ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

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A.—No. 1,

agricultural resources. I regret exceedingly that Lady Bowen is unable to accompany me on the present occasion, and I thank you for your kind reference to her name. Einally, Mr. Speaker and gentlemen, I earnestly trust, with you, that, under the blessing of Providence, and through the wisdom of the colonial legislatures, the clouds which now partially obscure our horizon may be cleared away during the period of my administration, and that peace and prosperity may be firmly established for both races of Her Majesty's subjects in New Zealand.

Enclosure 4 in No. 50. The Speech of the GtOVERNOK to the Ngatikahungunu tribe, near Napier, 12th June, 18GS. (Extract from the Hawke's Bay Herald of June IG, 1868.) THE GOVEBNOR AND THE NATIVES. The following is His Excellency's reply to the speeches of loyalty and welcome delivered at Wai-o-hiki:— omy friends, —I thank you in the name of the Queen for your loyalty to Her Majesty, of which you have given so many proofs ; and I thank you for the hearty welcome which you have given to me as the representative of the Queen. 1 have often heard and read of your bravery in war, and my heart is glad to learn that you are now equally famous in the arts of peace. I rejoice to see so many signs of your industry and growing w realth, and of your friendship with your neighbours of European blood. It is, and always has been, the desire of the Queen, that her Maori children and her Pakeha children should be governed by equal laws, and should become, as it were, one people. The Queen sent her son the Duke of Edinburgh, to assure you of her love and protection. You all know the unfortunate circumstance which has prevented the Queen's son from visiting his Maori friends. He has requested me to inform you that he deeply regrets —that his heart is very dark —that he has been prevented from coming to New Zealand on the present occasion. I rejoice to hear from your speeches that you are desirous of peace, not only with the Pakehas, but also among the Maoris themselves. 1 rejoice also that your great chief Tareha has been elected a member of the runanga which will deliberate for the welfare of both races. He will inform the runanga of the wishes of the tribes which he represents ; so that any new law, or amendments of the existing laws, which may be required, may be carried out to the satisfaction of all. And now, in conclusion, 0 my friends, I thank you once more for your welcome, and pray that Heaven may pour its choicest blessing upon you. You are living on the East side of the Island, nearest to the rising of the sun. The sun shines on you this day; I hope that its rays will always bring you joy, peace, and plenty. In reply to the speeches at Pakowhai, His Excellency said: — omy friends, —I am delighted with what I have seen here to-day —with your houses, your carriages, and, generally, with your progress in the arts of civilization. It is evident that your'tribe and your European friends will soon become as one people. Let not your hearts be troubled. My eyes and the eyes of my Government are open. There will be no interruption of your peaceful industry. If there should be any apprehension of disturbance, the Pakehas and Maoris will act together, as they have done heretofore, against all disturbers of the peace.

No. 51. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Six G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to His Grace tlie Duke of Buckingham. (No. 56.) Government House, Wellington, My Lord Duke, — sth July, 1868. I have the honor to transmit herewith six copies of a paper presented to the Parliament of this Colony, and entitled "Abstracts of certain principal results of a Census of New Zealand, taken in December, 1867." 2. In the preface to the tables, the Registrar-General explains that they " exhibit certain principal results of the Census of the Colony taken for the night " of the 19th December last, being those which there is the most general desire " to have officially made known without the delay which must necessarily attend " a sufficiently careful compilation of other branches of the Census Statistics, " such as those relating to education, religious denominations, occupations, places " of birth, &c." 3. I may, perhaps, be permitted to draw attention to a few of the most remarkable points in these returns. It will be seen that:— fa) The European population of the Colony has risen from 59,413 in 1858, to 218,637 in 1867. (b) The total quantity of land fenced has risen from 235,561 acres in 1858, to 3,455,535 acres in 1867. (c) The total quantity of land under crop has risen from 141,007 acres in 1858, to 676,867 acres in 1867.