3

G.—l

The decrease in the timber trade has been a serious loss to the Natives in the timbered portions of the district; formerly a great number were employed in that industry. They now have to confine themselves to gum-digging, where practicable, and cultivating their small plantations-seldom more than sufficient for their own immediate requirements. Whangarei. This district contains the smallest Native population under my supervision, but is, at the same time, one of the richest in its natural resources of gum and timber. The Natives are in general very orderly and submissive to law, but the Hauhau colony at Karehunga is at times troublesome and obstinate. The schools in the district, at Mangakahia, Poroti, and Ngunguru, are fairly attended, and show beneficial results. Very few cases of drunkenness have occurred during the past year, and but two instances of crime have taken place (horse-stealing). The population continues about the same as last year in numbers, the increase equalling the decrease as nearly as possible. Bay of Islands. In the portion of this large district immediately under my charge the Natives have been during the past year quiet, well-behaved, and loyal. The schools are fairly attended, and the general health of the people very much better than before. The Natives occupy themselves in cultivating their lands, and in gum-digging. A few instances of smaller offences have taken place during the period, but only one indictable case. Drunkenness has diminished to a large extent, in fact throughout my whole district liquor-drinking has decreased in a remarkable manner. There is still a great amount of political agitation amongst them, caused in some instances by semi-educated Natives themselves, and in others by disaffected persons who ape the Hauhau principles ; but even then it is carried to less extent than formerly. The recent election has caused but little stir, and has not in any way interfered with their amicable relations to each other. In concluding this brief report I beg to add that the general good conduct of the Natives throughout my district has left little room for comment, and consider this fact to be a matter of great congratulation to the Government. I have, &c, James S. Clendon, The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. Besident Magistrate.

No. 4. Captain Jackson, 8.M., Bazorback, to the Under-Secretary, Native Department. Sic, — Bazorback, 15th May, 1887. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Circular No. 1, of the 18th of April last, requesting me to furnish my annual report on the state of the Native population in my district. I beg to report as follows : — During the past twelve months nothing of importance has happened affecting the condition of the Natives in my district. ' They have as a whole conducted themselves in an orderly manner, and drunkenness is very much on the decrease amongst them, which may be partly accounted for by the great scarcity of money, and partly by the example set by a few total abstainers, who have influenced many of their Native friends to become, if not total abstainers, more temperate in their habits. The Native crops during the past year have been poor; only a few have grown sufficient for their requirements ; the potato crop has been a very indifferent one, the latter crops barely returning sufficient to pay for digging them out. The poorness of their crops has been caused by the very dry season we have had in this district, and if we had not several gum-fields I do not know how the Natives would make sufficient provision for themselves and families during the coming winter. The gum-fields give employment to those Natives in the district who neglect to cultivate their lands, and I am sorry to inform you that most of them prefer wandering about from gumfield to gum-field, and by doing so neglect their cultivations. There are about eighty Natives on the gum-field at Papakura Valley. Many of these Natives come from other districts. lam informed that the Natives can earn fair wages at gum-digging, and prefer that sort of work to cutting flax, which, they say, does not pay so well, and is more bulky and takes more time to shift from place to place. The price of green flax is now only 10s. per ton, and they have to carry it, when cut, long distances to the flax-mill or railway truck. There are no Native schools in my district, and the Natives do not seem at all anxious about the education of their children. The Natives during the past twelve months have not been afflicted with any epidemic,, and their general health has been good; no case of fever or other serious disease has been reported to me. The only Courts in which Native cases have been heard during the past twelve months are Papakura and Mercer. There has not been a single Native case, civil or criminal, in the Waiuku Court. Ten years ago this Court was the principal Native Court in the district, and at that time the Natives attended on Court days in great numbers ; now I seldom see a Native in the village. Five Natives have been charged with drunkenness, three of them were convicted and two discharged; there has been one case of larceny, and one of wilful trespass on property; in both cases the informations were dismissed. There have been seventeen civil cases—eleven in which Europeans were plaintiffs and Maoris defendants, five in which Maoris were plaintiffs and Europeans defendants, one in which both parties were of the Native race. Eleven of the seventeen cases were for debt; four, conversion of cattle ; one, conversion of a bridle ; and one for the cost of a Volunteer uniform supplied to a Native. I have, &c, Thomas Jackson, 8.M., The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington, Papakura District.