reserve. At Pipitea there are several substantial weatherboarded houses, the property of the Natives, principally in the occupation of the Europeans, at very fair rents. There is also a neat little weatherboarded Church in the course of erection to which the Natives have contributed a portion of the material, but the Pa itself and the huts are much out of repair. Several of the Natives belonging to Pipitea are collecting material on the Hutt for the purpose of rebuilding their huts and constructing one good substantial fence round the Pa. The wood they have selected is dry Totara, and if completed, will be very durable and add much to their own comfort, and give the settlement a neat and respectable appearance. They are all Ngatiawa Natives, and their cultivations are principally on the Hutt. Last year they collected a considerable quantity of the Mutton Shells for exportation, and a small quantity will also be brought into the market this year. The mortality in the Pipitea Pa within the last 2 or 3 years has been very great. Total Native population, 96.

8th Settlement.—"TIAKIWAI PA."

Only a few huts remain, which are used temporarily by visitors coming to Town from Ohariu, and the other settlements on the coast and Cook’s Straits.

9th Settlement.—"KAIWARA."

"Kaiwara" in the outskirt of the Town of Wellington, belongs to the tribe called Ngatitamas, who are distinct from the Ngatiawas—they originally came from Poutama, North of Taranaki, and were the first who commenced to drive out the Ngatikahuhunus, who formerly inhabited the Port Nicholson district. They have intermarried with the Whanganui’s, and, with the Ohariu Natives, and form a party of themselves. Their Pa is also a reserve, and a section on the hill adjoining was recently purchased for them by the Government, but they have this year confined their cultivations to the Hutt, upon lands rented from settlers there. The Pa is in a damp situation, being nearly surrounded with water, is small, unhealthy, and out of order. The Natives would gladly exchange it for a piece of land of equal value a little higher up. Their offers, however, have been rejected. They sell a considerable quantity of firewood, and are frequently employed by Europeans at daily wages. Total Native Population, 44.

10th Settlement.—"NGAURANGA."

Distant about 2 miles from Wellington, on the Hutt Road, was the residence of the celebrated chief, Wharepori. It is now inhabited by a few of his followers. The fences of the Pa are down, but the huts are in tolerably good order. Ngaoranga is a reserve with plantation ground immediately adjoining. The Natives of Ngaoranga and Pitone have always been on the most intimate terms of friendship, and they look even now to E Punt as the representative of their deceased parent Wharepori. They intermix very much with each other, and are allowed by E Punt to cultivate upon his land on the Hutt. They have also intermarried, but the population does not seem to be on the increase. They rear and sell a small quantity of poultry; they also procure firewood and fish for the market. Native Population, 84.

11th Settlement.—"PITONE."

Pitone Pa, situated about 7 miles from Wellington, is the largest and best fortified within the District of Wellington, is a reserve, with sections on the Hutt attached. Their cultivations of Kumara and Maize look well, and in point of comfort and wealth are better off than any of the Port Nicholson Natives. E Puni was one of the last who left Taranaki for Cook’s Straits. His principal reason for visiting Kapiti was to procure fire-arms, after "Pukerangiora" had been taken by the Waikato’s, he and his party having driven off the Waikato’s prior to their leaving—his return to Taranaki was prolonged by the wars into which he became involved with the Ngatikahuhunu’s, and the colonists, arriving shortly afterwards, he determined to remain. Te Puni contemplates a visit to Taranaki this summer for the purpose of escorting their old and venerable chief "Rauakima" who it appears was contemporary with the late "Te Rangiparahia" and shared with him in several engagements;—this old man will have many followers, and the expedition is likely to be very interesting. They propose to visit Rangihaeata, and all the old Pas between Whanganui and Waitara, the scenes of many bloody conflicts, in which both these old men took very active parts. The Natives of Pitone have again commenced the cleaning of flax, and it is to be hoped that the merchants will offer remunerating prices as an encouragement to their going on with it. Hitherto they have found it unprofitable, and the consequence is, that a great prejudice prevails against it. I explained to them, and the other Natives, the necessity of turning the indigenous productions of the country to account, as a means of securing wealth and prosperity to the colony, and I believe that with a little trouble, and the promise of small sums as a reward, the whole Native population would, in a short time, engage with spirit in the Trade. Total Native population, 186.

12th Settlement.—"WAIWHETU."

"Waiwhetu" Pa is situated at the confluence of the two principal rivers of that name—is on a Reserve to which is appended one of the best sections on the Hutt, lately purchased for them by the Government. The Natives of Waiwhetu, from information I gathered, have diminished within the last five or six years, to a very inconsiderable number, and since the murder of their principal chief, shortly after the arrival of the first immigrants by a party of the Ngatikahuhunus, they have dispersed, and some have joined the Natives of Pipitea. The Pa and huts are in bad order, and being greatly exposed to the wind and sand drift, the Natives are hardly ever free from disease. They are anxious to shift the Pa if the proprietor of the adjoining section would be willing to make an exchange for that part of it which lies nearest the river and is sheltered from the cold S. W. winds, by high land on either side. As a ship building yard the site of the present Pa would, I am told, be very valuable, both on account of the depth of water, and from its proximity to the timber on the Hutt. Total Native population, 48.

His Excellency will notice by the Returns herewith enclosed, that the Natives within the district of Wellington, are to some extent possessed of Houses, Cattle, Horses, Carts, and Mills, all of which they now begin to value, and are anxious to obtain—carts in particular are articles much in request among them, and it is likely that within 12 months the traffic by vehicles of this kind between Wellington and the Hutt among the Natives will be considerable. The Natives of Wellington have no cultivations to speak of on the lands in the outskirts of the Town—all have hired land from Settlers upon the Hutt. Some for a period of two or three years at a nominal rent,—others have chosen cleared land and are paying so much per acre, according to the locality and quality of the soil. The quantity of land newly cleared by the Natives on the Waiwhetu Rivers, within the last two or three years is large,