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the land they have sold gone to ? It has gone in clothes, in food, in spirits, in tobacco, and in horseracing. Noav, if Ave do not find a better plan all the rest of it will go too. After all, the Committee will only be men; they will not be angels or gods. Wi Katene : What are the evil results from the Committees to which Hiramai has referred ? Mr. Bees : They will be liable to mistakes. But to keep the Native lands, and to choose the best and-wisest men for the Committee, seems to be the best way of giving certainty for the future. Mistakes will be made, but we must watch and guard against these mistakes as much as possible. You and others will have to look after the Ngapuhi Committee, and if you see them making a mistake come doAvn on them. If you see them make any mistakes put them out at once. We are anxious to associate with the Committee some officer chosen by the Parliament. If the Parliament finds he is doing wrong it will dismiss him at once. Ido not say any of these things for the purpose of blaming Hiramai for speaking as he did, because avo Avant to hear all shades of opinion, and the more we can get the Natives to look upon our side of the question, to pull it asunder, and see Avhat it is made of, and then speak their minds, the better we shall be pleased. Hiramai : With regard to the question that Wi Katene Avished the Commissioners to ask me, I can answer that now. Mr. Bees : Perhaps it is better not to do so, as others may wish to speak on the main subjects. Hoani Ngapua Tuliirangi : The Commissioners have replied to Hone Peeti's request with regard to the land taken by the Government, that the parties concerned should petition the Parliament, and that the persons should go before the Parliamentary Committee and give evidence. Some of the names of the blocks of land have not been mentioned to the Commissioners. Should all these names be given in to the Commissioners ? Mr. Bees : No; we do not want the names. We ought only to say that complaints are made with respect to many blocks. The names must be sent mto the Committee of Parliament. Hoani Ngapua Tuhirangi : With regard to the Native Committees, the chiefs have come to the conclusion that there should be Native Committees to settle the troubles between the people, and the chiefs of Ngapuhi have decided that that should be* the means of settling the disputes of all sorts. The only thing that is outside the Committee is what the Commissioners have spoken of—that is, having some one connected with the Committee ; but that does not interfere with the Committee in any way. All that remains to be done now is to select good men for the Committees. This idea with regard to the Committees is a matter firmly established in the minds of the chiefs, and that intelligent people should be chosen for that work, and that whatever results the Committee arrive at should be confirmed by the Government, or by the Court, or by some other authority. That is all I wish to say about the Committee. Karina Puhi: I wish to refer to something that Hone Peeti has said with regard to the surveys not being approved of. Hone Peeti has explained that one part of the land was surveyed, and adjudicated upon, and dealt with, and that when application was made to have the other portion brought before the Court the Court refused to entertain the case. This is one of the maps referred to. [Map produced.] Let me explain how it Avas that this map was not sent in at the time the survey was made. The reason w ras that the person Avho owned this land, Te Rata Hongi, died. That was the cause of the delay, and iioav, when his children, who are here present, applied to have their claim investigated the Court told them they were too late. We, the descendants of that person, wished to have our claim to this land investigated. A great deal of money has already been spent over the survey of this land, and if avo are to have it surveyed again it will entail a great deal more expense, and the Avhole value of the land will have gone in survey-costs. Another reason Avhy Ave Avish this map to be accepted is, that all the troubles hi connection with this land as to boundaries were settled during the. lifetime of the person whose name is on the map. It was only when we found out that the Court at Russell avoulcl not deal with this case that troubles arose with regard to the boundaries of the land. Tareha te Hehe : lam just interrupting the Avitness for a moment. I have not a great deal to say about this map. If you were sitting in the Native Land Court I might go further into the matter. All that I have to ask the Commissioners is if they will look into this question of the old survey. What I think is, that originally there Avas a large block surveyed; it Avas all included in the one survey, and then this dividing-line was run out, a CroAvn grant was issued for that, and that portion slioaati here belonged to my parent, under whose order the survey was done; and now in these days it devolves on me to conduct the claim with regard to this land. Then, the Native Land Court Judge said this survey could not be accepted by the Court; that that surveyor (Fairburn) was not authorised, and therefore had no authority for the survey. Consequently, the Judge told me to have the land surveyed again. Then, when I heard the Commissioners were coming here I wished to explain to them the position in which this survey stands. The troubles as to the Maori aspect of the question I do not look to at all, because that is a matter that we can settle between ourselves. What I should like to knoAV is, lioav is it that one portion of the survey has been accepted as right, and the other has not ? Mr. Bees.] We cannot tell you that. We can only say it seems very strange. And we can make a report. First of all I would ask anybody who knows : Are there many of these cases, or are there only one or two ?—This is the only case. There is only one in precisely the same position as that —Avhere a portion of the land has been surveyed and granted. That is to say, a case in AA'hich the old surveys have not been received by the Court ? Mr, Mackay.] How long is it since Fairburn made this survey?—About twenty years ago. When was the land brought before the Court ?—Last September. The reason why the Court would not accept the survey A^as that Fairburn's license was taken aAvay. He was not an authorised surveyor at the time. After he surveyed this land his authority was taken away. Mr. Bees : The only thing Ave can do is to draw the notice of the Government and of Parliament to the fact that plans have been made, some of Avhich have been partially used by the Government