G.—2.

Commission has now visited the various settlements, and appointed this meeting here on this side Waingongoro, within the country where the trouble has arisen. We have now asked the Natives to tell us what these promises were, and how they have been broken. Not many have spoken. But we have told them one word, which is, that the promises made will be surely carried out. What happened on the other side of the Waingongoro was the same as this: there was fighting between the two races, and the Government confiscated the land. Then there was a time of quiet, and then another outbreak. Afterwards, the Government said to the tribes on the other side of the- river, " Go back to the laud, and we will give you places where you shall live ; these places shall be your own for each hapu. as the Government shall decide : the rest shall remain under the confiscation in the hands of the Government, and there the Government will place Europeans." That word has remained to this clay, and you have seen it fulfilled. The land on this side of Waingoligoro was confiscated at the same time; but the tribes have not yet had any land restored to them on this side of the river; only some of them, as Hone Pihama and his hapu, have had places given to them ; also to Manaia land has been promised. The rest of the Natives have cultivated where they wished. But the Government did not put them where they are. This has led to confusion, because all the laud still remains confiscated ; and the Natives cannot tell what their boundaries are, because they have not been fixed by the Government. Now, what the Commissioners think would be right is this: There are two tribes on this coast, the Taranakis and the Ngatiruanuis. The decision about the Taranaki people will be for another day : but what was said by Mr. Richmond and former Governments to Matakatea and Arama Karaka remains undisturbed and will not be altered. To-day we are speaking only to the Ngatiruanui people. Our word to the Governor will be this: Let the boundaries of Hone Pihama's land be marked out for himself and his people; let, also, crown grants be given to him and them without delay ; let, also, the same be done with Manaia. Then, as regards the other Natives, who have come to no agreement yet with the Government as to their places : Let a reserve be made for them all along the bush where they are living: let that reserve be for all the Natives of the tribe, and let it take in all their cultivations and dwellings ; let it be made in one broad piece between Waingongoro and the boundary between the two tribes, so as to make it; clear what shall belong to the Natives and what to the Europeans ; let this reserve be surveyed ; let roads be made to it across the Plains. Hereafter, if the Natives desire it themselves, the land can be individualized for each family ; until then it should remain in one large block. When the boundaries of this reserve have been fixed on the opeti plain along the bush, it will be seen what is the extent of the cultivations inland, and how far they go into the bush; then the back boundary can be laid down to include them. The Commissioners expect that each hapu will show their cultivations and explain whose work each clearing was, so that the rights of those who ai'O absent may be preserved, just as would have been done if they had been present here to-day. As to the pieces of land which have been enclosed and cultivated on the open plains, our word to the Governor will be that the people who have cultivated and fenced them in should not be disturbed ; but that no new cultivations should be made in the open hereafter. As to fishing-places, tho Commission will carefully consider the places where the people have been accustomed to fish, in order that these may be reserved for the supply of food. The Commission will advise the Governor that, when this has been done, he should continue the course of placing Europeans on the Plains, which was begun long ago on the other side of the Waingongoro. There should be reserved in the bush, in some places to be hereafter considered, sufficient reserves of timber which may bo used by the settlers for firewood and fencing and other purposes of settlement, under the control of the Government, so that no disputes may arise. And roads should be laid out at proper places through the bush, in order that both races may have access from the coast to the railway which is being made from New Plymouth to Mawera. Especially there should be a broad road marked out through the forest from the Harbour of Opunake to some convenient point on the main railway, so that the branch railway which Parliament has authorized may be made when the Governor thinks right. When the time comes that settlers will be placed upon the Plains, perhaps there will arise the desire of both races to have leases given of part of the reserved land. This will be right, in order that the Native owners may, on this side of Waingongoro, be receiving income from their land in the same way as the people on the other side of the river are doing. But the Commission has seen that, because these leasings on the other side were done without care or supervision, it has happened that land has been let in the first instance without its value being known, and the result has not in some cases been right. Now, the advice of the Commission to the Governor will be that, whenever the Natives desire to let any part of the land reserved for them, it should be done under regulations to be carefully considered hereafter, in order that the rents from any land that is let to Europeans may go to the proper owners, and that the full value of the land may be got for them: and also that there should not be large tracts fall into the hands of one man. Then also will be the time for a plan to be settled for the establishment of schools, in order that Native children may be brought up with the same advantages as the European children are. It will be for the Parliament to decide whether any part of the grant made long ago by the Queen for Native purposes should be applied to these schools : if so, it will also be right for the tribe to agree that some part of the money derived from rents should be set aside for the support of these schools : so that the children may not reproach us hereafter, when they are grown up, that they were forgotten when the settlement of this question was made by us all to-day. It will also be advised by the Commission that in the town, which will be built on the Plains, sections should be set aside for the chief people of the tribe, where they can resort as their own homes whenever they visit the town. The Commission know that there has sprung_ tip a new word of late on this coast. Te Whiti has said that he alone is to settle this matter: that the land is in his hands, that everything must be taken to Parihaka, and that he alone will put everything right. From time to time different words have been spoken by him, first one and then another ; and no one is quite clear as to what he says from time to time. But one good word he has always spoken, which is clear, that there should be peace: and that, whatever happened, there should be no more

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