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/51

 Rh If they could devote their whole Lives to the Service of Christianity, instead of trying to better the Condition of their own Children?
 * Yes. At present they are cultivating their Land. To use the Words of the Reverend Henry Williams, they are just holding on for their Children, seeing no other Prospect for their Children than the Cultivation of those Lands. They cannot send them home to England;—that would be too expensive;—New South Wales would not be desirable for them; and this is their only Chance.

Are there any other Missionaries in any of the Islands except the Church Missionaries?
 * There are some Wesleyans at Hukianga.

Are there any Roman Catholics?
 * Not to my Knowledge.

Has it been the Practice of all the Missionaries there to purchase Land?
 * Not all; only those having large Families.

Do you think that an Establishment under the Protection of this Country, a Colony in New Zealand, would be advisable?
 * Not upon the Plan of the Colony at Sidney; not to send Convicts.

On the Principle of free Emigration?
 * If Emigrants of Respectability and pious Persons could be induced to go there their Labours would be as productive of Good as the Missionaries.

You must get respectable People, and respectable People alone, to go out?
 * If the major Part were respectable it might have a good Influence upon the Remainder, and keep them within the Bounds of Moderation.

That is supposing that any Number of Persons going out were accompanied by some System and Regulation of Law?
 * Of course. I believe the New Zealanders would receive them with open Arms in that Case.

Are the Children instructed in the Bible to any Extent in the Schools; are they much grounded in the Doctrines of Christianity?
 * The Children do not arrive much at that Knowledge at present. The present State of New Zealand is such, the Teachers are so few, the Instruction devolves almost wholly upon the Wives of the Missionaries; and when they have their domestic Duties to attend to, in addition to their own Families, it is impossible they can give much Time to it.

Is there a Translation of the New Testament?
 * Yes.

They are instructed in that?
 * They are.

What Sort of Proficiency have they made; do they understand that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?
 * Some of them do.

Are the Wesleyans Holders of Lands as much as the Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society?
 * I think not, except Mr. White may be; I am not sure whether he may not be.

Are their Labours very efficient?
 * Equal to those of the Church Missionary Society.

Are they in a different Part of the Island to the Church Missionary Establishment?
 * Yes; it is about Thirty Miles distant, on the Western Coast, at Hokianga.

You say you paid the New Zealanders in Pencils and Knives, and so on; did they appear to have much Notion of the Value they ought to receive?
 * They appeared perfectly satisfied with the Payment.

If you called upon them to work for a certain Number of Hours more, would they consider that they ought to receive more?
 * We did not require them to work in the Evening. (123.1.)