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for the information of the members thereof, and for investigation by all the people of the world. Mr. Fenton's paper is a very long one, and it is thought that he has expended all his great thoughts in composing his statements in reply to the words contained in the petition of Ngaitahu. Mr. Fenton commences by referring to the tenths, and says (quoting the petition), " That the Native sellers of the Middle Island were promised that one acre in every ten should be returned to them, under an arrangement made with Mr. Wakefield in 1844." 1. I will reply to what Mr. Fenton says about the tenths. Ido not consider that Mr. Fenton has given any opinion at all on the subject. I think that he has withheld his opinion on the subject of the tenths, or that his knowledge has not grasped it; but let me say that whether he himself was the cause of it being set aside, or whether it was through his advisers, I will make a statement that the ears of Mr. Fenton may hear it, and that his eyes may see it. I would say that in the year 1844 the Maori people of New Zealand were ignorant of this matter of land-selling; they did not know what they were doing, because at that time they would have given New Zealand for a word—for an axe or a fishhook. Neither at that time were they able to write or to read. However, at the time of the sale of the Otakou Block—as they allege in their petitions to Parliament in the years 1874 and 1875—they urged Messrs. Wakefield and Symonds to pay them a large price for their land. Wakefield was not willing to do so, and the Maoris then proposed to drop the sale. Wakefield then urged the Maoris to consent, but they refused. Wakefield continued to urge them, and, thinking that it was likely that he would not be able to obtain that land, he proposed that the Maoris should consent that there should be one piece for the Maoris and one piece for the Europeans, besides the lands excepted for the Maoris alone. Wakefield and his companions explained this to the Maoris, and they further explained it while they were talking by making a drawing upon paper to make it clear to the Maoris, thus: I|2| 3] 4| No. 1 is a piece for the Europeans, No. 2 for the Maoris, No. 3 for the Europeans, No. 4 for the Maoris, and so on until the whole of the Otakou Block was taken up. It was the Europeans who said that one acre out of every ten should be set apart for the benefit of the Natives, and I know that the statements made by the Maoris are correct. The Maoris also say that, when the deed of cession was read over to them, the words " one piece for the Europeans and one piece for the Maoris " were read over to them on the day on which the names were affixed to the deed of cession. But indeed there is a great deal of evidence in support of these statements, if the hearts of the Europeans are inclined to seek out what is just. Look, for instance, at Captain Symonds's letter of the 2nd September, 1844, where ho states that he omitted to refer in the deed to further land for Ngaitahu, at the suggestion of Wakefield that he should omit such reference. You will also see in Wakefield's letter to the Company, of the same year (1844), where he says that he did not make any reference to further land for Ngaitahu because there was no surveyor available for the purpose of cutting off these acres for the Maoris at that time. Also see the New Zealand Constitution Act, 15 and 16 Vict., c. 72, passed by the Imperial Parliament, providing for the conduct of affairs by that Company purchasing land in New Zealand; and also the words of direction by that Imperial Parliament that the Europeans were to act with justice and truth towards the Maoris, and that their purchases of land were to be in strict accordance with that law of that Imperial Parliament. I will reply to the first statement by Mr. Fenton about the tenths, that being the first statement in his report. I will not believe, neither will any true-hearted man believe, neither in the heavens nor in the earth, nor under the waters, nor under the earth. This is the reply to the first statement of Mr. Fenton: There is no truth in this word, which states that the Ngaitahu were confused. Ido not consider that they were at all confused between the old and the later purchases ; but Mr. Fenton is confused in his statements to this Parliament. He is publishing statements in ignorance of the facts. If it be stated that what he has said is correct, then for the first time is a man found whose knowledge is like unto that of a god, who is able to see where people are wrong when he is many hundreds of miles distant across the broad sea of New Zealand. With regard to Mr. Fenton's second statement, the Maoris say that Mr. Kemp did intimidate them by using these w rords : " If you do not consent the money for your lands will be given to Ngatitoa. If you still persist in holding on to your land soldiers will be sent to kill you." This is correct, for there are many people to assert that what is here stated is true. I will not conceal anything, but speak out boldly. Mr. Kemp was on board a man-of-war which went south to the Auckland Islands. On bis return from thence he went to Otago, and asked my father, Taiaroa, and other chiefs to go to Kaiapoi or Akaroa to sell land. These chiefs accompanied Mr. Kemp on board his man-of-war. There were Taiaroa, Karetai, Haereroa, Horomona, Tare te Kahu, Wi Potiki, and others. As they were sailing along the coast Mr. Kemp said to the chiefs, " Where shall be the boundary of the land to be ceded to me? " They replied, " The land along this coast, but not to go to the other side of yonder mountains." That was the only time when the chiefs pointed out [the boundaries] to Mr. Kemp. On board the man-of-war they employed themselves in drinking grog, getting drunk, etc. On the man-of-war reaching Akaroa Mr. Kemp and his companions, the chiefs who wore with him, went ashore to the Frenchman's house at Akaroa. Some of the chiefs of Kaiapoi had arrived there ; and Mr. Kemp had a meeting, when his purchase was refused by that runanga. Mr. Kemp with his companions went on board his ship, and there he pondered over what he should do on account of the non-consent of the Maoris. Mr. Kemp then sent for the Maoris to go on board the ship, and urged them to take the money, saying that if they did not consent to take it he would give it to the Ngatitoa. That man-of-war was not dry land ; she was a ship on the sea. The Maoris urged for a very much larger price for that land ; they did not consent. Whereupon Mr. Kemp said to those chiefs, " You must consent to the sum of £2,000 as an advance on account of your land." The Maoris said to Mr. Kemp, " You will get all our land by that proposal of yours. Bather let us go and mark off the boundaries of the land and