E No.—4

Enclosure 1 in No. 7. MR. PAKEIS TO THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND. New Plymouth, August 26th, 1858. Mr Loed,— I have the honor to inform you that on the 19th instant a party of about 20 Natives came to see me from Taranaki, on the subject of making an appeal to your Lordship for a Minister to be located among them, having previously held meetings for the consideration and discussion of the subject at their own place, as shewn by their own letters herewith enclosed. In the absence of a Clergyman able to confer with them, I consented to talk the subject over with them and report to your Lordship, which I have much pleasure in doing, as a member of the Church (unworthy as I am) but not in the capacity of & Government officer, lest I should be charged with partiality for Natives of that denomination, as some are wont to do, because I refuse to support or countenance dishonorable and treacherous treatment of Wm. King and his people, to exterminate them from the Waitara in accordance with Mr. Turton's peremptory plan for the acquirement of that delightful and much coveted district. Since your Lordship's departure in February last, I have had to contend with very trying circumstances of a most painful nature which has caused me intense anxiety of mind for these Natives. Pardon this digression from the subject matter of my letter, in reverting to which I would beg to observe, that the Natives who are moving in this matter appear to be in real earnest, and although there may be some opposition, I believe they can carry their point, should a Minister be available for so desirable and neglected a field. They are principally Hoera's relatives. The land proposed to be handed over to your Lordship for the residence of a clergyman is about 7 miles from Tataraimaka. The quantity not ascertained, (perhaps 20 acres.) Wm. King of Umuroa, Taranaki, is now with me talking over the subject, he expresses his grief at the conduct of his people for repudiating the offer made at Moutore, and appears equally anxious as the others for a Minister, in proof of which the former applied to me to borrow (£100) one hundred pounds to hand over to your Lordship as an earnest of theiv sincerity, being the amount they propose to subscribe yearly towards the maintenance of a clergyman. The only information I could give them was, that when your Lordship was last here, you told me that you purposed returning about November, when they would, no doubt, have an opportunity of seeing your Lordship on the subject, and in the meantime I recommended them to give the matter a thorough consideration among themselves and extend it through the district. While we cannot but feel the need of great caution with respect to these poor creatures who enquire concerning the truth as it is in Jesus, at a period when the Natives throughout the country, I believe, were never more unsettled; still may we not look upon such a solicitation as a proof that the Lord has not forsaken them, and that their consciences are still striving within them ? Hoping that your Lordship may be able to give them some encouragement, I have, &c, Robert Pakeis.

Enclosure 2 in No. 7. THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND TO ME. PAKRIS. Auckland, 2nd January, 18GL Sir, — In compliance with the request contained in your letter of 28th December, J B6O, I herewith furnish you with a copy of your letter to me of August 26th, 1858, and transmit it as you desire, through the Private Secretary. You will see from the tenor of the letter, that it was not a private communication to me, nor written at but a public document written at the request of twenty Natives of the Taranaki tribe on a subject of common interest, and forwarded by you, not as a private friend, but as a member of the church " in the absence of a clergyman able to confer with the Natives." Tour incidental mention of the state of feeling between the English settlers and the Natives contained nothing new or private. It related only to the plans of Mr. Turton and others, the mischievous character of which had already been exposed by his Excellency Governor Gore Browne in his Memoof November 19th, 1855 (Parl. Papers, July, 1860, page 177) and by me in my pastoral letter of the same year. Your opposition to those plans was as well known and open as mine, or it would not have exposed you to the invidious remarks to which your letter refers. I can see no reason why you should now wish to conceal or retract a single word of that letter, , which is as honorable to your feelings as it is favorable to the Native character. Having placed the letter, at your request, in the hands of the Government, I shall reserve to myself the full discretion of giving any further publicity to it, which I may hereafttr consider necessary. I have, &c, G. A. New Zealand.

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COREESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND AND MR. COMMISSIONER PARRIB.