runga i ta ratou hiahia kia whakatuturutia nga take o te iwi, o te hapu, o te tangata kite whenua. Xi a koe, ko te mea pai rawa mo te iwi, kia kaua he Kooti; ki taku whakaaro, ko te mea pai rawa mo to iwi, kia tv he Kooti. Tena, kowai hei whakatau ite tika o tau, o taku ranei? Ko taku tenei, me waiho ma nga tangata na ratou te whenua c whakatau. Ko to tono kia whakaturia he Bunanga Kaunihera mo nga Bangatira katoa o te motu nei, he mea tino nui rawa tena, a i runga i taku i whakaatu atu ai ki a koe i Areka, kua tukua c ahau taua mea kia whakaarohia c te Bunanga Minita. A, c mahara ana nga Minita kua riro te

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mana o te Kuini c ahei ai ia te whakatu he Bunanga Kaunihera i te Baremete o Niu Tireni, a me kimi i runga i te tikanga Pire. Kei te whakaaro ano hoki nga Minita kua pahure ke te wa c ahei ai ratou i runga i te tikanga Kawanatanga kite whakaae atu i taua tono, a tenei ka korerotia nei c ahau tetahi wahio te tekiona 71 o " Te Ture Whakamana i te Tikanga Whakahaere Kawanatanga mo Niu Tireni." Notomea ka tau pea kia waiho kia mana ana inaianei nga ture mo nga tikmga ano a nca tangata Maori o Niu Tireni, kahore nei c kino ana, c takahi ana i nga tikanga c ora ai te tangata, kia taea ai c ratou te whakahaere i a raton ano i runga i a ratou tikanga katoa me a ratou mahi ano ki a ratou ano. Ka whai mana Te Kuini kite tuhi i tana Reta Whai Mana i raro ito Hiiri Nui oTe Kingitanga o Ingarangi iia wa i ia wa, ki to whakatakoto ritenga mo runga i nga tikanga kua kiia i mna ake nei, &c. Heoi, i runga i enei korero c marama ana ko nga Kaunihera i meingatia raehara i te Kaunihera tuturu, a mehemea i whai tikanga aua Kaunihera i runga i te ritenga o te tau, 1852, c kore o whai tikanga mo te tau, 1886. Kihai hoki i meingatia tenei ritenga hei ritenga tuturu, a mehemea ka whakahaerea he ritenga pera inaianei, i muri mai i nga tau c toru tekau-ma-wha kua pahure atu nei, ka rero ke tena i te tino tikanga o Te Ture Whakamana i te Tikanga Whakahaere Kawanatanga mo Niu Tireni. Tetahi hoki, c whakaaro ana nga Minita c kore c kotahi nga iwi c rua c ahei ai raua te noho tahi ano he iwi kotahi i runga i te ritenga c tonoa nei, engari ma tena ka wehe ke ai raua, a ka ara ake nga Kawanatanga c rua, me te rere ke o te mana o tetahi o tetahi, me te puta nui o te raruraru, ko tona tukunga iho pea he mate nui kite iwi Maori. Kahore a matou whakahaweatanga atu mo o whakaaro c rapu nei koe i tenei tikanga kia puta ai he pai kite iwi Maori, engari me ata titiro nui ke matou ki nga tikanga c puta pea i muri atu, kaua ia c mahara ki nga whakaaro ahakoa i whakahaerea ponotia, ko te taunga iho he kino pea. Ko te mahi o Te Kawana me ana Minitia he whakarite i te kupu a Te Kuini, kua korerotia nei ano c koe i roto i to pukapuka ara " Kia mataara tonu hoki to tirotiro i ona iwi Pakeha, Maori hoki, kite whakatupu hoki i nga mea c ora ai c neke ake ai i runga ite pai." Xi to nga Minita whakaaro, c kore c puta he ora ki nga iwi Maori, c kore ratou "c whairangxtiratanga i runga i te ritenga c tonoa nei, engari ka wehea ketia kia rua nga iwi me te tau o te mate ki runga tahi i te Maori me te Pakeha. Heoi, i te mea kua korerotia te kupu i mua ake nei, kahore he tikanga c whakahoki nui ai te kupu mo era korero i roto ito pukapuka mo nga mana kia tukua atu kite Bunanga Kaunihera c