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administration is good. We have no complaint to make against it whatever. The Resident Commissioner who has been sent down here to be our guardian and adviser is helping us all that he can. He has been teaching vs —the Arikis, Mataiapos, and all the people—to do those things which will benefit us. He has also visited us in each of our settlements and met all the people, and there told us that the best thing we can do is to plant so that we may get plenty of produce to ship away, and that this will be all for our own good. He told us that if we planted the land we would get a great deal of benefit from it, and that the land would prosper, and that in addition to that the people would prosper also. We know of no troubles or complaints. The only trouble -we know of that has arisen on this island is some trouble caused by aliens to our island. It is what we call a work of shame. The Resident Commissioner knows all about it, and it has been reported to New Zealand We have never had trouble like this before. It is only this last year that things like this have arisen. We know that the Resident Commissioner has placed a lot of these things before you. In regard to the administration of government on. the island, we have no fault to find with it. There are other things that I would like to say, but I do not feel like saying them, but if you would like to hear them I will say them. We should like to have your advice on different methods by which we could benefit our Islands. Knowledge and the assistance from the whites will lead us to all those things that will be for our benefit and for the benefit of all the people. We are still living in darkness. We have not yet learned all those things that we should learn —that is, those things that will be of benefit to ourselves and to our people—and we are willing to be taught by those that know all these things. What I am driving at is that we w r ant a Government school so that our people may gain knowledge. We are now British subjects, and we want British education. We want to try to be like the people of that great empire, Great Britain, who have learned and are wise. We are children and are living in darkness, and we want to be as wise as those under whose wing we are living. That is one thing that we know will be of great benefit to the island —that everybody may learn, and also learn to speak the English language, and anything else that may be learned in school. Some of us may wish to learn to be captains of ships, and also learn other professions. We also want technical education. We want to be blacksmiths and carriage-builders, and to learn different trades that will be useful to us, and we ask New Zealand to help us in this respect. As for anything that is evil, we want measures taken to stop these things and to prevent them from arising on the island. We want those things dealt out to us that will lead to all good and to our prosperity, and to the general good of the community. That is what I want to say, and I have now told you. Greetings to you ! Taraare. —Greetings to your Honour, and also to you all who are the mouthpieces of the New Zealand Government! We have all met together to-day. What Paaro has said is what we have to say. We are all of the same mind. That which he has said from the beginning to the end is my speech, and I can add nothing to it. Puri. —Greetings to your Honour ! Greetings to you, Mr. Waldegrave, and to you Te Heu Heu representing the New Zealand Government! This is a day of joy to us that we have now met face to face. We have heard what your Honour has had to say, in asking us if we have anything to say, to say it. Paaro has said practically all that has to be said by us. There is one particular part of his speech that I wish to indorse most heartily, and that is the part referring to the school. We want a school. Rarotonga is still living in darkness. If we were wise I think we should be all right; but by teaching we shall learn wisdom. That is one of our greatest desires —a school. We want that to come about. That is what I have to say. Greetings to you ! Karika Ariki. —Greetings to you, and to Mr. Waldegrave, and to Te Heu Heu ! We are living on our island in peace. We have no trouble. There is no trouble amongst our own people. They are living quite peaceably, and our guardian the Resident Commissioner is good to us. We know of no trouble connected with him. The address made by Paaro states exactly what I think. That is what we want. That is all I have to say. Pa Ariki. —Greetings to your Honour, and Mr. Waldegrave, and to all of you ! May we all live ! Now we are met together to-day, and that is through the great love of God who has enabled us to meet. You have asked us to tell you if we have any troubles or anything like that on the island, and I tell you we have none. This last or two we have had no troubles. We are living in peace. We know of nothing wrong against this Resident Commissioner whom you have given, to us to advise and guide us. Whatever we ask him to do he does it. He always listens to us. If we have anything to say we place our ideas before him, and he does exactly what we want. He is absolutely impartial. He does not favour one or the other, and therefore I say we are living in peace. I know of no trouble. That is all I have to say. Rangi Makea. —Greetings to your Honour and all those with you ! We know of no trouble with the Commissioner. What we do know is that he has been doing all the good he can since he has been here. Whatever work he has done has been good. We do not know of anything wrong that he has done so far. What the first speaker has said is what we think. We are all of the same opinion. Kainuku Ariki. —Greetings to your Honour, and greetings also to Mr. Waldegrave, and to Te Heu Heu, who has come to represent the Maori portion of New Zealand : greetings to you all! I greet you again by the love of God. He has brought you over that great sea, and you have landed on our island and your coming brings peace. God in his great goodness watched over your safety during your journey across that great sea. You have told us what you want. You want us to tell you exactly what is in our minds. We had some complaints against the late Resident Commissioner, Colonel Gudgeon, but this Resident Commissioner is looking after us. He has had no trouble with us since he has been on the island. He has done all the good he could since he has been here. Any messages he has received from the Government he has always placed before us, and the works he has -Caused to be done are all good works. We are living at peace, and he is at peace with us. We know of no trouble between him and us.
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