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office at the time and was therefore omitted. He is now very anxious to serve as Warden. The opposition made by his father to the ferry service arises from this omission. I have felt it my duty for the present to withhold the warrants and payment of salaries, &c, for this (the Northern) Division of the Hundred, but I would strongly recommend that Te Wirihana Tikapa be appointed a Warden for this Hundred at a salary of £20 per annum, and thus remove the difficulties and delays mentioned. The Hundred is too extensive to be under one Runanga, as the people will not go the required distance. I do not propose to divide the Hundred, but merely one Runauga for each extremity for greater convenience and for reasons above stated. I shall be glad to be favored with your instructions herein immediately addressed to me at Raglan. Hundred of Taupari. The Runanga of this Hundred applied on the 20th January last (see my Report of that date) for a blacksmith ; they inform me there is not one in at Waiuku, and they have therefore no opportunity of getting their ploughshares and coulters, &c, repaired. They wish me to press upon your notice the great desirability of stationing a blacksmith at Waiuku. I have, &c, The Honorable H. Sewell, , James Aemitage. Attorney-General, Auckland.

No. 11. REPORT FROM J. ARMITAGE, ESQ., OF THE WIIAINGAROA RUNANGA. Raglan, 1st April, 1862. > Sir,— I have the honor to inform you that I arrived here on Saturday afternoon, the 29th ulto., and found W. Nero's Runanga in full discussion as to the proposed road to Waipa. I was too late to hear the views of the meeting generally, but Mr. Wallis, who had been present throughout, assured me that the opposition to the road arose from a section of Nero's own tribe, which he thought would be surmounted. I have not yet had time to make further enquiries as to this matter, but will do so before I return. Waikato seems to be neutral in the matter In the evening of this day I had a long conversation with Hone Wetere of Kawhia, who seems determined to induce his people to accept the Ture, &c; the prospect of a salary for himself has evidently influenced him in his determination, but with due supervision, I think he will be a very useful public servant. He stated to me that one of the king's flags had been given up to him bv Ngatihikairo. I suggested to him that it would be a very graceful act on his part if he were to deliver it to me when his Runanga was assembled at Kawhia, and he partly consented. In-any case, 1 think he intends it to be given up to His Excellency ultimately; perhaps on his own terms. I explained to him at length His Excellency's plans for the social advancement of the Native race, and also the purport of the Native Circuit Courts Act and the Native Districts Regulation Act; both of which he highly approved of. He was much pleased to hear that the fues and fines levied in the District would be appropriated for the benefit of the District, stating that he had paid a good many sums of money to the Native Secretary in Col. Browne's time on this account. Most of the Aotea chiefs were assembled here; they waited on me and informed me that they had agreed to accept the Ture,.&c, and already appointed officers, &c, and desired me to settle matters for them here. I declined doing so on the plea that their acceptance of the Ture, &c, ought to be made publicly on their own land, in the presence of the whole tribe, men, women, and children. This desire of theirs, I believe, has been brought about by the ofBciousness of some members of the Ngatimahanga, commendable perhaps under the circumstances, but extremely embarrassing to myself. The tribes on this, the North side of the Aotea Harbour, seem to be divided by local jealousies and tribal differences from the tribes on the South side thereof. During Sunday I ascertained that the tribes from each side had each elected Kaiwhakawas, Wardens, and Police; in fact separate Runangas for eaeli side; the place of meeting for the Runanga to meet me was another point of difference, each party contending for the honor. I at last intimated to them that there must be only one Runanga, at the most central place, and that if they did not consent to this I should be compelled to proceed to Kawhia without stopping at Aotea This threat hud the desired result, and on Monday morning they left here with the intention of making preparations for the Kunanga to be held near Mr. Skinner's station. It had been agreed that the discussion as to the road should be continued on Monday morning; but on proceeding to the place of meeting, W. Nero informed me that all the principal Chiefs had returned home, that the matter was definitely settled, and that he would communicate with his Excellency on the subject. Early on Monday morning, I was informed by some of the Tainui people (the Southern portion uf the Te Akau Hundred) that the tribe did not intend to work the Kunanga ; that the Kaivvhakawa, Warden, and Police were the only persons who would accept the institutions, &c. I immediately sent for the leading chiefs, viz. :—Te Ao-o-te-Rangi, Apera Kiwi, Te Wetiui, Kereopa, &c, and enquired the truth or otherwise of this intimation. After much discussion, it appeared that it was only the expression of opinion of a few individuals of the tribe, who were disappointed that they were not to receive payment as members of the Runanga.

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LOWER WAIKATO.