α-s;

158

[l. M. KINGI.

ought to be allowed to attend the school, because our lands have gone to form reserves and endowments for educational purposes. Mr. Wakefield purchased the land for the Natives, and set apart sections in the Town of Wanganui for the Natives. The land on which the College stands was given by the Natives for church and educational purposes. 5. Do you know that Sir George Grey gave a grant of this land to Bishop Selwyn in 1852?— I have heard so, for the first time, since the Commission sat here. 6. You claim that the Maori people have a right to be educated under that endowment? —I hold that the Maori children should be allowed to go to that school free, and that the cost should come from the profits of the land; the money should go towards educating the Maori children and the poor children of Maoris and Europeans. 7. Is there a school at Putiki?—Yes, for infants; European children also go to that school. 8. Do you say that the trustees absolutely refuse to educate Natives in the Wanganui College? -—1 do not know. My application was refused some years ago. 9. During recent years have the Maoris made any representations to the trustees?— Since the Bishop refused my request we have not made any application. 10. What became of the original Maori school on the estate?—lt-ceased on the departure of (lie Rev. Mr. Nicholls. 11. After it was closed was no effort made to continue the education of the Maoris?— Not so far as I know. 12. Mr. Lee.] Do you know that no children under twelve or thirteen years of age are admitted to this school?—I do not know what the rules are. 13. Mr. Eliott.] You have stated that some Maori boys who went to the school in Mr. Nicholls's time ran away from the school: do you think they would stay now?—l cannot say. 14. Mr. Ngata.] Do you know as a matter of fact that the trustees do not exclude Maori children? —We only know that from the evidence given before the Commission. 15. Would it not be better to allow the Native children to finish their education at the Native village schools, and then go to the College?—l do not think that small children should go to the school. 16. Mr. Hogben: I desire to put in a letter from the Natives to the Acting-Premier with reference to an-inquiry into the College Estate [Exhibit No. 54]. 17. Do you know that Maihi Rangipo Mete Kingi went to Te Aute College for three years before going to Wanganui College? —Yes. 18. Mr. Wray.] Can you explain how it was that Maihi Rangipo Mete Kingi was sent to the College in view of the opinion of the Maoris that Maoris would be excluded?—l do not know, but his parents can say. 19. Are you a relative of Maihi Rangipo?—Yes. 20. Do you know whether he was admitted free? —I have heard that his parents paid, but they can tell you. Thomas Billing Maclean examined. 21. The Chairman.] You are a olerk in holy orders? —Yes. 22. You are one of the trustees of the Wanganui Collegiate School Estate?— Yes. 23. When were you appointed?—At the end of 1900. I. was appointed in place of Mr. H. I. Jones. 24. We understand from the Bishop that you have had some commercial experience, and are a practical business man ?—That is so. 25. Since your appointment you have been the active trustee in Wanganui?—l have had no special powers. 26. But still you have taken a special interest in the administration of the trust?— Yes. 27. There was a considerable sum of money received by the trust as compensation for taking the railway-line through the trust estate? —The amount was £595, and it was paid to Mr. Churton, as agent for the trustees, on the 26th January, 1878. This amount was paid on the same day to Mr. Bannatyne, one of the trustees, by Mr. Churton. Subsequently, on the 18th October, 1878, this money was returned to Mr. Churton, and once more entered into the funds of the estate, and was used as part payment of a contract of £910 to Mr. J. Randal for College buildings. 28. The Government have recently taken another portion of the estate for a deviation? —They have not allowed us any compensation so far for that. 29. Have you made any claim?—We have made several attempts to make a claim, but the Railway authorities tell us that the matter will be gazetted in good time, and then we can make our claim. The matter is in suspense. The trust has suffered very considerably through severance by fhe deviation. 30. Is there any matter on whicii you wish to speak?—l wish to refer to the manner of the appointment of trustees. The Commission know, of course, that this estate was conveyed, in accordance with the Bishop Selwyn Act of 1858, to the General Synod, and the General Synod appoints the Standing Committee of the Diocese —a Diocesan Trust Board —whose duty it is to appoint trustees of the various properties held in trust for the General Synod. They also have arranged that one trustee should retire annually, so that every year there is an election of a new trustee. These trustees hold from the General Synod, and not from the Diocesan Synod. lam anxious to bring this point out, because it has been suggested that possibly certain proposals might be made to the trustees to which if they would consent Parliament might give them power to borrow money and improve the estate. I want it to be understood that the trustees would have to refer any such proposals to the General Synod, They would have no power either to accept or reject them. The General Synod meets early next year, so that any proposal that might be put before the trustees would have to be sent on to the General Synod for their direction. I also wish to say that the general evidence has been on the lines of condemning the trustees in years past for not having done