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I may here mention that during a recent official visit which, accompanied by the Provincial Secretary, I made on the West Coast, I attended a large meeting of natives at Foxton. About 700 or 800 natives were present, and the meeting was remarkable for the submission to the law, which all the chiefs present publicly declared they would observe. This act of allegiance was valuable, because it was entirely volunteered. I have appended a condensed but correct report of this interesting meeting (Appendix I.)

I may mention that during the recess the Provincial Executive leased the Toll-gates by auction so soon as they had ascertained their probable value, instead of keeping them in the hands of the Government. In pursuance of the same line of conduct, and in compliance with a frequently expressed wish of the Council, the Government has let by contract (and when not let it has been on account of the tenders being excessive in amount) the maintenance of the main lines of road, and it is satisfactory to be able to state that the system has answered well, where the contractor has understood his work.

It is a great satisfaction to be able to state that the buildings for the new Asylum are now all but complete, and that it is expected that possession will be given within a fortnight. The cost has greatly exceeded the estimates; but the buildings reflect great credit on the architect and the contractors.

You will be gratified to learn that I have received official intimation from the Directors of the Wellington Patent Slip Company that they have completely finished a work of the greatest importance to this harbour: I refer to the Patent Slip in Evans’ Bay. It is not necessary that I should propose any provision on the Estimates of this year for the item of guaranteed interest; and I express a hope that the operations of the Company will have been so successful in the interim as to render it unnecessary that any provision on that behalf should be made next year.

I will now refer to the progress of Provincial business through the Colonial Parliament last session. After considerable delay, the Wanganui Bridge Bill became law; and you will, I hope, admit that no time has been lost in undertaking the works authorised in the schedule. These have been all undertaken, and although the amount set down in the schedule will be exceeded, you will be asked to make provision for the excess.

The Wanganui Bridge and Hospital, together with its endowments, have already been handed over by the Provincial authorities to the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Wanganui.

I made persevering efforts to obtain the sanction of Parliament to an enquiry into the claims of the Province for lands given back to the natives in the Manawatu-Rangitikei block by the Hon. D. M’Lean; but I entirely failed. Shortly after the recess, the Government promised that Sir F. D. Bell should be invited to examine into the claims. The month of February was, as I understood, fixed for the investigation; but the enquiry has not yet been entered upon. There is one lesson which the inhabitants of the North Island have, it is to be hoped, learnt from their intercourse with the native race, viz.:—that patience is a great virtue. Correspondence on the subject of the proposed arbitration is appended. (Appendix K.)

I was not more successful in my efforts to obtain redress for the Province in respect of arrears to the amount of £7438 due for fees and fines under the Native Lands Acts. The case is briefly this, viz.:—The Acts referred to create an account (styled the Native Land Court Fund), which is to be debited with all the charges of the Lands Court, &c., and credited with the fees, fines, &c., and declare that the balance, if any, shall be Provincial revenue. They also authorise the Colonial Treasurer to collect the sums thus made receivable by law. The Treasurer neglects to collect the revenue, but does not fail to charge the Province. My contention is that he ought to have charged the account and not the Province.

But mark the contrivance. The annual Appropriation Act, amidst the chaos of its figures, affixes the charge on the Province: that is, a permanent appropriation deliberately passed into law with the consent of both branches of the Legislature is set aside by an annual appropriation, in deciding upon which one branch of the Legislature claims the sole voice. By such a process the Province is a serious loser; contrary, as I maintain, to the real intention of Parliament. It is my duty to you, as representative of Provincial constituencies, to bring the circumstance under your attention.

Neither have I been more fortunate, since the session closed, in obtaining a sum of £3541 10s for land taken two years ago by the Colonial Government for Scandinavian immigrants and laborers employed by the General Government on their public works. A distinct promise was made by the Minister for Public Works in Mr. Fox’s Government that...