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Hitiri te Paerata : I think that the suggestion of the Commissioners as to the appointment of Native Committees would act beneficially in so far as the Maoris are concerned, and Avould prove effective. The Ngatituwharetoa have been praying the Government for a long time to give them a Committee, but without success. Therefore, when on your arrival here we heard your suggestion about the Committees our hearts were gladdened, because we thought that our prayer was shortly to be answered. I now stand up in your presence and ask you to be sure and give us this Committee —that is, a separate and independent Committee, not one mixed up with another tribe. And let it be clothed with the same power as that which the Land Court possesses. Te Heuheu touched on a good many things, and those matters which he disapproved of I disapprove of also, and those which he approved of I approve of too. With regard to the subject of leases, mentioned by Tokena, I support Tokena's statement. We, the Maoris, do not care who obtains these leases—whether it is the individual pakeha or whether it is the Government which leases the land—so long as we get a price which Ave consider the best and highest obtainable. This remark applies to both sales and leases. We ask you to carry all the words that have been written down to-night to your honourable House. Hemopo Hikarahui: I will begin by greeting you, and thanking you for coming here to-day to bring this great benefit to us —those things Avhich you hope will benefit the Maori people. I also stand up to support Avhat Te Heuheu said to you to-night. I earnestly pray you to especially take back to Wellington the word relative to the Committee, and to have our Committee appointed; thereby affording us the means or the power of adjusting and managing all matters, both Avith regard to ourselves and also to the Europeans Avho have dealings Avith us. No doubt, if our Committee Avere sanctioned it would be able to go into all those other matters you have been talking about—to co-operate with the Government in bringing them about. With regard to those matters disapproved of or condemned by Te Heuheu, I agree with him in that disapproval. The things Avhich he supported I also support. I Avould refer to one matter Avhich escaped him. I Avould ask the Government not to tax those people Avho are industrious in the cultivation of tobacco, because the cultivation of tobacco is a great source of revenue to the colony. The man who rears cattle, sheep, and pigs should also be exempted from taxation, because it is these things that supply the people with wealth and food. Dogs, likewise, should not be taxed. Another suggestion that I have to make is that the jurisdiction of the Committees should be limited to £30. Takiwa te Momo : I stand up to support Avhat the other chiefs have said about the Committee in asking that it may be given us. This request of ours is strengthened by the explanation Avhich the Commissioners made to-night. There is no doubt that Avhen any difficulty or trouble arose the GoA'ernment Avould talk Avith the Committee concerning it, and thus arrive at a satisfactory settlement. That is why I approve of the Committee being appointed. The Maoris send members down to the House and they work along with the European members; and therefore, if you, the Commissioners, think it is a good thing for us to haA'e the Committee, I am in favour of it. When we have the Committee we shall be much clearer in mind in going into other minor matters that have been referred to. Ngatituwharetoa have long Avished for a Committee to go into the matters which have been brought up to-night. Te Boera Herua : I stand up to support what Te Heuheu said to the Commissioners—that is, to give Ngatituwharetoa a Committee of eighty members, and to get the Government to absolutely sanction this Committee of eighty men. Those matters which Te Heuheu and the other speakers disapproved of I disapprove of, and those which they approved of I approve of. But I think that the jurisdiction of the Committee should be extended to £50, so that the Committee shall have great mana (power). I also think that what Tokena said about leases being allowed was right, as in that way we should be supplied with the means of supporting ourselves, and of paying for surveys and other expenses connected with the land. Wiari Ngatai: I thank the Commissioners for coming here to-day and assembling the NgatituAvharetoa here to-night, and for asking us to lay before them all our thoughts in connection with our lands. I have been thinking over what you told us to carefully consider—viz., as to the best course to adopt for the future. In 1889 the NgatitiiAvharetoa held a large meeting in Taupo, the object being to appoint a Committee for the tribe. It Avas unanimously decided by the hapus to appoint such a Committee. And iioav that you, the Commissioners, are here to-day, I ask you to be sure and lay this matter before the Government, and get our Committee appointed by Parliament or by the GoA'ernment. I support all that the former speakers have said about this Committee. I think, if it were appointed, all these matters you mentioned to-night Avould come before this Committee and they avoulcl manage them. There is another improvement that I Avish the Commissioners and the Government to give us —that is to say, that all surveys shall be paid at the rate of J-d. an acre. The prices iioav charged by surveyors are very heavy. Ido not know whether the Government sanction those charges or not, or Avhether the surveyors make them up themselves. At any rate, the effect is that large areas of Maori land pass from them in payment of survey-charges. That is why I ask the Government to declare that they will not charge more than Jd. an acre for the future. Hauraki Tonganui: The principal thing in my mind is the fact of the Commissioners having come here to discuss Avith us matters connected with the land, and so on. Your inquiries have been practically ansAvered by Avhat Te Heuheu said. What he disapproved of I disapprove of. Those matters which he approved of are also those which I approve of. I agree likewise with Tokena's request that we should be allowed to lease our land. As to the jurisdiction of the Committee, I would make the limit £50. Wereta Hoani: I thank the Commissioners for coming here. I am glad to see them here, especially as by their means benefit is brought to the Maoris. I will confine myself to the subject of leasing. I indorse Tokena's statement that the Maoris should be allowed to lease their lands, as in that way they would obtain a revenue. If they are not allowed to lease their lands the Maori people will be killed entirely. There is another Avrong which I see has come upon the Maori