E.—No. 18,

The greatest obstacle, an obstacle so great that it will be difficult to obtain even consideration for any new proposal, is the rooted distrust to the Government which has taken possession of the minds of Maoris, and has been manifested of late in various ways. The only hope that I can see of removing or lessening this distrust, is by a clear and full statement to them of the view which we take of the present condition of affairs, and of the probable results to both races of a general war. In this statement we must freely admit our own weak points,—such as the great loss of property that would ensue from a war, and its great costliness; but it must also be clearly shown that war once entered on, there will be no alternative but to continue fighting until the Maori is thoroughly conquered, and we can pay expenses by confiscating large tracts of land. It must then be explained that we perfectly admit that without a war, which we intend to use every effort to avoid, the Natives are virtually independent and free to choose their own form of Government; but that it is necessary for both races that they should establish an efficient Government of some kind ; and that we will allow them their full share of the revenue for its support. Many other matters would suggest themselves on consideration that it would be right to say at such a time, and in order to undo as far as possible the evil effects of past insincerity. Another obstacle to the adoption of any general scheme at the present time, is the critical position of affairs at Taranaki. I would propose to obviate this by retiring for the present from the occupation of Tataraiinaka, my reasons for which recommendation I shall presently give. The following is a rough outline of the conditions and limitations under which the independence of the Natives should be admitted. 1. The majority of every tribe (of sufficient size and importance) to choose its own chief Magistrate (or King) and form of Government, and to administer the revenue allotted to it. ' 2. Any number of tribes to be free to combine under one Sovereign and Government. 3. All laws of the Native Councils (or acts on specified subjects) to be reserved for the Governor's assent. 4. All Europeans offending within the limits of the Maori Provinces to be subject to the laws of the Province, and vice ve>-sa. 5. In no case the punishment of death to be inflicted without the warrant of the Governor. 6. No land to be purchased from any Native in the Native Provinces without the consent of the Government of the Province, unless in such Province a law shall have been enacted and carried into effect for the iudividualisation of the title of land. 7. Except within European boundaries, no native shall be paid any salary by Government, nor shall any expenditure for Native purposes take place except as provided. 8. Both races shall be free to travel anywhere. 9. The title of the "Waitara land to be publicly reinvestigated and finally determined. As to the character of the Maori race, and its fitness for self-government, I believe the Natives have, like ourselves, talent, energy, industry, ambition, and courage, that we cannot develope their good qualities for them, but that they may probably develope them for themselves, if we will recognise them as men, instead of attempting to nurse and rule them as children. The attempt to rule them by paid Assessors and forced attempts at expensive cultivation, will as surely fail with the Maoris as it does with any race of strong intellectual powers—as surely as it fails with our own race; and the action of a paternal Government on the Anglo-Saxon as contrasted with self-government is well shewn by the lingering progress of this colony under irresponsible Government, and its astonishing vitality and progress since the Constitution Act came into operation. The Natives have given in one of the road districts of this Province, where they hold individual titles, a proof of their capacity, by meeting the settlers of the districts, a smaller number than themselves, rating with them a Eoad Kate of Sixpence an acre, and electing two Europeans and one Native as Commissioners to expend the money. The strongest proof in my opinion of the natural good sense of the New Zealander is afforded by the fact, that with all his energy and all his ability, instead of reducing the Maoris to the state of the Natives at Paraguay, under the Jesuits, the Bishop of New Zealand has only succeeded in deservedly diminishing his own influence. If some such terms as I have suggested were accepted, I believe it would be found practicable to consolidate this settlement, on the North side, should the Waitara purchase be pronounced good, by the purchase of the intervening land, if otherwise, a compact boundary on that side exists ; on the South, the Tataraimaka Block and Tuakai Eange might probably be exchanged for the Tapuae Block ; further I believe no difficulty would be found, in making it a condition of agreement that all plunder taken on both sides in the late war should be returned or paid for. If some such radical change as I propose is not attempted, but things are allowed to drift on without any vigorous effort to bring about a good understanding with the Natives, founded on a sound basis of fact, I see little hope of avoiding a general war, by any possible amount of concession or delay. The Natives all over the Island are fully prepared to rise at once if a disturbance involving loss of life takes place anywhere, and the state of feeling of the two races is such that such an occurrence may take place anywhere, at any time, and take the settlers in other parts of the Island by surprise ; added to this, is the special cause of irritation in this Province, that the Tataraimaka Block has been re-occupied before Waitara title was reinvestigated, and it was with the view of avoiding the difficulties and complications thus arising, that I recommended His Excellency and the Native Minister that the Tataraimaka Block should not be re-occupied till the spring. . . . '. It may be said that the disposal of this especial cause for irritation is easy by retiring from the occupation of Tataraimaka or Waitara.

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MINUTE ON THE NATIVE QUESTION