1814-1853 - The Missionary Register [Sections relating to New Zealand.] - 1843 - New Zealand, p 378-388

You may have heard already that I arrived at Auckland on the 29th of May, after a delightful voyage of five months; including a detention of five weeks at Sydney, during which I enjoyed the great privilege of conversing deliberately with the Bishop of Australia upon every subject relating to the New-Zealand Mission. I had also the pleasure of becoming acquainted with several members of the family of the late Rev. S. Marsden, and of officiating in his church at Parramatta. In speaking of our stay at Sydney, I must not omit to mention the great kindness which we received from the Society's Agent, Mr. Robert Campbell, who placed a large house at my disposal for the reception of the party, and thereby enabled me to avoid an expense, on their account, of at least one hundred pounds.

The present state of the native population of New South-Wales is a frightful warning to all who are entering upon the deep responsibility involved in the care of a savage race. They are not deficient in intellect, as some have said, but, from causes too various to be accurately traced, have sunk into a state of the most abject misery. May God preserve the New Zealanders from such an end as that to which the aborigines of New South-Wales are fast approaching!

An accident to the ship "Tomatin," in the harbour of Sydney, led to so much delay, that I left my family and party, and went on in the brig "Bristolian; " in which I arrived at Auckland, as I have said, on the 29th of May. Here I found the Rev. G. A. Kissling and Mrs. Kissling, and Mr. S. M. Spencer and Mrs. Spencer, who arrived in the "Louisa Campbell" about a fortnight before me. Mr. Kissling brought me a Letter from you, in which you suggested a change in the location of Clergymen proposed in your Letter of December last. I should willingly have acceded to this, if Mr. Kissling had not represented to me that his residence in a hot climate would make it very painful to him to be placed in a very wet and windy situation, which is the general character of the South-Western District of this country. I have therefore consented to his going to the more genial climate of the East Cape; and am now on my way to station the Rev. C. L. Reay in connection with the Rev. O. Hadfield and the Rev. J. Mason. The exact spot for his Station I cannot decide till I have seen the country, and conferred with those gentlemen on the subject. The Rev. W. C Dudley and Mrs. Dudley have gone to stay with Mrs. Selwyn, at the Waimate, till the return of the "Columbine" from Poverty Bay; after which they intend to go without delay to Wairoa, south of Poverty Bay, a Station at present under the care of the Rev. W. Williams. I have requested Mr. Kissling to continue to give to Mr. Spencer the assistance which he has afforded to him, with good effect, during the voyage; and they hope shortly to go down together, in the "Columbine," to the Station allotted to Mr. Kissling near the East Cape. Mr. Spencer's acquaintance with the mechanical arts will enable him to assist Mr. Kissling very materially in his first settlement.

Soon after my arrival at Auckland I was visited by the Rev. R. Maunsell and Mr. J. Hamlin, two of the best linguists in the Mission. From them I obtained an account of the state of their districts; which seems to be highly satisfactory, with the one exception of the unsettled and wandering habits of the Natives, caused by their frequent visits to Auckland for the purposes of trade. The extent to which this is carried on may be judged from the fact, that nearly the whole population of the town is supplied with pork, vegetables, fish, and firewood, by the Natives, who receive very fair prices for their commodities, and buy, in return, English clothing, tools, and other goods. This free intercourse has had the good effect of encouraging habits of industry, neatness, and cleanliness; but, on the other hand, it has taken the Natives away from the care of their Missionaries for long periods, and has introduced irregularity, especially into their Schools. Still, their habits of Daily Worship remain unchanged; every morning and evening they are still heard singing their hymns, in the temporary huts which they have built in the little bays near the town-- and especially near the houses of Mr. G. Clarke, late of the Waimate, and now Protector of the Aborigines, and of Mr. Martin, the Chief Justice, who is a devoted friend to the native people, and is

seldom without a little family of his friends encamped under his house in the little bay in which he lives, at the distance of a mile and a half from the town. On my first landing, I was delighted to see a large party of Natives working for him, the conditions being specified in a written contract drawn up by him in their own language. Mr. Swainson, the Attorney-General, another zealous friend of the Natives, lives in the same bay, and has in his employment one of the most intelligent and well-conducted native women whom I have yet seen.

