and to the fact of their bearing arms in contravention
of the Proclamation, they replied they were in proper
fighting costume and passed on. Before five minutes
had elapsed four Natives came from the other di-
rection, three with firearms and one with a tomahawk
and we likewise called their attention to the infringe-
ment of the Proclamation and they passed on towards
the Waitara.

By Mr. F. U. Gledhill.

This evidence was not given on oath, but I was
prepared to swear to it had I been asked.

By the Chairman.

I have seen parties of armed Natives passing
through the proclaimed districts on other five se-
perate occasions as follows. A party of thirteen
mostly armed, with whom was Raniera the Native
Assessor, and another party of eleven also mostly
armed passed through the Bell district on Wednes-
day the 3rd instant. I called the attention of the
following settlers who were in the road at the time,
Messrs. Rundle, Sampson, Clare, and Goddard to
the fact that most of this latter party being armed
and to their evident knowledge of the Proclamation
owing to their seeking to evade it by having some
of the barrels of the guns separate from the stocks.
On the three other occasions the numbers of the
Natives were smaller and I merely noticed that they
were armed. I did not lay any informations against
the five parties last named because I considered it
would be a mere farce after the way in which the
other informations had been treated.

By Mr. F. U. Gledhill.

As a resident in the Bell Block I believe the Na-
tives to some extent respect the Proclamation.

Mr W. K. Hulke, M. P. C., examined.

On Monday the 1st March I went to the Resident
Magistrate's Court to lay legal informations of the
infringement of the Proclamation by Native parties
carrying arms in the Hua and Bell districts and also
for threatening language and intimidation. First in-
formation. On Sunday the 28th February during
the hours of Divine Service two bodies of armed
Natives numbering respectively seven and four were
between the Post Office and the Church in the Devon
line. When asked the reason of their carrying arms
one party said they were going to fight, the other
said they were returning from the fight. I informed
the Resident Magistrate of the names of most of the
Natives and of the description of arms carried. The
Resident Magistrate seemed surprised at the infor-
mation and informed me that the Native Secretary
and the District Land Purchase Commissioner had
told him quite the contrary, and that the Natives
respected the Proclamation. I applied to be sworn
to the truth of the statement made and to produce
other witnesses who would likewise swear to the
truth of the same. He stated that it was not neces-
sary and neither the witnesses or myself were sworn
at any time during the proceedings. I told Mr
Flight that the Native Secretary and the Land Pur-
chase Commissioner only passing through the dis-
trict at intervals could not be such good judges as
the resident settlers whether any infringement of the
Proclamation were made, as they the settlers were
there at all hours of the day. The Resident Magis-
trate said the Bench would not be forced into any
line of action, but he would cause the matter to be
enquired into. I asked him what constituted an un-
lawful assembly according to the Proclamation, be-
cause if three or four assembling in arms did not con-
stitute an unlawful assembly I could give him infor-
mation about much larger assemblies. He replied,
I decline answering that. This information was laid
by me in conjunction with Messrs. Morrison and
Sunley.

Second information—On the same day I informed
the Resident Magistrate that on the previous Tuesday
a body of fifteen armed Natives headed by Meihana
of the Kaipakopako left the Paraiti pa, crossed the
road and proceeded through Charles Waller's land
and that of Richard Rundle to the Devon Road. I
told them they had no right to go that way or to
carry arms. They replied "they would do as they
liked."

Third information—On the same day I informed
the Resident Magistrate that on the previous Thurs-
day ten bullock carts escorted by fifteen Natives,
thirteen of whom were armed proceeded along the
Devon Road within the proclaimed districts, to the
Paraiti pa.

Fourth information—On the same day I informed
the Resident Magistrate that Hoera of Moturoa
threatened that he with other natives then assembled
in arms against Ihaia at Waitara would, if the Pro-
clamation was carried out, proceed to burn down the
town pa and all the other Native pas within the pro-
claimed district and then build a pa on the north
side of the Waitaha stream and cut off all commu-
nication with us. Mr. G. Woon was the person told
so and corroborated it before the Resident Magis-
trate.

Mr Henry Halse, Assistant Native Secretary, ex-
amined.

Have you received any instructions from the Re-
sident Magistrate respecting the proclamation?—
Only verbal. But I have received from the Native
Secretary's department those which I hand in.

What were the additional instructions you received
from the Resident Magistrate?—He asked me to
render the substance of a letter he had received from
the General Government into Maori explaining the
object of issuing the proclamation. They were in-
formed in the translation that it was issued to avoid
the Europeans being implicated in their feuds and
not from any present intention to proceed to hos-
tilities.

Will you furnish a copy of the Maori translation?
—Yes.

Have you been instructed to procure information
of any infringement of the proclamation?—No.

Have you at any time informed the Natives that
it is a violation of the proclamation to carry arms
through the proclaimed district?—Repeatedly.
Some Natives have told me that they intend to carry
their arms through the proclaimed districts in defi-
ance of the proclamation, and that they will butcher