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decision I shall give later on will satisfy both the objectors and those who are asking for the school. With regard to the question that there should be no more surveys outside the internal boundary, and in which you say other tribes outside are interested, you ask me to see that this is carried into effect. I have told you once before to-day that people who come to a decision upon a matter in which other people are concerned wichout in any way consulting them make a great mistake. They do more—they do them a wrong. Then, why should I come to a decision here to-day, and give you an answer, without first going through the other districts, where I shall have an opportunity of meeting the other people. They would say to me, "If you are our father we are your children, just as much as the Tuhoe are, why should you come to a decision without consulting us?" You have said, Put off doing anything in relation to these surveys until we come to Wellington." Suppose you never come to Wellington, then I suppose it is to be put off for ever ? Now, perhaps these other people may want to come to Wellington, too. You might come to some arrangement amongst yourselves. I must give them the same chance as 1 give you. I must act fairly towards both parties. I have heard all that you have had to say, and after hearing what all the others have to say I will come to a decision. I will do nothing rashly for rashness leads to disaster I will, therefore, leave that question open. I have made no promise, mark you, because I cannot make a pledge until I have heard all concerned. But I have told you this, that in case anything is done you shall have full knowledge thereof, and it will be in accordance with my words to you to-day, that past grievances with regard to expense in dealing with your lands and other evils that have sprung up shall be avoided. My colleague has told you to-day that the Surveyor-General is having maps prepared so as to have the colony mapped throughout. It is for scientific purposes these topographical surveys are necessary, and it may be necessary to make them in your country, so that in mapping off the colony your country may appear on our plans. Now, topographical surveys are surveys wanted for scientific purposes. They do not cost the owners of the land anything. But if a complete survey is subsequently decided on, then there is so much expense saved, for these topographical surveys can be used ultimately for the purpose of subdividing the land. Whatever may be done with regard to topographical surveys, nothing will be done with respect to surveys in detail until I have consulted all the parties interested. Now, as I have heard you to-day, I think you will all admit it is only fair that I should listen to the words of the other people interested. I think you will agree with me that that is a fair thing to do. I have just a few words of advice I wish to give you, and I wish you to weigh them well. My words are these When the titles to the land are being ascertained, do not fly at each other's throats like mortal enemies, determined to take the lives of each other—the one determined to wrong the other—but assist us as far as you can , meet amongst yourselves appoint arbitrators—a committee, if you like , search out and ascertain amongst yourselves as to the interests in and titles to the land. If you do that, you will save yourselves expense, and will not create any ill-feeling. If you persevere in that, you will get the land amongst you, but if, on the other hand, you go quarrelling and fighting like mortal enemies, you will lose the land , the lawyers' fees and the expenses will swell up, and you will get nothing. These words, you will find, are for your benefit. If you will only follow this advice, it will save expense and illfeeling, and it will preserve the land to those to whom it belongs. That is why I said to-day I would study your convenience and bring the Court right up to Euatoki. I shall watch carefully from time to time and see how you are progressing, and if I can be of any service you can rest assured that service will be cheerfully rendered, because I do not desire to see the land frittered away in expenses. I do not want to see any ill-feeling engendered, and Ido not want to see the land go from the people who are entitled to it. I want to see every man get his land, go upon it with his wife and children and cultivate it, and to know it is their own land they are improving. There is no man who feels so happy as the man who is upon his own land, cultivating it, and making it productive, so that his wife and children may live comfortably on it, and the sooner one and all of you know what is your own, the better it will be for you, the better for the Europeans, and the colony generally Now, you have mentioned to-day —and I have heard remarks also relative to it—that there was gold and silver on the land you claimed. I have been told by a scientist that there are rivers and gold in the moon, yet the Government have never sent any one up to- it to prospect for them, and the Government are. not going to send anybody to prospect on your land. But whatever you do towards ascertaining the titles to your land will not put the gold there, and if it is there it will not take it away Therefore, until this larger question is settled as to the ownership of the land and ascertaining the titles, the other matter must be left in abeyance, the Government will not interfere. So you do not require to have any anxiety upon that account. The last question I have to touch upon is a matter which was brought under my notice to-day, and that is in regard to those people who broke the law on a former occasion, and for whose arrest warrants have been issued. If I was to take up a position such as my friend on the right did in regard to the school, and said " Taihoa! taihoa! " (Wait, wait) you would be grieved, would you not? In the case of these men it is worse, for they are not free to go where they like. They might be required to attend the Court to give evidence as to titles, and if they went to Whakatane they might not come back, and yet, if their evidence was not given, it might do a wrong to the people who owned the land. I will explain to you the law In the first place, the law is beyond the Government it is beyond myself. If any one breaks the law, the Government cannot stop the law taking its course, and the law is there just as much for the Natives as for the Europeans. Any one who breaks that law—no matter what race he belongs to —that law says he must be dealt with as by it defined. You asked me whether I could withdraw these warrants. I cannot do so. The Governor —aye, even the Queen herself— could not withdraw those warrants, but when once the persons who are wrongdoers have been brought before the Court, then the Queen or the Governor, upon the advice of his Ministers, could say, ' Taihoa, it is enough, the law has been sufficiently vindicated, the trouble is over " I believe, myself, from what I have seen and from what has taken place, that the trouble is all over. On my