A.—No. 4,

Ecupena Te One, Horapapera Te Tara, IFaro Hemi Taharape, Heremaia Te Tihi, Paranihi Te Tau, ilennre Hops, Te Beweti, Henare Te Herekau, Bawiri Te Wanui, Parakaia Te Pouepa, Te Kepa riteri and Rota Tawhiri. ,\ll them speakers declared themselves more or less opposed to the sale. Her several others admitted that they were only remote claimants, never having resided on the land nor exercised acts of ownership of any kind. There were many of them averse to the sale, not on any particular ground, but because they were opposed generally to the further alienation of Native lands. Henare To Herekau urged that a further attempt should be made to get the exemption clause in the Native Lands Act repealed, and to have the question of title in this case investigated and adjudicated on by the Native Land Court. In this proposal ho was supported by Parakaia Te Pouepa, from Otaki. Matene Tc Whiwhi made a short speech, in which he adverted to the difficulties of the Bangitdkei land question, and urged the people to consider well before taking any step in the matter. He blamed Ihakara for having reserved the question for the tribe, and said that if he had first arranged terms with the Commissioner, and then sought the consent of the people, there would have been no trouble. Instead of thai he had made an offer, subject to the approval of the people, and the people were now divided in opinion. The chiefs assembled at "Wharangi ought to have sold the land absolutely to the Queen's Commissioner, and the sale would have been valid. The mistake made by the chiefs there assembled was in making their consent subject to the assent: of the people. Tamihana Te Bauparaha strongly advocated a sale of the whole block, and declared that if not sold it would be a constant source of quarrel and contention between the tribes. He enlarged upon the merits of the block, and concluded by suggesting that they should ascertain its extent, and lot the payment for different portions be regulated by the quality, lie proposed as a fair price to demand 20s. per acre for the best land, ss. per acre for the swampy and indifferent ground, and 2s. Gd. per acre for the barren sand hills. The meeting adjourned about 3 p.m. / I!/// April. —The discussion was resumed about 11 a.m. Ihakara renewed his demand for £21,000, and recited again the boundaries of the block under offer. Governor Hunia took objection to the boundaries specified by Ihakara, on the ground that the Ngatikahunu might possibly claim the slopes of the hills, and gave other boundaries which would exclude any claim on the part of the Ngatikahunu. The chiefs Wi Pukapuka, Noa Te Eauhihi, Te Rei Paehua, Hori Te Waharoa, and Tapa To Whata, all spoke strongly in favor of the sale, and, in the early part of the discussion, supported Tamihana's proposal of a price per acre. Horomona Toremi demanded £20.000. Aperahama Te Huruhuru, Parakaia Te Pouepa, Aperahama Te Ruru, and Henare Te Herekau spoke in opposition. Henere Hopa, Bewiti and Apiata, who were on the side of the opposition on the previous day, expressed themselves favorable to the sale. Tamihana Tc Bauparaha said he had abandoned his proposition as to an acreage payment, because he had found that there were insuperable difficulties in the way of such a plan. He then proposed £20,000 as a reasonable price for the whole block. Paora Pohotiraha (of Waikawa) declared himself in favor of selling, and supported Tamihana Te Bauparaha. After some further discussion, "VVi Pukapuka proposed that the price should be £50,000; while Noa Te Eauhihi named 640,000. Te Eei Paehua, Tapa Te Whata, and Hori Te Waharoa adopted the latter proposal, and Wi Pukapuka ultimately agreed to the same. Te Hoia (from Poroutawhao) said that he was one of the remote claimants. He was opposed to all land selling, but they did not think they could prevent Ihakara selling the block if he was so disposed. Matene Te, "Whiwhi refused to declare himself on either side. If sold, lie trusted the Natives would get a good price for the land. If not sold, he hoped the people would take immediate steps to get their claims individualized. He was anxious to see the whole matter fairly argued. Epira Taithnu said that his people were opposed to land selling, but that in this particular case the matter rested chiefly with Ihakara. Neri Puratari (who was afterwards among the first to sign the memorandum of sale) made a violent speech iv opposition. "Wereta Te "Waha and Piripi Te Eangiatauhua (both of whom afterwards signed the agreement), also spoke strongly against the proposed sale. Pceti Te Aweawe, on behalf of the Eangitane and Muaupoko tribes, said that in the absence of the Ngatiapa claimants, they would reserve what they had to say for some future occasion. Takerei Tc Nawe spoke in favor of the sale, and condemned the opposition offered by distant claimants. A number of other Ngatiraukawa Natives having addressed the meeting in favor of the sale, Aperahama, Te Huruhuru, Nepia, Wiriharai, and Tohutohu spoke again on the side of the opposition. Te Kooro (of Oroua) who had previously been opposed, said that if lie could get some guarantee that the division of the purchase money would be fair and equitable, he would at once withdraw all opposition to the sale. The wives of Takaua and Te Kooro (both of whom declare themselves large owners) having differed as to some boundary, indulged in a fierce dispute with each other, refusing to be restrained. It ended in their rushing forward into the open area and calling upon Dr. Featherston to take the disputed land. This elicited a roar of laughter, and the meeting immediately broke up. 7/h April. —The discussion was resumed at the usual hour, and continued witli great warmth throughout the day, the principal speakers being the same as on previous days. The question had been very fairly and patiently argued on both sides. Many who at the outset had declared against the sale, were now avowedly favorable to it, and it was evident that the spirit of opposition had been

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