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obtain a Parliament for the Natives, which would enable them to govern themselves, and he further promised them a return of the confiscated lands, or compensation in lieu thereof. Besides the Parliament, they were to receive other privileges which at present were denied them. He advised them to await the result of the mission, and in the meantime to keep their lands out of the Land Court, and on no account to pass them through that Court, as shortly new laws would be made by the Maori Parliament with reference to Maori lands; the Maori Parliament, of course, being that which Tawhiao was to obtain from England. On the 7th instant the election of a Native Committee for this district, under " The Native Committees Act, 1883," took place at the courthouse, when fourteen candidates were nominated, a majority of whom belonged to the tribes residing between Raukokore and Torere. None of the other tribes appeared to take much interest in the proceedings, although a long notice had been given, and steps taken to make it generally known throughout the district. Several blocks of land have been surveyed between Whangaparaoa and Opotiki, and now await adjudication by the Native Land Court. Crops. Owing to the wet and peculiarly cold summer the maize and kumara crops are partial failures, and may be described in local parlance as " half-crops," i.e., crops which will only yield half as much as when good. The maize crop iv this district extended over thirteen hundred acres, a fair proportion of which is owned by Natives. Instead, therefore, of the maize export this season being about twelve thousand sacks from Opotiki, it will, I fear, only reach about seven thousand sacks. The potato crop, however, is good. Public Works. No public works have been undertaken by the Natives during the past year. Some persons, however, have been employed keeping the coast road in repair, the work being let at a fixed sum per aunum. Schools. There are nine Native schools iv the district under my supervision, one of which, at Omarumutu, after being closed for several years, has been reopened with an attendance of fifty. The Whakatohea now having concentrated on their reserve at Opape, I trust this will prove a successful school. A new school has been erected at Waioeka, and was opened in February last with an attendance roll of fifty-two scholars, some of whom, however, are Europeans. The last quarterly returns show an average attendance of three hundred and seventy-five children at these schools. As a rule the scholars attend regularly, but those coming from a distance are occasionally prevented from attending through the inclemency of the weather and flooded state of rivers. On the whole, however, considerable interest is displayed and progress made. The prize-money given for regular attendance has a beneficial effect on the average attendance, and the children who have passed any of the higher standards are beginning to look upon it as a disgrace not to be able to pass for the next standard at the Inspector's examination. I need scarcely say that the visits of the Inspector are not only anxiously looked forward to, but much appreciated by both the parents and scholars. The Natives at Te Umuhika, a settlement about midway between Matata and Te Teko, are anxious to have a school erected there, and steps are being taken to have a suitable site surveyed, &c, for the purpose. Maketu. I have, as heretofore, discharged the magisterial duties of this Court, while Mr. Brabant, R.M., has performed those at Ohinemutu. Although the number of cases adjudicated upon in this Court are not numerous, yet they, as a general rule, are very long, especially when they happen to be Arawa cases arising out of the detention or misappropriation of horses. The Maketu Natives have been absent a considerable portion of the year attending Native Land Courts, especially that sitting at Ohinemutu in re the Rotorua township. The conduct and health of these Natives will compare favourably with that of former years." The chief Te Pokiha is still a staunch teetotaller. It is a pity the remainder of the tribe do not follow his good example. Te Kooti stayed a night at Maketu, and is reported as feeling slighted at not being made more of by Te Pokiha and other chiefs. Te Pokiha presented his celebrated carved pataka to Tawhiao when he visited Maketu last year; it is to be removed to Waikato. I have, &c, R. S. Bush, The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. Resident Magistrate.

No. 8. Major Scannell, R.M., Taupo, to the Under-Secretary, Native Department. Sir, — Resident Magistrate's Office, Taupo, 26th April, 1884. I have the honour, in compliance with instructions contained in your Circular No. 3, of the 9th April, 1884, to furnish, for the information of the Hon. the Native Minister, my annual report upon the state of the Natives in the Taupo District.