Page:Report from the Select Committee of the House of Lords, appointed to inquire into the present state of the Islands of New Zealand.pdf/111

 Rh In the course of your Intercourse with the Country did you hear of any Instance of that Kind occurring with regard to a European?
 * I know one Case where a Native was threatening to resume the Land, on account of its being a bad Bargain that his Wife's Father had made, and he thought the Speculator had made enough out of it; that was on the Mangumuku, one of the Cowrie Forests.

Supposing the British Resident to be armed with more Power, and other Things to remain the same, do you conceive it likely that Europeans would continue to make Purchases of Land, and that they would increase?
 * I think they would increase, and that there must be a regular Government in the Country. I do not think the Chiefs would be satisfied without a Government. The joining Mr. Busby with the Chiefs I do not think would succeed; it would in fact be only Mr. Busby or the Resident's. The Chief would say anything that he wished if he would give him a Blanket.

The Suggestion made was, not that Mr. Busby should carry on the Government of the Island, but that he should be armed with Authority to arrest any Persons guilty of Violence on the Natives or the Europeans?
 * I think that was the Case with Mr. Butler, some Years ago; he was a Magistrate, and I think he had Power to enforce the Law.

Had he any Force?
 * He had one Force that Mr. Busby has not, for he was a Missionary; he had no Police.

As far as your Experience goes, do you think the native Chiefs would interfere to prevent the Arrest of the Persons who have been guilty of Acts of Violence, if demanded by the Resident?
 * I should think in some Cases they would.

You state that you think there must, sooner or later, be a regular Government; do you mean that the British Authority should be regularly established there, to the Exclusion of the native Authority?
 * I do. They will be treated of course as free Subjects, of equal Consequence in the Government as the Europeans were, I should think; but there must be some regular Government; they will never be able to govern themselves.

You think that the Chiefs should be divested of their present Authority?
 * Yes; I do not think that can be exercised with any good Effect.

Has not the Independence of the Country been recognized?
 * I do not know that; there has been a Flag taken there, and some Ceremony with the native Chiefs, I believe. I have an Address of Mr. Busby's to the Chiefs. I think it is translated into the native Language.

If this Government has recognized the Independence of the native Chiefs, how can it take that Authority from them?
 * The Acknowledgment of their Independence was a very informal Act, I imagine.

Mr. Busby states, in a Despatch to the Governor of New South Wales, “the Flag of New Zealand has been formally recognized by the British Government as the Flag of an independent State”?
 * They had the Choice of several Flags, I believe, and they stuck up one for some Time.

You have alluded to some Law in the Island, when you spoke of the Son having the Power to resume Land?
 * I spoke only of that I could gather from the History of the Country.

Do you mean that there is any general Law which prohibits a Father from alienating?
 * I do not know any. There is no written Law; it is all Custom; but they will, when strong enough to do so, resume the Land. I believe they think the best Title of a Man is of very little Consequence if they are strong enough.

(123.3.)