On Monday, June 6th, I left Auckland in a small schooner, in company with Mr. Clarke, to go to the mouth of the Thames, to inquire into the circumstances of an attack made by a Heathen Chief, named Te Raia, upon some of the inhabitants of the district of Tauranga.

On our way, we called at Waiheke, a beautiful island in the frith, where I saw the first specimen of a thoroughly native village; and I can assure you the sight filled me with joy. We were met on the beach by the Native Teacher, William, a man of tall stature, and face deeply tattooed, but with all the mildness and courtesy of a civilized Christian. He showed us his Chapel, a large room, built, after the fashion of the country, of reeds neatly bound upon a strong framework of wood; and invited us to pass the night in a house which he was building for himself, of the same materials, but with glass windows presented to him by the Chief Justice. The house, he says, is to have four rooms; one for eating, one for sleeping, one for cooking, and one for a study--for writing has now become one of the greatest pleasures of the New Zealanders, and it is very unusual to find one who ran not both read and write.

We landed next at Orere, a village on the main land, midway between Auckland and the Station occupied by Mr. J. Preece. This may be called a village of Native Missionaries, for the Teachers from this place conduct Public Worship in all the neighbouring villages for several miles around. The exertions of Mr. W. T. Fairburn in this neighbourhood, while his health allowed him to visit the Natives at their own Settlements, have certainly been blessed with very great and lasting fruit. Orere is the place which I have selected in my own mind for the site of a Native College, for the education of the more hopeful scholars from the Mission Schools, with a view to their assimilation in habits and character, as well as in Religion, to the better portion of the English Settlers. The Natives are willing to give me a site for this purpose; and, with the effectual support which I can obtain from the chief persons in the Colony, there will be no lack of means for its maintenance. A radius of twenty-five miles from this place describes a circle comprising the whole of the inhabited part of the estuary of the Thames.

On Tuesday, June the 7th, we reached Mr. Preece's Station late in the evening; and landed in the midst of a most picturesque party of Natives, bearing lighted torches to guide us to the Mission House. I had been told that the New Zealanders were dishonest, and thought it desirable to look after the numerous articles which we brought with us in the boat; but I soon found that they were bringing every thing up to the house with the greatest care; and I have since learned, that property of the most tempting kind may be left in the hands of the Christian Natives, in the darkest night, without fear of losses from theft. On arriving at the Mission House, we were most hospitably received by Mr. and Mrs. Preece, whose family justify the praise which has been bestowed upon New Zealand as a climate most peculiarly favourable to European children.

On the following morning we walked along the beach to Te Puru, the village of the Heathen Chief Te Raia, one of the few remaining examples of the race of savages, who have now almost entirely passed away before the advance of Christianity. As we walked through the villages which line the coast, we were struck with the goodly sight of a numerous population of infant children, growing up in places which a few years back were overrun and depopulated by the Northern Tribes. The right bank of the frith of the Thames is now so thickly set with villages, that we passed five or six in a walk of not more than twelve miles; and in all we saw the same signs of abundance, if not of comfort, in the English sense of

the word. The situation of some of these native dwellings, in the midst of woods, and sheltered under steep hills, was often singularly beautiful. On our way, we learned, upon evidence which could not be doubted, that the bodies of at least two of the persons killed in the attack had been eaten by the conquerors. I fervently pray that this may be the last instance of this horrid practice among the New Zealanders, and I have good reason to think that it will; for this massacre has called forth an expression of indignation from all the Midland Tribes, which the Governor and the Missionaries together have scarcely been able to restrain from breaking out into acts of retribution.

