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/77

 Rh : stance of the Ships being doubly manned, they would have no Difficulty in finding a sufficient Crew for converting them into piratical Vessels.

From the Distance at which the Operations are carried on you have very little Control over them?
 * Very little indeed.

The Injuries the Men you refer to do to the Crews of the Vessels are from the accidental Rencontres with them on their putting in for Shelter or Provisions?
 * Yes.

Have you any Means of knowing what is the State of the Population on shore in those Parts where the Missionaries are settled?
 * I do not know, except from mere vague Reports, which are very contradictory in themselves.

You say that the New Zealanders are mixed with the Crews in your Ships sometimes; have any of them ever come home to this Country?
 * We had Two at home about Six Months ago.

Had you any Opportunity of conversing with them?
 * Yes; a good deal.

Was the Subject ever discussed as to the Chance of Europeans settling there in larger Numbers?
 * Ï have conversed with them upon the Subject, and they have always expressed themselves favourable to it.

Are there any in London now?
 * I have made some Inquiry. I understand there are some, but I have not been able to get hold of them. They are frequently neglected; when they come here the Ship Owners do not always take proper Care of them; they are

allowed to wander about. There is a Chief here.

Have any Gentlemen connected with your Firm become Purchasers of Land in New Zealand?
 * Not any.

New Zealand Flax does not fetch so good a Price as other Flax, does it?
 * I think it does not; the greater Part we have purchased, and we have purchased extensively, varied from 17l. to 24l. per Ton.

Captain Harris of the Navy was one of the Persons that took great Interest in attempting to bring it into Use in the Navy, was he not?
 * Yes; it was at his Instance we first commenced Rope-making, using that Flax.

Are you aware whether there is a Report of the Admiralty against New Zealand Flax being made into Rope?
 * I know they do not use it, and I believe they have complained of it in the Navy.

They do use Part of it in Mats, do they not?
 * I am not aware, but I understood a short Time ago that some of the Flax which had not been manufactured was offered for Sale.

Should you, as a Ship Owner, object to a Tax being imposed on any Ship which went into the Harbour of New Zealand, for the Purpose of paying for the due Administration of the Laws?
 * I should not object to it if it was not very heavy; I doubt whether it would be prudent to lay Port Charges on Vessels, for I am afraid that the Whaling Vessels would be driven to commit those Excesses in other Islands which are now committed in New Zealand.

Are there any Pirates now in New Zealand?
 * No. Several Vessels have been run away with by the Crews, of which we have not since heard, but we have no Reason to know that they have been used as Pirates.

It is too true that a good many of the Crews in those Whale Ships are Men of very bad Character?
 * Of very bad Character. With respect to Youths who enter the Service, many

(123.2.)