a—2. (Appendix E.)

degraded, than those of the Native race who give way to it, and that they haunt these frontiers of settlement both because it is more easy to lead a hand-to-mouth existence, and the operation of the law is more remote than it is in older-settled districts, it appears to me that a local-option district would oifer them less attraction, and they would not there afford the same bad example to the Natives, or have the same causes of quarrel with them. A case occurred here, and it is reasonably probable that it may again occur, where a drunken Native named Ngahuinga was waylaid and nearly killed by a man of the name of Campbell and a companion (unknown), who escaped punishment by a miscarriage of justice. A serious disturbance would have been the result if Ngahuinga had died ; and a serious disturbance may be anticipated on the Waimate Plains, after they are settled upon, if a Native there is treacherously waylaid and killed, before they learn to respect and obey our laws, of which these are the results. As to the Licensing Bench, under the Acts 1873-74, it appears to me to be of no value, so far as the exercise of its discretion is concerned. Every license applied for of the above character is granted, regardless of the surrounding circumstances : as, for instance, a license is granted to a European in a Native house on confiscated land at Oeo, a license was granted to a Native on confiscated land at Kaupukunui, and in both cases there are no European settlers; and in this riding, with about two hundred ratepayers on the roll, there are six licensed publichoiises. If the Natives knew that it rested with them and, where there were settlers, with their European neighbours to decide as to whether the evil should be brought in among them or should be kept out, I think that it would raise their self-respect; that they would accept the responsiblity and negative the sale of liquors being introduced, directly or indirectly, into the district, as is done try Te Whiti within the limits of his authority in and near Parihaka; and that the settlers would join them in doing so, in view of the peace and good feeling that would ensue between the races, who ought to be encouraged to work together for a common benefit. It is said, and it may be true, that what tends to the degradation of the Native race tends to establish the present supremacy of ours. I doubt it; but, even so, it would be dearly paid for by tlie legacy to future generations of a race morally and physically degraded beyond recovery, which is the prospect now before us if early steps are not taken to check it.—l have, &c., Chas. Bbow_t, Civil Commissioner.

No. 5. —Lettees respecting Mr. Finnebty's Survey of the Eoad at Titokowaru's Settlement of Okaiawa.

Mr. Chaeies Fibneety, Assistant Surveyor, to Major Ciiakles Beown, Civil Commissioner. Hawera, 23rd March, 1880. Sie, —I have the honor to enclose for your information a copy of my statement made to the Chief Surveyor of this district re surveys on which I was engaged last year and year before, and which were situated close to Titokowaru's kainga, Waimate Plains. I desire to state most respectfully that I have no desire to obtrude myself on the Commissioners now investigating Native affairs unless called upon to do so, but would be glad to think that the statement to which I have above referred had been noticed by them.—l have, &c, Chas. Finneety, Assistant Surveyor.

Mr. Chaei.es Finneety, Assistant Surveyor, to Thomas Humpheies, Esq., Chief Surveyor, Taranaki District. 18th March, 1880. ' Sik, —In compliance with instructions contained in your memorandum of yesterday's date, I hasten to furnish you with a brief but carefully-correct account of the difficulties against which I had to contend while surveying a road line from Mawhitiwhiti to Okaiawa. The first open and undisguised opposition which I encountered was on the traverse of tho Waingongoro Eiver on the 25th January, 1879, when five Natives appeared on the line and ordered me to discontinue .my work, which they stigmatized as that of " thief" and " robber," and threatened to use violence if I persisted. I, myself, (and, at my earnest request, my men also) patiently bore with much abuse and insult, but continued our work. The scene of this obstruction is marked A on the accompanying sketch-plan, reference to which will show that their nearest cultivations and residences were some miles distant. This lat once reported to the Civil Commissioner, by whom, I understand, the names of the Natives concerned were soon discovered. From this time until the general removal of the survey parties I was much harassed by the frequent destruction of my stations, also the removal of my flags, road and traverse pegs. During the month of February I noticed that the pegs (both of traverse and section of the adjoining block), which had been completed in December of previous year, were steadily disappearing; and, on reference to my diary, I find that on the 12th March this spoliation had assumed such magnitude, and become eo insupportable, that I formally and minutely notified to you, as my departmental chief, the extent of the damage which had been done—viz., the wholesale destruction of pegs, stations, and section marks over a distance of 250 chains. Guided always by your instructions, I invited Captain Wilson to appoint a day for the inspection of the whole locality, with a view to decide on a site for a road, the road here alluded to being that which goes from Normanby, and skirts the bush and connects that township with Mawhitiwhiti, Okaiawa, and other Native settlements on the edge of the bush: a road which, while it met an absolute necessity from a settlement point of view, would give the least umbrage to the Natives ; and, pursuant to appointment, that officer, as representing the Native Department, Mr. Climie, Assistant Surveyor, and myself, went over the whole ground, and finally decided, chiefly through the representations of Captain Wilson, to follow, as nearly as possible, the cart and buggy road which the Natives themselves had adopted, and indeed, had in some places taken some trouble to improve by both side and through cuttings. I desire here to draw attention to this important fact, that on the 2nd March I for the first time brought a chain and theodolite on the ground now being described ; that during the month of February the Native obstructionists had become very active and insolent; and, consequently, that none of those acts can be laid at the door of a road which had at the time no existence t further, that the portion of the road to which exception was taken, and to which Titokowaru objected, formed but a very small part of the whole road —at the most, say twenty chains out of five miles—and was not undertaken by me until I had consulted with Major Brown, Civil Commissioner, on the subject, and obtained his complete and unconditional sanction. It is only fair to that gentleman (the Civil Commissioner) to state that he was careful to explain to me that it was very necessary to avoid as much as possible all cause for offence in connection with our surveys; that he inquired of me whether a good road could be got elsewhere, and that it was not until he was satisfied that no suitable crossing of the deep and steep gully at that place (marked B) other than the one in question could be obtained, that he made his decision, and accorded his full assent ; then, and not till then, was this laid off. On reference to my diary, I find that time was the 15th March, Titokowaru himself being at his place, and his people making no opposition stronger than I had experienced on numerous occasions when conducting surveys of lands claimed by Natives. It has been to me a source of no small pain to find that for some time past there have not been wanting people both ready and willing to spread industriously very false reports concerning this road and my action in the matter. Over its whole length it will be found to have kept scrupulously clear of all cultivations. It could not indeed fail in doing so, seeing that their own road will be found nearly everywhere within its chain width, and that portions especially, which are said to have gone " through his whare," " past his backdoor," and " through his garden," &c, will be found not less than twenty chains distant from them; and where it did leave the road formed by themselves, its extreme divergence cannot amount to 150 links. It goes over no cultivations, and waß on land on which, to the best of my belief, grass had never grown. A dense growth of fern covered the land then, and doubtless does still. —I have, &c, Chas. Finnebty, Assistant Surveyor.

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