The behaviour of Te Raia was a striking instance of the indirect effect of Christianity, even upon the unconverted. When he spoke of the wrongs and insults which he had sustained from the people of Tauranga, the fury of the savage showed itself in every look and gesture; but after the "korero" (speech), when we conversed quietly on the sinfulness of murder, his manner to us was as mild and subdued as if he really believed and felt all that we said to be true. Many of his own people had become Christians, and had refused to share in the expedition.

The Chief who accompanied us from Mr. Preece's Station was another striking instance of this partial change of character. He was the man who, many years ago, was frustrated by Mr. Fairburn and Mr. J. A. Wilson in his attempt to cut off the inhabitants of a distant village. By great exertion, the Missionaries arrived in time to warn the inhabitants of their danger; so that the last canoe paddled off at the moment when the enemy came in sight. Still, such was the consciousness of this Chief and his party of the truth of the principles upon which the Missionaries acted, that, without expressing any resentment, they built huts for the night, and provided food for the men by whom their whole plan had been defeated, before they took any thought for themselves. 1 These, and a hundred similar instances of the influence of the Gospel upon the native character in its worst form, will shew how universally the whole mass has become leavened with a knowledge of the Truth. The force of evil habits still remains; but they are not justified or defended: they are known to be contrary to the laws of God and man; and even the most savage of the Heathen Chiefs seem to be waiting only for a fitting opportunity to lay down their arms without compromising their false principles of honour. The interference of the Government will furnish them with the excuse which they desire for living henceforward at peace one with another.

Among the Christian Natives, I have met with most pleasing instances of the natural expression of deep and earnest feelings of Religion. In their affectionate and childlike behaviour to their Missionaries, it is impossible not to recognise their sense of incalculable benefits derived from them. The Missionary is their friend and adviser on all occasions, having gained their confidence by imparting that which they know to be the most valuable of all knowledge. I can only add, in few words, that my experience of the native character, in the highest sense, has more than equalled all my anticipations.

On the following day, I administered the Sacrament of Baptism to several adults of Mr. Preece's District, in a very large and well-built Native Chapel, capable of containing at least 500 persons.

On my return to Auckland I spent two days at Mr. Fairburn's house at Maraetai; and performed Divine Service to a small congregation of Natives, the greater number of his people having gone to a more distant Settlement.

On Thursday, June the 16th, I left Auckland in the Schooner "Wave," in company with Mr. and Mrs. Kissling and the Rev. W. Cotton; and reached the Bay of Islands, after a rough passage, on Monday, June the 20th

At Paihia, I had the satisfaction of finding the Rev. Messrs. H. and W. Williams; which gave me the opportunity of the fullest conference upon every department of the Mission with the senior Clergymen of the body. Mr. Williams received me into his house; and placed his boats, and every other kind of assistance that he could command, at my disposal.

On Tuesday, June the 21 st, Mr. Williams escorted me in his boat to the Kerikeri; where I was received by Mr. J. Kemp, who kindly undertook to prepare a com-

partment in the Mission Store for the reception of my library and other goods.

We then proceeded, with the Rev. R. Taylor, to the Waimate; the first sight of which, by moonlight, revived all our recollections of England; the white Church, and the Mission Houses with their neat gardens and fields, presenting an appearance of settled comfort which is scarcely to be found in any other part of New Zealand.

On the following day I walked round the whole of the Mission Station with Mr. Taylor and Mr. R. Davis: first visiting the house lately occupied by Mr. Clarke; which I found to be suitable as a temporary residence for my family, till I can determine the place of my future abode. When I arrived, a negociation was in progress for letting the farm, with Mr. Clarke's house, as a residence, to a Scotch gentleman. The terms which he offered seemed to me to be low; and I shall gladly consider myself as the tenant of the Society on the same terms, if this proposal should meet with the approbation of the Committee. I am anxious that the Mission Farm should not be let, except to persons more or less under the influence of the Church; for otherwise the whole character of the Station, and its effect upon the native mind, may soon be essentially changed for the worse, by the introduction of a promiscuous body of labourers.

