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take their tools from them. They succeeded in taking one axe, and they are keeping it. They have just sold their grass seed, and have money, and plenty of grog, and so are in a very excited state just now. Captain Wilson says it is useless to talk to them now, and it is very unfortunate that this line should run through their cultivations, as Titokowaru had told him only the day previous that they would resist any lines being cut through their cultivations. The meridian line is right into one the first thing, and is likely to go into several." On the 22nd February I received a report from Mr. Cheal, stating that the Natives were cutting off the numbers on the pegs of the township, making matchwood of some of them with a tomahawk, cutting them off level with the ground, and splintering them. 1017. Did you make any report of these facts ?—Yes ; and I added that I should not be surprised to hoar any day that numbers of the pegs in the rural lands had been destroyed. 1018. Did you make any communication to the Civil Commissioner about this interruption ? —Yes ; the Civil Commissioner came up and arranged matters satisfactorily, and Mr. Bird went to work again. Mr. Williams first came up and told Mr. Bird it was all right, but the Natives would not allow him to proceed until Major Brown settled it with them, when there was no difficulty at all. 1019. When did that surveyor go on again with the work? —In the beginning of March, 1879. The work had been stopped on the 22nd February. 1020. Did any other interruption take place?—On the 12th March Mr. Finnerty reported as follows : " I am very sorry to inform you that the section pegs are rapidly disappearing from Block VIII. I went over the road yesterday morning which runs from the junction of the roads near trig, station B. From this point to the Waingongoro Bridge there is not a single peg left in the ground. It is evident that pigs have not rooted them out, because the lockspits are undisturbed, and peg holes in some instances quite clear. What other portions of the block may also have been tampered with I cannot say, as I have not time to look. lam even more annoyed by similar acts on the road which I have just run from the west of the new block to Waingongoro Ford. We arrived at the ground this morning, intending to start from the peg at which I left the bearing, some 10 or 12 chains from the ford and running down to the river traverse. I was unable to pick up my bearing ; the peg was gone. I went back, station after station, for miles. The pegs were all pulled up : even opposite angle pegs, which had all been put in, were gone in a large majority of instances ; so that you may see plainly the damage which has been done." I reported this to the (Surveyor-General, and, in reply, he telegraphed asking me whether the information was authentic. I told him it was by letter from Mr. Finnerty, the surveyor, himself. 1021. Had not Mr. Finnerty's report reference to the objection which Titokowaru made to the road being taken through a field of cocksfoot belonging to him near Okaiawa ? —No; it referred to the road to Normanby Ford. 1022. Then the interruption to Mr. Finnerty's survey did not take place on account of the road at Titokowaru's place ? —No ; Mr. Finnerty, in his report dated 23rd March, 1879, says, " Should it be reported that the pegs were removed because of the running of the road at Titokowaru's place, give it no credence. Mr. Climie first drew my atteniion to their removal, and he will be able to tell you as well as myself, that this happened two days before I put the road through." 1023. What time elapsed between the date of the interruption reported by Mr. Finnerty, and the final turning-off of the surveyors ? —About twelve days. 1024. What reports had you from your surveyors as to the facts connected with their removal ?— They reported first by telegram, and afterwards by letter. 1025. Did they make any statements as to the reasons of the removal ?—I received the following report from Mr. ISkeet on the 24th March : " Te Manu came at sunrise, telling me that, as Te Whiti had beaten Te Hihana (Hon. Mr. Sheehan), at Farihaka, I was to move camp and all the things across Waingongoro, which I declined to do. About two hours afterwards he came again, accompanied by seven others and a bullock-dray, and proceeded to strike my camp. I tried to prevent them doing so, until I saw that it would be necessary to use violence, which would have been of no use, as they could, and were prepared to, procure more help. The Natives packed our things up, being very careful not to miss anything, putting what they could on the dray, saying they would bring the remainder afterwards, which they did. A few chains along the track there were several other Maoris, evidently waiting to assist if required, one voung fellow galloping away as we came up. On the main road, Titokowaru and more Natives were waiting, others coming up every moment. Before we got to Waiokura Valley, 100 were following, who then moved off, saying they were going to the other survey camps, four of the Natives who first came driving the dray on to Waingongoro, depositing our things just across the bridge. The Natives did everything good-humouredly, though firmly, saying ib was all being done by the orders of To Whiti. With the exception of some tools that were out on the work, which, owing to our sudden departure, we were unable to get, 1 have not lost anything." 102G. Did you receive reports from any other surveyors? —I received the following report from Mr. Cheal: "On Monday last, 25th March, when proceeding to work, 1 met a Native named Ngatai, a chief in Manaia's tribe, who informed me that all the surveyors were to go off the Waimate Plains, and that Mr. Skeet was then being carted in from Kaupukunui to the Waingongoro River. I paid no attention to my informant's story, but proceeded to my work ; namel}', cutting a road line into the bush about 20 chains west of Okaiawa, Titokowaru's settlement. In a few minutes that chief came along in his buggy, attended by about 30 of his followers on horseback. Titokowaru shook hands with me, but said nothing except " Tenakoe," and passed on. Some of his tribe stopped and told me the surveyors were to go off the Plains. Shortly afterwards I sent a man to Climio's camp for some information, and he returned with the same statement, that Mr. Skeet was being removed from the Plains, and that the Natives had informed Mr. Climie that they would shift his camp next day. But I still continued my work, thinking that if there was any truth in the statement made, Mr. Skeet would bo sure to send a man on before the drays to report the matter to the Civil Commissioner. I went into Hawera in the evening, and on my way found Mr. Skeet's party encamped on the bank of the Waingongoro Eiver near the bridge, Hawera side. I saw the Civil Commissioner, who said he believed that all the surveyors were to be removed; that I was not to leave the Plains of my own accord; but that, if the Natives came to remove me, I was not to oppose, but go quietly away. The Natives came