Appendix "B."

As I am anxious that, as Native Minister, you should know exactly what we are doing in the Horowhenua matter, I send you herewith a printed copy of the petition which Major Kemp will lay before Parliament on its opening. You will see that, so far from being in any way hostile, he acknowledges the protection and care the tribe has already received at the hands of your Government. All the facts alleged in the petition have been more than once proved before the Native Affairs Committee, but the proof is ready again if wanted.

In writing to you the other day, I ought perhaps to have reminded you of the position taken up by the Government in the Session of 1892, when I conducted the case for Major Kemp before the Native Affairs Committee. Mr Cadman was at that time Native Minister, and I sent him the draft of a Bill, which, it seemed to me, would meet the case and could not possibly do any harm to anyone, the whole essence of it being for an enquiry into the merits. Even Warena Hunia, in his petition to the House, in 1891, deprecating hasty legislation, advocated " the appointment of a Commission to take evidence and ascertain the true facts."

If, in your opinion, it should be a Royal Commission, let it be so; but it seems to me that the Native Land Court (which is virtually a Commissioner's Court) possesses all the necessary machinery and conveniences for such an enquiry.

At the time that I sent the draft to Mr Cadman it was, I understood, agreed that clauses on the lines proposed should be incorporated in the short Native Land Court Bill which the Government was then preparing, to provide for the appointment of a Chief Judge during Mr. Seth-Smith's absence from the Colony. Notice of this Bill was given, I think, two days before the close of the Session; but its introduction was abandoned at the last moment owing to a threatened " stonewall" movement, promoted, it was said, by Mr. J. G. Wilson. When I heard you announce in the House that the Government would not proceed with the Bill, I immediately went up to Mr. Ballance's house, to confer with him as to the best course for the protection of the interests of the Muaupoko tribe. He at once suggested a proclamation under ' The Native Land Purchase Act 1892 ' and that course was, as you know, adopted with good effect.

Mr. J. G. Wilson, who then threatened to stonewall the measure, and openly advocated the cause of the other side, has since had an opportunity of looking into the matter for himself; and he has now expressed his willingness to present Major Kemp's petition and to support his prayer. I doubt, however, whether he will be down in time to do that.

I do not suppose it will be necessary to get the petition referred to the Native Affairs Committee; because twice over that Committee has had exhaustive evidence before it and has reported in favour of remedial legislation.

I am sending you the draft Bill, altered slightly to suit the changed circumstances; and if you can see your way, as Native Minister, to initiate such a measure, it will give great satisfaction to Major Kemp and to the Muaupoko tribe, and will put an end for ever to the Horowhenua difficulty, and that too in a perfectly legitimate way.