I look upon the Waimate as the heart of the Mission. More than 400 Native Communicants, I am informed, sometimes assemble there at the Lord's Table: its Church is at present the best in the Colony. The neighbourhood is chiefly occupied by the sons of Missionaries, all, as far as I could observe, shewing the effects of early education, by pursuing a line of conduct far more regular than that of ordinary settlers. A great effort, I think, ought to be made to maintain and extend the influence of this Station.

The Northern Committee have made an urgent request to me, and to which I have assented, that I would form a Collegiate School, under my own superintendence as Visitor, in connection with an Institution of a higher kind, for the education of Candidates for Holy Orders. This, they think, will meet many of the difficulties which they feel at present, in providing for the education of their children. My own views of the necessity of such Institutions, in a new Colony, are quite in accordance with those expressed by the Committee; but I should not have been prepared to take upon myself, at so short an interval, the serious duty of organizing such an Institution, if I had not felt that the representations of the Body were too urgent to be resisted. I have therefore acceded to the wish of Mr. Taylor to be relieved from the charge of the School after Christmas, and to be removed to a Mission Station. The place recommended is at Wangaroa, to act as much in connexion with Mr. J. Shepherd as may be found possible.

I will endeavour, after Christmas, to re-establish the School upon a different basis, if I can meet with a gentleman qualified to undertake the duties of Head Master. I think that the Society ought not any longer to be responsible for the expense of the establishment, which might be made to support itself. I have therefore recommended, that, for the future, the Society should be called upon to do no more than provide the school buildings, and a stated annual sum for the education of every Mission Scholar; leaving it to the Master to augment his own income by the success of his own exertions. In this work he shall have my cordial assistance, and the best advice which I can give him.

I have acted upon the advice of the Bishop of Australia, confirmed by my own personal observation, in appointing the Rev. W. Williams to the office of Archdeacon of the District of the East Cape. I have also requested him to act, in conjunction with the Rev. T. Whytehead, as one of my Examining Chaplains, especially for the native language; a knowledge of which I mean to require from every candidate for Holy Orders, and from every Clergyman licensed to any Station, either in the towns or country: for I find, that, from causes already mentioned, the Natives are becoming so mixed with the English, that every Clergyman must be prepared, when called upon, to minister to the spiritual wants of both classes of the inhabitants. This is already the case at Kororarika, where the Rev. R. Burrows conducts four Services every Sunday-- two for the English Settlers, and two for the Natives; and derives his income

partly from the English and partly from the Society.

Many of the Society's Catechists have applied to me to be admitted as Candidates for Holy Orders. In answer to these applications, I have told them that I will consider proficiency in the native language, and the visible signs of a blessing upon their exertions among the Natives, as a qualification for Deacons' Orders, without a knowledge of the original languages of Scripture; but that I cannot admit any one to Priests' Orders without a competent knowledge of the Greek Testament. It will be desirable that the Catechists so admitted to Deacons' Orders should be stationed in the Districts least frequented by the English; such as the neighbourhood of the East Cape, Rotorua, &c, where they can be visited periodically by Archdeacon Williams, for the administration of the Lord's Supper. The favourable opinion which you expressed of Mr. Davis has been confirmed by my own personal observation; and I have encouraged him to place himself in communication with Mr. Whytehead, on his arrival at the Waimate.

On Sunday, June the 26th, I administered the Lord's Supper to 150 Native Communicants at Paihia, and was much struck with their orderly and reverential demeanour. All were dressed in European clothing; and, with the exception of their colour, presented the appearance of an English Congregation. In few English Churches, however, have I heard the responses repeated in the deep and solemn tone with which every New Zealander joins in that portion of the Service.

On Sunday, July the 3d, I assisted Mr. Burrows at Kororarika, where I found a very respectable wooden Chapel, occupied alternately by a Native and English Congregation. His position there is very important, as that place is the head-quarters of the French Bishop; and the best proof of Mr. Burrows' usefulness is, that so little progress has been made by the French Missionaries, even in their own immediate neighbourhood. I have been unable to ascertain the slightest foundation for the Bishop's statement of many thousand Natives having joined him. His converts, as far as I can learn, are not numerous.

