GOVERNORS OF NEW ZEALAND. I enclose a copy of a letter upon this subject received from the Rev. Mr. Ironside, a Wesleyan Missionary, who has been many years residing in New Zealand, and is well acquainted with the Taranaki Natives, and whose opinion is entitled to weight. * * * I am fully of opinion that the admission of the right of slaves who had been absent for a long period of years, to return at any time, and claim their right to land that had belonged to them previously to their being taken prisoners of war, and which before their return, and when they were in slavery, had been sold by the conquerors and resident Natives to third parties, would establish a. most dangerous doctrine, calculated to throw doubts upon almost every European title to land in this country, not even excepting some of the purchases made by the Crown ; would constantly expose every title to be questioned by any returned slave who might assert a former right to the land, let the period be ever so remote ; and would prove a source of endless litigation and disagreement between the two races, a result which roust soon stop the progress of civilization amongst the Natives, so essential to their amelioration. * * Considering, however, the high trust reposed in me when I was charged by my Sovereign with such an important commission in this distant land ; admitting at the same time the difficulties and perplexities which have met me at every step in its execution, and with the most sincere desire to perform my duty honestly, and justly, and with a due regard to the oath I have taken so to do; I can come to no other conclusion than that the Company is fairly and justly entitled to the whole block of sixty thousand acres of land ; and therefore, I, William Spain, Her Majesty's Commissioner for investigating and determining Titles and Claims to land in New Zealand, do hereby determine and award, &c, &c. W. Spain, [In Pari. Pap., Bth April, 184G, pp. 49-63.]

E—No. 1

GOVERNORS* DECr/SIONS.

VI. EXTRACT FROM PROCEEDINGS OF COMMISSIONER SPAIN'S COURT AT TARANAKI, JUNE, 1844. The Commissioner then addressed Mr. Clarke, telling him that the time had now arrived for him to call anj? evidence he had to offer on the part cf the Natives, upon the case before the Court; but that if he required time he would adjourn the Court to afford Mr. Clarke time to be prepared. Mr. Clarke requested an adjournment until the next morning, stating that he should then be fully prep?red. The Court met at 10, a.m., June 6th, pursuant to adjournment. The Commissioner called on Mr. Clarke to produce any witness on behalf of the Natives. Mr. Clarke called Wahoa, who was examined in chief by Mr. Clarke, and cross-examined by the Principal Agent (of the New Zealand Company), Mr. Clarke then said he had no more witnesses to call. The Commissioner called on Mr. Clarke to explain to the Natives publicly that every opportunity had been afforded him by the Court of bringing forward evidence on their behalf, and that he had now declined bringing forward any more witnesses; but that the Court was ready to hear anything the Natives had to say. • Mr. Clarke explained this to the Natives, as follows :—■ " My friends, hear my very short speech: You are all aware of the purpose for which I came to this place, namely to represent your claims and declare your thoughts to the Commissioner, and to see that all the necessary evidence is adduced. The Commissioner has given me every opportunity of calling such witnesses as I might deem necessary, but I have called only one, whose testimony you have just heard, because I think none of you have anything to advance which has not already been stated before Mr. Spain. Am I right when I say you have nothing mote to fell? (Several answered, " Yes, ye«, that is all we have to say.") Mr. Spain now adjourns his Court till Saturday morning; all the necessary evidence has been taken, and he wishes to have sufficient time to consider it calmly and quietly before he sees you again, that there may be no mistake, Return to your homes, and assemble here on Saturday morning at the same time you assembled this morning, in order that you may hear Mr. Spain's judgment " [In Pari. Pap., Bth April, 1846, p. 68.]

Proceedings of Mr. Spain's Court. June, 1844.

VII.— EXTRACT OF LETTER FROM REV. SAMUEL IRONSIDE, WESLEYAN MISSIONARY, TO COMMISSIONER SPAIN, DATED 3CjTH OCTOBER, 1844. With reference to the settlement of the land claim question in the New Plymouth district, [have no hesitation in stating my sincere conviction that to compensate the Natives residing in the neighbourhood for the lands claimed by the New Plymouth Company would be very injudicious, and might lead to iisastrous lesults, which we should all deprecate. The Waikato Chiefs who conquered Taranaki have not acknowledged, and do not acknowledge, the right of the Taranaki people to sell the land, on which they reside merely on sufferance ; they look with jealousy on the proceedings of the returned slaves, still call the country their own, and I fear that compensating them — the Taianaki natives—would fosier the jealousy and suspicion of their former masters, rouse their ire, and lead to an open rupture between the tribes. 1 may be wrong, but that is my opinion.

Rev. S. Ironside, 30 Oct., 1844.