District Council.

• 19. This brings us to the consideration of the constitution and powers of the District Council itself, the only body in the district which will exercise functions of a legislative kind, that is to say, the function of making rules and regulations for the district and that of appropriating the yearly income of the district. In this part also we should conform, as far as circumstances may allow, to English modes of proceeding. This Council then should not consist, as has been proposed, of Magistrates and officers sitting there in virtue of their offices. Such a constitution, besides being an un- English one, would tend to keep up that existing confusion, of which we have spoken, between the two distinct functions of making and of administering law. Moreover, it will not improbably happen that the favourite orator of a village, and the man best qualified to be a magistrate, will be one and the same person. The Council should then be elective. To make it elective the machinery is ready to our hands, and most simple. All persons on the jury list of each village are to be deemed electors. A set of villages grouped together, according to local convenience, form one electoral district.

  It will probably not be found necessary to call this Council together more than once or at the most twice in the year. The occasion of its meeting should be made a sort of festival. A moderate sum might usefully be contributed by the Government in aid of the cost.

  By holding the sessions of this Council in the several Courthouses of the district in succession, the burdens and the benefits of the system might be equalized throughout the district.

  Such a District Council may (as has been proposed) continue in office for a term of four years. As to the two kinds of business which will belong to this Council, the former—namely, the business of framing by-laws or special regulations for the district—may well be reduced within narrow limits; for such regulations as will be absolutely necessary may, for the most part, be laid down beforehand, and amendments will be needed only occasionally. But it is a great matter to provide for such bodies a regular supply of practical business, simple in itself, yet of such a kind as to interest many persons. This kind of business will be supplied by the general superintendence of the lands appropriated for endowment, and the appropriation of the income to be derived from these lands, in conformity with the rules framed by the Council and assented to by the Governor. Also the fines and fees coming in from the several Native Courts would be disposed of by the same authority for the benefit of the district, subject to the like assent.

  So the contributions to be made in labour or materials towards buildings and other works for the benefit of the district, in return for Government aid in money, should be made a matter for discussion and arrangement by the District Council.

  If business of such a kind be transacted in an orderly and becoming way, the District Council will be a valuable means of Native education and advancement. The experience of Bishop Williams in page 11the sessions of his Diocesan Synod at Turanga suffices to show that a satisfactory result may be expected wherever the like pains are taken.

  It might be well to let the panel, from which the members of the Land Court are to be taken, be subject to some sort of revision by the Council, which would cause the operations of that Court to be felt as more authoritative and binding. The proceedings should be opened by an address from the Civil Commissioner, but a Native should preside during the discussion, to be aided and advised (if necessary) by the Commissioner. It is of importance to find in our system positions of honour such as the leading men of the race may be willing to accept.