On Tuesday, July the 5th, I returned to Auckland in the "Tomatin," leaving Mrs. Selwyn in the care of Mr. Williams, who promised to escort her to the Waimate, as soon as Mr. Clarke's house should be prepared for her reception.

Since my return, I have been occupied in visiting the native villages in the neighbourhood of Auckland; among others, the village of Putiki, in Waiheke, already mentioned, in compliance with a well-written invitation from the Native Teacher. Wirima received me in his new house with a natural politeness and good feeling which would not have disgraced an English Gentleman, and provided every thing for our comfort, to the best of his ability. On this occasion I was accompanied by Mr. Maunsell. Saturday evening was spent in reading and explaining Scripture; and the Sunday in Divine Service and School. The School was conducted in the most orderly manner; grown-up men, in full English dress, standing round in classes, according to proficiency, and reading and taking places with all the docility and good humour of children. After the reading, they marched in perfect order into the Chapel; where they repeated by heart a chapter of the New Testament with great accuracy, and were afterward questioned by Mr. Maunsell. All this was the more surprising, because this village is but rarely visited by an English Missionary, since the illness of Mr. Fairburn prevented him from going about among the Natives.

The intercourse of the Natives with the English is fast leading to a corruption of their language; and I am therefore anxious, while the language is still spoken in purity, to fix the standard, as much as possible, by a very careful revision of the versions of the New Testament and Liturgy. For this purpose, I am requesting all the Missionaries to send in to me written remarks with reference to any errors in the published versions; which I intend to classify, and then submit them to a Translation Committee, composed of the two best grammarians and the two best oral scholars, with myself as Chairman. Archdeacon Williams, Mr. Maunsell, Mr. Hamlin, and Mr. W. G. Puckey, are generally acknowledged to answer respectively to the above description, and would represent the dialects of a very

large portion of the whole country. I am of opinion that we shall not find much requiring to be altered; but, as Bishop Marsh said of Dr. Kennicott's work, it will be well worth the labour to be sure that there is but little to be done.

I am now on my voyage to Wellington and Nelson; and if it please God to give me health and strength, I purpose to return by land, in company with the Chief Justice, Mr. Martin, by the following route:--

From Wellington to Waikanai.... Rev. O. Hadfield.
..... Waikanai to Wanganui. Rev. J. Mason.
..... Wanganui by Taupo to Ahuriri to meet Archd. Williams.
.....Ahuriri to Wairoa..... Rev. W. C. Dudley
.....Wairoa to Turanga......Archd. Williams.
.....Turanga to Waiapu.....Mr. J. Stack.
.....Waiapu to Opotiki.......Mr. J. A. Wilson.
.....Opotiki to Tauranga.... Rev. A. N. Brown.
.....Tauranga to Rotorua... Mr. T. Chapman.
..... Rotorua to Otawao......Mr. J. Morgan.
.....Otawao to Kaitotohe.....Mr. b. Ashwell.
..... Kaitotohe to Waikato.....Rev. R. Maunsell.
..... Waikato to Orua........Mr. J. Hamlin.
.....Orua to Auckland.

I hope this Letter will have put you in some degree in possession of my feelings toward the Natives, and toward the Mission. If you have gathered from it that I have imbibed the strongest regard for this native people, and a very high respect and esteem for the members of the Mission in general, you will have drawn a right conclusion from this very imperfect statement of my real feelings. I would rather that you should give me credit for feeling more than I express, than incur the danger of seeming to exaggerate beyond the facts of the case. God grant that the facts may every day more and more speak for themselves, and prove this country to be, as I believe it to be, the ground-plot of one of the most signal mercies which God has ever granted to the Missionary exertions of His Church.

In a Letter which I wrote to you about the end of July, I gave you some account of my visit to the Stations on the Frith of the Thames and at the Bay of Islands At the time of my writing, I was on board the above vessel, bound from Auckland to Wellington. In fact, I find very little time for writing, except on shipboard; as my days on shore are much occupied with travelling, or with the business arising out of my duties in the different places which I visit.

