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everything of that sort. Now, these, then, are the principal things upon which we desire the expression of the people's minds. I will put them in order—First, whether, in the future, dealings with their lands should be by the whole people through Committees associated with a Government Commissioner in each district, or in any other way they might choose, and not by individuals. Secondly, whether their own Committees should not make reserves first of all for the use of the people and for the cultivation of their food, and also for the giving of farms, or any other thing of that nature, to those who are capable of managing them. Thirdly, whether their opinion is that the lands should be leased only and not sold, or partly leased and partly sold. And, fourthly, whether reserves should be made for the education of the children, on which reserves farms could be made, to be self-support-ing, and the children to be taught various trades like Europeans are taught. Of course, if they thought that the tribal dealings were better than the individual dealings, regulations should be drawn up under which the Maori owners of the block would work, choosing a Committee of their head men, and that Committee would act in concert with a Government Commissioner, who would be responsible for keeping all accounts, and he would know what was to be done as to making reserves and leasing. And if any question arose as to the distribution of the rents, and they did not agree, they would have to go before the Land Court to have settled what each family or each individual should get. There is one other question that we should mention :Do the Natives here believe that the tribal boundaries and the hapu boundaries might often be determined by the people themselves talking the matter over in their own runangas and Committees, without entailing upon themselves the expense of getting the Land Court to do it for them. Of course, if they could not decide by themselves, then they could bring it to the Court for settlement. It would amount, therefore, to this: that the Committees and the runangas, and the Government Commissioner, talking the matter over, might settle amicably the boundaries of the tribes and the hapus. If they so agreed, and there was no dispute, then the surveyor could lay out the boundaries on the map, and they could bring it to the Native Land Court and have it confirmed. If they did not assent among themselves to the boundaries, then, of course, the question would have to be decided by the Native Land Court. Now, these, then, are the five subjects offered for their consideration: (1) Tribal dealings, as against individual dealings ; (2) reserves for the use of the Native owners, for pas and cultivations; (3) leases, or sales and leases; (4) education reserves; (5) settlement by Committees or runangas, in conjunction with a Government Commissioner, of their tribal and hapu boundaries ; and when settled without dissension the submission of their decision to the Native Land Court for confirmation, and, in case of failure to arrive at a settlement amongst themselves, the Court to deal with the matters in dispute and settle them. Mr. Carroll then addressed the Natives in Maori, reviewing generally the position in regard to Native-land legislation, and pointing out that it was necessary for the Natives to take some action themselves, as, if Parliament were unable to elicit their opinions with a view to legislation, it would, despite that fact, proceed to legislate upon the basis of such information as it possessed. Taonui: The coming-here of the Commissioners, in order to explain these things to us ignorant people, is very satisfactory, because this tribe has only just now entered upon these things. That is the reason why I express my pleasure at the arrival of the Commissioners. What has been stated is very good. The first thing that I wish to say to y 7ou is with regard to the land that is subject to restrictions placed upon it by the Government. It is, that the Ngatimaniapoto wish the restrictions removed from that land. The reason why we wish this done is, because what we desire to do with the land we cannot do while the Government impose restrictions upon it. Should the restrictions be taken off, I am not one who is in favour of land-selling, but I am in favour of leasing the land. If the restrictions of the Government are removed, I should be in favour of leasing; but I ought to have in my own hands the making of the arrangements with respect to the leasing of my land—that is, the land of which lam the owner. I should have the fixing of the conditions for leasing that land. That is all I have to say upon that. I mentioned this subject to the Native Minister—to have the restrictions removed from the land. The second subject that I brought before the Minister was with regard to the survey of lands. The question of surveys has not been clearly laid down yet. I think that the two years at present allowed the Natives for paying for the surveys should be extended beyond that period. The third subject that I spoke about to the Minister was that consent should not be given to individual sales, but that the hapu or the tribe should consent. That is all I have to say with reference to those subjects. There is something else that I wish to say to the Commissioners: There is a block of land, called Hurakia, belonging to myself and tribe, and there is a dispute between Ngatituwharetoa and ourselves with respect to that land. The case has been investigated by the Commission appointed by Parliament, and an alteration in the survey has taken place. Two portions of the block were excluded by the survey, one portion being on the Tauponuiatia side and the other on the Tuhua side. I am very desirous that the portions excluded should be adjudicated upon also. The Court to hear that case will soon sit. The only cause of delay is on account of the illness of the Judge's- wife. The proportion that will be dealt with by that Court is that wdiich is excluded on the Government boundary-line. It is with regard to the other portion, that is left out, that I wish to speak to the Commissioners. Ido not know what is going to be done with it. I am very pleased at what the Commissioners have said. But hold on; wait first to see that this restriction has been removed. Mr. Bees: This Commission, of course, will report to the Government upon all the points that have been mentioned, including what has been said about the restrictions; but we take it for granted that if the Natives assent to the leasing of their lands we should immediately recommend that the restrictions be removed at once. There would be no hesitation at all about that. And Parliament will be more likely., to grant the removal of the restrictions at once if the Maori tribes and hapus choose from themselves their leaders to conduct their business for them. We make this explanation not to stop any discussion, but to letjihe Maoris know what our minds are about these matters. We shall now ask the Maori chiefs questions—or shall we postpone doing that until all