Marumaru,

stayed there during the night, and proceeded to Gisborne the following morning, arriving at the latter place at midnight.

The young chief Tupaea was sent back to his home from here viá Opitiki, in company with Mr. Mueller, Commissioner of Crown Lands. The night previous to his departure he expressed a wish to address the Premier when bidding the latter farewell. He said,—We have had a very pleasant trip together, and I am glad you have arrived safe. My mission is now ended; but before we part I wish to assure you, with regard to my tribe, that whatever trouble they may in the near future come in contact with I will let you know of it. You may rest assured, on account of what Kereru told you at Ruatoki, that the troubles of the past will never be renewed, but that our people will now live in conformity with the law and in peace. That is the feeling of the younger generation. We say no good can come out of anything that is troublous or anything that approaches the troubles of the past. We of the younger generation are also mindful that a new age is dawning upon us, and that that dawn is in the interest of our tribe and our lands. At the present time, while my elders are alive, the control of the affairs of the people rests in their hands. I speak of Kereru, Numia, and others. Were anything to happen to them—were they to die—it would then be my duty to assert myself in my proper position; and I feel that whenever it comes to that period—although I should always regret their passing away—I would immediately, in the interest of my tribe, take up my position and manage for the good of the people and for the good of the land. The hapus to which I belong are large land-holders. There is one thing, however, that I could do, not with standing my youth fulness, and I feel that I would be in order in doing so, and that is to advocate as strongly as I can the establishment of schools in our district for the purpose of educating the rising generation. I felt all through our journey the want of education. I often sat by and listened to you enjoying your jokes with each other, and the members of our party, and I judged by the merriment which was evinced that there was something to relish; but I was precluded from joining therein owing to my ignorance of your language. Now when a young man like myself is so expatriated from the fruits of knowledge, it behoves him to take up the line of action I have indicated, and to strongly advise his people to have schools in their districts. Hard as this may be on myself, still, it cannot be helped. Suffice it to say that Kereru, Numia, and myself have been sacrificed to the want of education; but, in the interest of the younger people of the Maori race, education should be given them. They are noting now the error of the past. Henceforth let schools be established, or else they will find themselves in the same condition of ignorance that we are in. Now, with regard to the proof of your love for myself (alluding to a gold ring which the Premier had taken off his finger and given to Tupaea) in this token, I tell you in all earnestness I will never relinquish it, nor ever let it out of my hands into those of others, but I will cherish it, not for its intrinsic value, but for your having presented it to me as a memento of our journey and the good feeling that exists between us. I will not keep to myself the knowledge of our trip, with all its pleasing incidents, and all our mutual enjoyment, but I will relate everything that has happened, even to your goodness to me as evidenced by your gift, to Kereru, Numia, and the elders of the people, as well as to my own helpmate and my children. I was very glad that you were so thoughtful as to communicate with them, and to inform them of our safe arrival in this place; and I was very pleased at the nature of their replies which you showed to me. I hope the good feeling that exists between yourself and colleagues will never cease, but will continue so long as I am on this side of the grave. I can only thank you for your kind consideration in regard to the photograph which you say you will send me, and copies thereof to distribute amongst the other chiefs, so that they will remember the journey we have performed together across our territory. It will cause their minds in the future to look back to this time with feelings of kindness at your meeting them, and joining together with them in mutual korero and travelling through their country. I told Kereru when I left Ruatoki that I was anxious he should insist on the block being investigated by the Native Land Court, and to oppose any attempt on the part of the other tribes or hapus to postpone the hearing. I said that I was anxious there should be a test case, that our right to the land should be investigated, so that we might know what we really did own, and that it was a good thing our lands should be under the protection of the law. I am rather grieved at what I heard to-day in this place that the Ruatoki Court was further adjourned.

The Premier: It is adjourned for seven days. I telegraphed to Wellington, and learned that Judge Scannel could not get away. When I get back there shall be no further adjournment. If page 102 Judge Scannel cannot go I will get somebody else. I am anxious to have the matter properly adjusted, and your claims to the block proved.

Tupaea: I undertook this journey out of love and friendship for you, and to see you safe through the country. I shall be on my way home to-morrow, and so will you. I therefore wish you a kind farewell.