On my way to Wellington, I touched at the Great Barrier Island, Aotea; where I found a party of forty Natives in a deplorable state of ignorance, all their intercourse with the English having been confined to traffic with whale-ships. On my return to the Waimate, I hope to send them some books, and, if possible, a Native Teacher.

Being detained by contrary winds off the East Cape, I landed on Sunday, August the 7th, in Hicks' Bay, at a village called Kauakaua, where the Natives were just assembling for Afternoon Service, under the direction of a Native Teacher sent by the Rev. W. Williams. The Chapel was crowded with a most attentive and orderly congregation. The change in the habits of the Natives on this part of the coast, since the establishment of the Mission, is so great, that even the master of a small coasting vessel--a class of men not usually favourable to the Mission-- spoke of it as exceeding any thing that he could have believed.

As the wind still continued contrary, I landed again on Monday morning, to fulfil a conditional promise that I would bring medicine for some sick in the village. This gave me an opportunity of going to another large village, about a mile from Kauakaua. In both I was particularly pleased to find a large proportion of young children; which is not the case in all parts of the country, especially at the south, near Port Nicholson, where the numbers are decreasing; principally, I believe, from the imperfect adoption of English clothing. The Physician appointed for the care of the Natives at Wellington attributes the mortality principally to the injudicious use of blankets, which are worn day and night, and wet and dry. It is most important to bring up the rising generation to a complete adoption of English habits, for which purpose Boarding Schools are essentially

necessary. The proceeds of the Native Reserved Lands, and the Fund arising from the sale of lands by the Government, will probably be applied chiefly in this way.

The state of the Natives at Wellington requires great care. They are there placed in the midst of the town, and exposed to all the temptations to English vices; from which, however, the greater part of them have kept themselves clear. Mr. Hadfield has great influence with them; and Mr. Aldred, the Wesleyan Missionary, is much respected by the portion of the population which has attached itself to him. I have requested Mr. Cole, the resident Clergyman at Wellington, to use all diligence in learning the Native Language; and I have no doubt that he will soon qualify himself to conduct their regular Services, and to act as their friend and adviser.

From Wellington I proceeded to Nelson, in company with Mr. Reay; the other Clergyman whom I expected from England, for the care of that Settlement, not having arrived. Here I found that the state of the Natives absolutely required the residence of a Clergyman competent to communicate with them. Scarcely a single person in Nelson speaks the Native Language; and, as the Natives were flocking as usual in great numbers to buy and sell at the New Settlement, differences were beginning to arise, which threatened to be destructive of all good feeling between the two races. In fact, the towns are at present the keys to the native character in the neighbourhood. If the intercourse of the Natives with the English in the Settlements be not carefully watched by some person resident on the spot, the character of the people will soon, I fear, be changed for the worse, over a wide circle in the neighbourhood of the English Colony. My own observation, at every town in New Zealand, has impressed me with the certainty of this fact. I therefore decided to leave Mr. Reay at Nelson, till I can supply his place by another resident Clergyman; when he will go to his Station, which will probably be between Wanganui and New Plymouth, where a large native village is likely to be formed by the return of many of the Taranake Natives, who were expelled from their own country by the irruption of the Waikato (August, 1843.) Tribes. In the mean time I have undertaken to supply one half of his income from the funds placed at my disposal by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in consideration of his services to the English Settlers. He conducts the daily Services of the Natives who come to Nelson; of whom, during the period of my stay, we had a constant succession of congregations. He also visits the neighbouring Settlements, which formerly belonged to Mr. Hadfield's district.

From Nelson I returned to Wellington; where it pleased God to visit me with a heavy affliction, by depriving me of my dear young friend and travelling companion, William Evans. During his last illness he spoke with the deepest feeling of the impression which had been made upon bis mind by the sight of the Native Congregations assembling every morning and evening for their devotions.