meatia ana c koe kia whakaturia, otiia c taea ano te whakaatu mehemea he tika kia tv te Kaunihera hei whakahaere i etahi mahi, kei te nui rawa, kei te he hoki ki nga iwi c rua nga mana c meingatia ana c koe kia tukua atu ki taua Kaunihera, a kite whakaaetia tera c puta nui te mate kite iwi Maori ano. A i te mea hoki ko te mahi a te Kawanatanga he whakaaro i te tikanga tino pai mo te Maori raua tahi ko te Pakeha, c kore o taea c ratou te whakaae atu he tikanga c puta ai pea he raru ahua rite nei te taimaha ki nga raru i mate ai nga Maori i mua, ko tona taunga iho pea he pouritanga he raruraru tuturu i waenganui i nga iwi c rua. I au c whakapuaki atu nei i nga mahara o nga Minita mo runga i tenei mea, kahore he whakaaro whakahawea atu i to hiahia i runga i te whakaaro pono, tapatahi kia whakahaerea to tino painga mo te iwi Maori. Ahakoa whakaaro nga Minita i runga i te ata hurihuri, mo nga take kua kiia c ahau i mua ake nei tera ka tau he mate ki nga Maori ratou tahi me nga Pakeha i runga i te mea c tonoa nei, a c kore c tika maku c tuku atu kite Paremete, engari ka whakaae ahau kite whakaatu atu ite ara c ahei ai koe te tuku hohoro atu he Pire pera kite Paremete i runga i te utu kore, a mehemea ka whakaaetia c koe te kupu i kiia atu c ahau ki a koe i Areka, ka taea ano c koe tonu te tuku i to tono kite Paremete mo runga i taua mea. He kupu whakamutunga tenei naku ki a koe, ahakoa c kore ahau me oku hoa Minita c ahei te whakaae atu ki o kupu mo te Kaunihera, kei te tino hiahia matou kia mahi tahi tatou i runga i te whakahoatanga kia meatia he tikanga c tau ai te ora ki runga ki to iwi, mo to matou tino hiahia kia whakatuturutia to whakaaro, a kia tino mahi tahi koe me te Kawanatanga kia tae kite mutunga pai. Na to hoa, Na te Paeanihi.

[Translation.] Letter from the Hon. the Native Ministeb to Tawhiao. Feiend Tawhiao, — Native Office, Wellington, Bth June, 1886. I have received your letter of the 17th May, by the hand of our friend Henare Kaihau, concerning the grievances which have affected you and your people since the making of the Treaty of Waitangi. In this letter you draw attention to the Constitution Act of New Zealand, clause 71, where the Queen has the power by Orders in Council to provide for the meeting of Native chiefs for the purpose of deliberating upon affairs peculiar to the Maori people. I have read with great pleasure the personal history you give of your father Potatau, whose life and conduct endeared him to the Europeans of the colony, and whose memory is still cherished in New Zealand. Tor it is true what you say, that at an early period of the colony he was tho consistent friend of the Europeans, and a staunch advocate of peace. His action in reference to the Treaty of Maraetai, when his word went forth to the Chiefs of Waikato, that they should continue to show love and goodwill to the colonists ; his disapproval of Hone Heke's proposal to cut down the flagstaff at Takapuna, and his support of the Europeans at that period ; his declaration of peace when hostilities commenced at Waitara, in 1860, when he gave his word that fighting should cease, and that troubles should be dealt with according to the law; are all events in the life of this great man which consecrate his memory, and claim for his son the respect and goodwill of the Government and people of New Zealand.

