(15)

will be ho'den at the Resident Magistrate's
Court, on Tuesday, the second day of March,
next, at eleven o'clock, a. m., for the purpose
of receiving applications for the Transfer of
Publicans' Licenses.

THOMAS BECKHAM,
Resident Magistrate.

Resident Magistrate's Court,
February 4th, 1847.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 6th February, 1847.

HIS Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor

has been pleased to direct the publi-
cation of the following Letter, for general
information.

By His Excellency's command,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
Colonial Secretary.

Surveyor General's Office,
Auckland, 26th November, 1846.

SIR,---Having been directed by His Excellency the

Governor to proceed to the Waikato district, to ascer-
tain the feelings of the Natives with reference to the
contemplated road from Auckland to Wellington, and
to learn how far their co operation, as laborers in the
construction of it, could be relied upon. I have the
honor to report, that I visited all the Natives living on
the Waikato, as high up that river as Katotihe, and
found them well disposed towards the undertaking, but
not so anxious to engage in the work at the rate of
wages named to them---one shilling and sixpence per
diem---as might have been expected. I have very little
doubt, however, but that a sufficient number will be ob-
tained when their cultivations are completed, which
may be expected to be the case before the end of De-
cember. Their dispositions and customs lead them not
to express their sentiments at once, and they probably
believe, that by an apparent indifference they may ob-
tain an offer of a higher rate of pay.

With reference to the particular line of road I have
recommended, the Natives seem disappointed, that it
does not pass through their settlements; but when the
difficulties of crossing the Waikato and Waipa rivers,
and the Waipa range of mountains which would in that
case be necessary, were explained to them, they said,
that although the route I had pointed out was the most
direct to Wellington, and was the best for horses and
carts, it would be too lonely for them to travel on.

It is to be regretted, that a line to combine the ad-
vantages of being the most direct, and at the same time
passing through the present most densely populated
districts, could not be obtained.

The road I have proposed will strike four navigable
rivers of the Waikato, and thus render it available for
the Waikato tribes, and will be the direct means of
communication for the Mata Mata tribes, with Auckland,
which the other line would cut off. At present, the
Natives of the Waikato district reside only on the
borders of the river, but it may be expected that they
will move towards the road when the country is opened
by it.

I found that the head Chief, Te Whero Whero, and
the other men of influence, have determined to give up
their tapus and sacred places, should they be required
by the Government to do so for the purposes of the
road. This, to them, is a great sacrifice, and proves
their good will towards the Government, and a progress
towards the adoption of our customs.

I had intended to visit this Chief (Te Whero Whero)
at his own place, but met him on the river as he was
proceeding to Auckland to visit the Governor. He is
of opinion, that the Natives will only like to work on
such parts of the line of road as pass through their own
land, and that one tribe will not be disposed to be em-
ployed on a part of the road which might pass through
the land of another. This is an opinion generally en-
tertained; and to prevent the possibility of any diffi-
culties of such a nature arising at a future time, I would
suggest that the land on either side of the road might
be purchased from the Natives, and leased for cattle
stations, until an increased population should render it
necessary to sell it again for agricultural purposes,
for which it is in general well adapted.

In connexion with the contemplated road, it may be
interesting to state, that the Coal district which has
been discovered, approaches within two miles of the
line, and it is probable that it may yet be found nearer
to it.

I examined the two places where the coal crops out,
and found the seam to be six feet thick, and of good
quality. One of these places is within three hundred
yards of the Waikato, and the seam is there elevated
two hundred feet above the river. Judging from the
other places where the coal is also found, and from the
formation of the country, I have no doubt but that coal
will ultimately, be found to extend over one hundred
square miles of the Valley of the Waikato, north of
Kaitotihe.

I forward herewith some of the coal, and such speci-
mens of the strata above and below it, as the Natives
left me, after pilfering the parcel they were contained in,
under an impression that I was carrying away some-
thing containing gold or silver.

The cultivations of the Natives have improved in
neatness; and a greater amount of land has been
brought under cultivation, by the use of spades and
other European tools, than was formerly the case.

Since the law prohibiting the sale of gunpowder and
fire arms has been passed, the Natives have expended
more of their money in agricultural implements and
clothing; they have now an abundance of blankets,
and I saw no one, not even a slave, unprovided with
them-whereas some of them formerly were nearly
naked, having nothing but an old mat to cover them-
selves with, even in the coldest nights.

They are decidedly improving in their circumstances,
and their disposition towards the Government could
not be more friendly. They repeatedly say, that if all
the people of New Zealand were to rise against the
Europeans, the Waikato tribes would remain firm in
their friendship, and if wanted would fight for them.

At Whangape, when I was speaking of the line of
road, an influential Native got up and asked me, why I
did not go to the Ngatipo, and settle the war which had
been raging there for so long a time, before making the
roads, for if that were not ended they would be all dead
soon, and the roads would then be of no use. I replied,
that the Ngatipo were, I thought, too hard to come to
terms, and as they were so angry and dark on the occa-
sion of my former visit, I should not go to them again.
If they desired peace they should say so, and do as their
enemies, the Ngatitipa, had done, and give up their claim
to the piece of land in dispute. From the earnestness
of the speaker, I was led to think there might be some
hope of this long pending question being arranged, and
I set off for the place without delay, and had the satis-
faction to find Te Uira (Lightning) was disposed to
come to terms with the Ngatipo. Uira, and the other
principal men, then signed a document to abide by the
decision of the Governor; and, at my suggestion, the
boundaries were to be arranged according to the following
plan---the last battle-field to be taken as a centre, from
which I should measure equal distance down the river into
the Ngatitipa country, and up the river into theirs, and then
draw straight lines at the back and sides of the block,
having the river in front. They wished, at first, to
make the graves of Chiefs who fell on either side at the
late battle, the boundary marks, and, then to run the
boundary crooked, so as to keep as many of the little
disputed places as they could. Every spot of ground
is associated with some particular deed connected with
their many engagements and triumphs. One is sacred
because a man of rank fell there; another, because it is
the place he is buried in; and another is named to
commemorate the place where they eat their enemies.
The history of these places is handed down from father
to son, and the retaining of them in their possession,
has become more dear to them than life.

The extent of the disputed land is not more than five
hundred acres, and is not valued for any particular pro-
duction; but their honor is so implicated in maintain-