After the funeral of my friend, I made preparations for my land journey, and left Wellington with a party of twenty-eight Natives; and arrived on the second day at Mr. Hadfield's Station at Waikanai. Mr. Hadfield is highly respected along the whole of this coast, not only by the Natives, but even by the sailors employed in the whale-fisheries at Mana and Kapiti. His house is in the native village, a situation generally supposed to be inconvenient, but, I believe, very advantageous for the instruction of the Natives in English habits.

On the morning after my arrival, a large congregation assembled in the Chapel; and I afterward went to the School, at which I saw 400 Natives, arranged in classes in a very orderly manner. I passed through the whole of the classes, and was much pleased with the proficiency of the people in reading and writing, and, above all, by their acquaintance with the Scriptures. In fact, there is scarcely an intelligent Native who will not readily find any passage in the New Testament which may be quoted. A new Chapel is being constructed at Waikanai, the materials for which are ready on the ground. Among the rest, I saw the ridge-piece, of one solid tree, 76 feet in length--a present from the neighbouring Tribe at Otaki;

who, till Mr. Hadfield's arrival, had been at enmity with the people of Waikanai, but have now forgotten their animosities, and presented them with this appropriate peace-offering.

On the following day I went on to Mr. Hadfield's second Station at Otaki, where another numerous congregation assembled to meet me; but I had not time to see their School arrangements, as I was anxious to go on toward Wanganui. Mr. Hadfield accompanied me part of the way; but was obliged, by lameness, to return; which I much regretted, as his company was a great assistance, and a real pleasure, to me.

When I arrived within twenty miles of Wanganui, I was obliged to halt for three days, in consequence of a painful inflammation in one of my feet. Mr. Mason, on hearing of my approach, sent me his horse, on which I reached Wanganui. I rested one day at his house, and assisted at his Native Services. In the evening I had much conversation with the Natives on their disputes with the English Settlers; and advised them to be quiet, and await the arrival of the Commissioner, to settle all their land questions. At present, the Land Claims are a serious cause of dissension between the Natives and the Settlers; but there is now a prospect, I hope, of a speedy adjustment.

My lameness continuing, I left Wanganui on Mr. Mason's horse, to go with him to visit his various Stations on the west coast, between Wanganui and Taranake. He has houses in many of the principal villages, which will enable him to spend a few days in each of them from time to time--a plan more likely to be productive of permanent good than a succession of short visits. These little dwellings are built, after the native fashion, with reeds; and we found them very serviceable during the bad weather with which we met on the journey. The weather certainly justifies Mr. Kissling's apprehensions; as strong gales are very common on this coast, accompanied with much rain. The population, also, is much scattered, which was another difficulty on his part. His wish is, in the present state of his health, to be placed in the midst of a large and concentrated population, for which the east coast offers the greatest facility.

I forget whether I mentioned, in any former Letter, that I admitted Mr. Mason to the order of the Priesthood, at Wellington, on the 25th of September, in the presence of 300 or 400 Natives. The Ordination Service was translated into the Native Language for this occasion by Messrs. Hadfield and Mason. It was a most interesting ceremony to me, as being my first Ordination; and I was very glad that the first exercise of this function of my office should take place in the presence of a native congregation. After the Service, I distributed among them copies of the small edition of the Gospel of St. Matthew, printed, at my request, by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, with a small label, containing a memorial of the day.

My journey along the coast was the means of making me acquainted with a very large number of Natives, from all of whom I experienced the greatest respect. At another season of the year the Congregations would have been larger, as this is the time when many of the men are absent at their cultivations.

On Friday, October the 28th, I arrived at New Plymouth; and on Sunday received a very large congregation of Natives in a temporary building used for Divine Service. A Clergyman will shortly be stationed here; to whom I have given the same direction to study the Native Language, and to be ready at all times to minister to the native population of the Settlement, and to all others who resort to it for purposes of trade.

