It was through the Treaty of Waitangi that the Native chiefs, on behalf of their people, marked their confidence in the Queen, and placed their lands—which means life to them—under the care of the Government. They called upon the Queen their mother to succour them, and relied upon her to do justice to her children of the Native race. Your ancestors were far-seeing men. They foresaw that in this colony there would be a large European population; that the Europeans would almost be as numerous as the trees of the forest. They also foresaw that those of their race whom they loved so well, unless they had the protection of our gracious Queen, their lands and lives would be in danger. It is with regret that I have to admit that that treaty, which at the time was so well considered, and which was drawn in such a manner as had it been maintained in its entirety the interests of both races would have been safeguarded, has been departed from. I regret there has been a serious departure from it. The younger generations not being so wise, and not seeing the dangers surrounding them, were, I think responsible for urging a departure from that treaty, and the troubles that have arisen therefrom. Impecuniosity and a desire to sell lands privately to get money is partly reponsible for this But, enough, in respect to the difficulties of the immediate past which have arisen. We are here to-day to endeavour to remove those difficulties—to see how we can best give effect to what remains. I have already said that there has been a departure from the treaty, The principal departure was in respect to private dealing with the Native lands. Designing Europeans asked that there should be free trade in Native lands—that the Natives should be allowed to deal with their lands as they liked. The result was that land disappeared from them as the snow before the noonday sun disappeared from the mountain tops. His Excellency was pleased to remark on the discontinuance of the growing of corn and wheat by the Natives, an industry which your forefathers engaged in for food and for export. I know the reason for this. Your lands which grew this corn and potatoes have gone from you. You sold these lands, when you had the right under what is known as free trade in Native land. Knowing the value of these lands which grew the grain, the Europeans, at far under their value, got possession of them. The result is that many of you have now got no land at all. Where is the land of the Waikatos? It has gone. It was owing to the departure from the Treaty of Waitangi that trouble arose between the two races. I am there fore not at all surprised that those who have still some land remaining are very desirous of knowing what will be done with it. The fact that there are so many landless Natives makes it all the more difficult to deal with their cases. The few about that have land are most anxious as to what shall be done; and you naturally say to me, as head of the Government, "Advise us; let us know what to do with the land that remains." It is true that a Bill was sent to Parliament on their behalf page break page 85by Mr. Kaihau, their member. That Bill had some provisions in it which were good. The principle of having papatupu and unimproved lands thrown open for settlement was sound, but it was over the manner of doing it that the difficulty has arisen. The Government also submitted a Bill providing for dealing with Native lands; and I desire that this assembly should clearly and distinctly know that we cannot allow large tracts of land to remain unimproved and uncultivated; it is not for the good of either race.