F—No. 3

BEFORE THE WAIKATO COMMITTEE.

me. They brought their cases to my Court, and I adjudicated upon them without distinction of party. 1079. Did you observe that the King party came as freely to your Court as the others?— Yes: they did at that time. 1080. Did you couple your Magisterial work with that of general instruction?—l assisted them in their social matters as well as I could. 1081. Specially did you instruct them in the principles of English Law?—l did. 1082. Did they receive such instruction gladly?— Yes, and were wonderfully quick at understanding it. 1083. Do you speak of both parties indiscriminately?— Yes. 1084. Will you state whether any perceptible effect in developing the Native mind on the subject of law was produced by your proceedings? —The Native probationers, my assistants, improved very rapidly; and as they gained knowledge and firmness their influence over the people increased. 1085. By what rule did you make your selection of Native Assessors or probationers?— After a tribe had signified to me in a satisfactory manner that they were desirous of accepting law, I assembled them in meeting; and after speaking myself and listening to their speeches, I used to asktrfem to select one or two men who they thought fitted to be Native Magistrates, and told them that if after a period of probation they showed themselves fit for the office I should recommend them to the Governor for appointment. . . 1086. Had you regard in the choice of these probationers or assessors to their position as Chiefs or persons of importance? —I only remember once making an objection to a nominee on account of the want of rank. That was at the Awatohitohi, when the runanga proposed a slave; but they overruled my objections, saying that he was the most intelligent man they had, and that if they were satisfied, it was against the principles of the English to object on that ground. So I accepted the nomination. 1087. Was the selection of these persons generally determined by consideration of the rank of the parties, or merely their general fitness?—As a rule the man of the best family would be chosen, if he had the other qualifications. 1088. Did the old Chiefs generally take part in these proceedings ?^-Yes. 1089. Wiremu Nera for example ?—Yes. 1090. Was WiremuNera selected by you ?—No; he was appointed a Government Assessor befoie I went there. He expressed a desire that his two nephews should be appointed, because he was too old to undertake these new matters. 1091. Was Waata Kukutai selected by you? —Yes; he was appointed on my recommendationlie and Taneti, a cousin of Takerei, were the only persons who were appointed on my recommenda* tion. 1092. Did you recommend any others for appointment ?t—l did. 1093. Will you name them ? —I recommended on one occasion Mohi and Hetaraka ; I think they had just been behaving exceedingly well in the apprehension and trial of a Maori for a theft committed in Auckland. He had taken refuge in Waikato as a place of security. These men had been instrumental in bringing him to justice, and finally causing him to be lodged in the prison in Auckland. They bad previously been acting very well as probationers for many months. At an interview which, some time before, they had had with the Governor, they were promised to be appointed Assessors when I recommended them. I was present at the time. Wishing that their good conduct should be rewarded as an example, I recommended their appointment at once. I believe this was in June or July, 1858. I met one of them, Hetaraka, on the river afterwards, coming back in a state of great disappointment; he waspouri, or dark. He said they had seen Mr. McLean and Mr. Smith, and those gentlemen had told them that all such recommendations must come from them ; that they were the only heads of the Maories ; and had let them go back again without appointing them, or taking them to see the Governor. 1094. Did he state that they had applied to be allowed to see the Governor?— Yes.

F. D. Fenton, Esq. 16 Oct. 1860.

Wednesday, the 17th day op October, 1860. present: Mr. Fox, Mr. Forsaith, Mr. Heale, Mr. Hunter Brown, Mr. King, ~ Mr. Dillon Bell, Mr. Domett, Mr. Williamson, Mr. Sewell in the Chair. The Right Rev, The Lord Bishop of New Zealand examined. 1095. Chairman.] How long has your Lordship been resident in New Zealand?— Since May, 1842, as Eishop of New Zealand, with the exception of 18 months in 1854 and 1855. 1096. Your Episcopal work during that period has made you acquainted with the Natives generally ?—Yes, with the exception of a few villages in which the Natives belonged to other pommunions.

Bishop of New Zealand. 17 Oct. 1860.

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