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You, Tawhiao, tell me that when fighting broke out in the Waikato you steadfastly adhered to the injunctions of your father, and have done so to this day, though your people have fought against the Queen; and you say, "We are now considering by what means we can live in the former state of peace and friendly feeling." It is right that, when terms are proposed, you should consider the people equally with yourself ; and in this matter I think you have acted with magnanimity and unselfishness, and with a sincere desire to promote the welfare of your race. It is my desire that whatever may be done in the future shall be for the welfare of the whole people rather than for the aggrandisement of individuals. At the present moment permanent peace has been established between the Government and the tribes of New Zealand. The difficulties remaining do not amount to any great principle, but are matters of detail which can be arranged amicably by conference between the Native Minister and the representatives of the various tribes. I speak in the name of almost all the tribes, when I say that they are not opposed to the surveys or the Native Land Court, but, on the contrary, it is by their wish that the Land Court is held to establish the right of the people to their land. When, therefore, I uphold the Land Court lam only giving effect to the deliberate will of the people expressed through their chiefs again and again. Do not be offended when I say that I think you are wrong in preventing the people from trying to establish their tribal, their hapu, and their individual rights to the land. You think it best for the people that there should be no Courts. I think it best for the people that there should be Courts. Who, then, shall decide between us ? My answer is, Let the people who own the land decide. Your request for the establishment of a Council for all the chiefs of the island is a subject of so much importance that, as I intimated to you at Alexandra, I have submitted it for the consideration of tho Cabinet. Ministers think that the power to call such a Council together has passed from the Queen to the Parliament of New Zealand, and must be sought for by a Bill. Ministers Consider also the time has passed when they could as a Government adopt the proposal, and in support of this I will quote a portion of section 71 of the Constitution Act: —■ And whereas it may bo expedient that the law's, customs, and usages of the aboriginal or native inhabitants of New Zealand, so far as they are not repugnant to the general principles of humanity, should for the present he maintained for tho government of themselves in all their relations to and dealings witli each other. It shall be lawful for Her Majesty, in and by any Letters Patent to be issued under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, from time to time to make piovision for the purposes aforesaid, &c It seems clear from this that the Councils referred to were only to be of a temporary nature, and though they might have been applicable to the state of affairs in 1852, they would not be so in 1886. It was not intended by this provision that they should be permanent institutions; and to introduce them now, after the lapse of thirty-four years, would be acting directly contrary to the spirit of the Constitution Act itself. Ministers, moreover, are of opinion that, so far from uniting tho two races and enabling them to live together as one people, the proposal would tend to estrange them and set up two Governments, each possessing independent authority, leading to innumerable difficulties, which might be attended with disaster to the Maori people. Your motives in seeking this measures to promote the welfare of the Maori people we do not question, but we are compelled to look at the results which would probably follow, rather than to well-intentioned motives which might end in evil. The duty of the Governor and his Ministers is to carry out the Queen's word, which you have referred to in your letter —namely, " To watch over the interests and promote the advancement of Her subjects, without distinction of race." It appears to Ministers that, so far from the interests of the Maori people being advanced by the measure, a distinction of race would bo drawn which would be injurious alike to Maoris and Europeans. It is not necessary, after what has been said, to answer in detail the portion of your letter relating to the powers which might be intrusted to the Council you propose to establish, though it would be easy to show that, even were it advisable to create such a Council to do certain things, the powers which you would intrust to it arc so excessive and so contrary to the interests of both races, that its establishment would be attended with great evil to the Maoris themselves. As the Government, therefore, are bound to consider what is best for the Maoris as well as for the Europeans, they cannot agree to adopt a course which might lead to trouble hardly less disastrous than any which has yet come upon the Maori people, and which might end in lasting bitterness and complication between the two races. In thus freely and unreservedly expressing the opinion of Ministers upon the subject, there is no wish to impeach your good faith or sincerity in desiring to do that which is best for the Maori people. While Ministers, therefore, after careful consideration, are of opinion, for the reasons I have here stated that such a measure would be injurious to both Natives and Europeans, and cannot be introduced into Barliament by me, yet I am prepared to give you the utmost facility to introduce such a Bill without expense or delay, and if you accept the offer I made at Alexandra you can yourself make your appeal to Barliament on the subject. In conclusion, I wish to say to you that, although my colleagues and myself cannot agree with you as to the Council, we earnestly desire to have your valuable assistance in arriving at what may be for the good of your people, and trust that you may still carry out your intention, and work cordially with the Government to that end. From your friend, J. Ballance. [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; Printing (1,000 copies), £_ 12s. Cd._

Authority : Geoegk Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—1886.