THE KOHIMARAMA CONFERENCE.

E—No. 9

Tour attention has been directed to the necessity of some better provision for the administration of justice in Native Districts, and a code of rules prepared by Dr. Martin (the late Chief Justice of New Zealand) haa been submitted to you. You have been invited to consider the subject of Mixed Juries in cases of murder, where persons of the Maori race are concerned. Suggestions have been made to you for defining tribal boundaries to land, and securing individual titles, with the view of removing many of the difficulties at present surrounding Native Title. The English law of succession to property, and the manner of making a will, as a means of preventing future litigation, have been explained to you. You have been requested to state your sentiments and wiihes freely, and to make known your grievances, in order that (if possible) they might be redressed. The circumstances which have led to the present disturbances at Taranaki have (at your request) been explained to you, and I think it right to repeat that I was forced into this war by the aggressions of Wiremu Kingi, much against my will; that I desire peace, but it must be peace based on the establishment of law and order, in the place of murder and outrage;—peace which will enable the Pakeha and the Maori to live together in quiet, and without fear or distrust of each other. Nothing affecting the interests and welfare of your race has been concealed from you, and I doubt not you are quite sincere in the sentiments of loyalty to Her Majesty and friendship to the Europeans which you have so generally expressed. I trust, therefore, that this Conference will prove to have been the means of restoring and strengthening confidence between the two races. Convinced of Her Majesty's desire that her subjects should live in peace, you will return to your homes reassured and enabled to correct any false impressions which may still linger in the thoughts of your people. The education of your children, greater attention to the cultivation of the soil, the erection of better houses to live in, and the acquisition of European property, will, I sincerely trust, claim your chief attention, when you return to your people. I shall have great pleasure in reporting to our most gracious Sovereign that her Maori subjects (in whose welfare she takes so deep an interest) have conducted their first Conference in most orderly and creditable manner, and that they have given ample proof that they are neither wanting in intelligence nor good feeling—information which will be very gratifying to her, and scarcely less so to her Pakeha subjects in England as well as in New Zealand. A faithful record of this Conference will be preserved by the Government, and I am sure that hereafter your children will peruse it with much satisfaction, as a history of the first steps towards that self-government which I trust they will comprehend and enjoy. It now only remains for me to inform you that the Conference will be convened again next year, and the Assembly will assist me in devising measures for the establishment of order, and for the good of your race generally. In the interval between the present time and the next Conference, I trust you will carefully consider the subjects to which your attention has been directed, in order that you may come prepared to express matured opinions, and to recommend measures for giving practical effect to your wishes. Farewell, my friends ! and may God protect you and guide you in the ways of wisdom and the paths of peace. The Address was loudly applauded by the Chiefs. His Excellency took occasion to present, in the name of Her Majesty, to Hori Kingi Te Anaua, Kawana Paipai, for himself and the three Wanganui Chiefs named in the margin, four silver-mounted staffs, bearing Te Mawae> the Royal Arms and an inscription. He observed that it afforded Her Majesty much pleasure to Tim)a recognise in this manner the services rendered by those Chiefs to Her Majesty's Government m New Hori Kingi made an appropriate acknowledgment, and assured His Excellency that nothing would shake his allegiance to the Queen. The following is a list of the Chiefs who arrived at intervals after the opening of the Conferene and took part in its proceedings, viz. :— Ngapuhi:—Eruera Mahi Paraone, Maihi Paraone Kawiti, Hore Te Hau, Honatana, Hori Winiata, Wetiriki Maki, Kuhukuhu, Wiremu Te Hakiro, Wiremu Kawiti, Matiu, Wiremu Te Whatanui, Pomare, Paikea Te Wiohau, Hone Waiti, Paraoue Ngawake, Tipene Te Awhato, Te Alatenga Te Whe. Arama Karaka and Manuka Matohi. Ngatiwhatua :—lhikiera, Te Otene Kikokiko and Pakihi Taraia. Ngatimahanga :—Wiremu Nero Te Awaitaia and Hetaraka Nero. Ngatihourua :—Te Matutaera Kaniwhaniwha. Te Rarawa : —Te Hakitara Wharekawa. Tainui :—Te Ao-o-te RangL Te Akitai:—Mohi Ahiatengu and Paora Te Iwi. Ngatiruru :—Mohi Te Rongomawhata and Te Rewiti Puhata. Te Aravva :—Parakaia Tararoa, Petaera, Te Ngahue, Hori Te Kotuku, Penerara, Matene, Hamiona, Manehira Kainamu, Rawharitua and Te Kuhe. Walter Buller, (Secretary of Conference.

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