In the present unsettled state of the Tribes in this district, I am unable at present to decide upon the most advantageous position for Mr. Reay to occupy. The Port-Nicholson Natives, who accompanied me on my journey, state, that it is the intention of a large body to assemble and form a Settlement at Mokotunu, twenty miles from New Plymouth, toward Wanganui. These will all be from the congregations of Mr. Hadfield and Mr. Mason; and therefore Mr. Reay may very likely find that the most advantageous centre for his operations. Mr. Reay will then be 110 miles from Mr. Mason, and Mr. Mason 70 miles from Mr. Hadfield.

I am now on my way to Waikanai,

from New Plymouth, in order to ascend the Manawatu River, to join Archdeacon Williams on the East Coast at Ahuriri.

The Word of the Lord is spreading. The Natives see that it is wasting away their heathen gods, customs, and superstitions, according to the Prophet's words He will banish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship Him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the Heathen. The greater part are turning to a profession of Christianity; so that those who hold out against it are often at a loss to know how to keep up their old superstitions. At times they prevail--not, as formerly, by threats and force, but by entreaty and persuasion--upon some of the unestablished Christian Natives to aid and assist them. This is a grief to us, and a stumbling-block to themselves aid others; but He which hath begun a good work will carry it on.

Upward of one hundred have been baptized at this Station; and others are seeking to be admitted to the Holy Sacrament by the Rev. H. Williams.

Divine Service commences at nine o'clock on Lord's Day morning, in the New-Zealand language: about fifty generally attend. The introduction of the Psalms into the Service excites much feeling and interest in the congregation, and adds new devotion to the Litany and to the other parts of the Church Service. Every additional portion of Scripture translated and brought into use increases the interest, and helps to further the spread of Divine Truth among the Heathen. There is English Service at eleven in the morning, for our family and the Europeans who occasionally attend. I hold Service with three or four groups of Natives in the afternoon; and we have also Native Service at the Station in the evening. The Natives are daily coming to read and hear the Scriptures, and to be instructed therein. Here are about 250 Natives, divided into ten parties. Divine Service is generally held with six or seven of these parties on the Lord's Day, and the others are visited by me or the Christian Natives on the Lord's Day, or during the week.

The cause of Christ has been gaining ground among the Natives. The preaching of the Gospel has been blessed by God to many; although great efforts have been made by the enemy to hinder, if possible, its progress.

During the year, two Services have been held in the Chapel on the Lord's Day, in the Native and English Languages. The Congregation has varied from 50 to 150. The adult Sunday School and Bible Class have, we hope, made some progress in the knowledge of the Scriptures and Catechisms.

The Native Villages in connection with the Kerikeri are, Tohoranui, Ti, Takou, Waiaua, and Upokorau. Most of the Natives of Tohoranui have taken up their abode at the Ti, belonging to the Church Missionary Society. A large Raupo Chapel has lately been built at this place, by the Chief Tareha and his tribe; and many Natives assemble to attend Divine Service, which is conducted by a Native Teacher in my absence.

The number of Natives, adults and children, admitted to Baptism in Kerikeri Chapel is 195.

The average number of children who have attended the School during the year is 12: they have been instructed by my two daughters. The pupils live in the house,

and are clothed and provided for at the Society's expense. I am thankful to say that a steady though slow progress has been made in reading and writing the English Language, which now appears to be an important object to attain.

Feb. 13--In the evening I addressed the Natives, of whom 150 assembled. They rae making preparations for the erection of a commodious chapel, to be completed at their own expense. The few who possess Testaments are very careful to preserve them; for besides being in paper covers, and put away in small bags after school, they tie the covers of the Testaments together by strings about four inches long, which only admits of their being half opened, and thus the binding is kept whole for a much longer period than would otherwise be the case.

Feb. 19 -- I went to see a woman who has experienced a wonderful interposition of Providence. She is a slave; and for persisting to attend Divine Worship at the Christian Pa, her master deliberately loaded his gun, and fired at her. The ball entered at the back of her neck, and passed out at the top of her shoulder. She fainted; when the man, considering that she would die, dragged her to an old potato-pit, and threw her in, and, after filling up the place with earth and posts, returned home. Before the poor creature was thrown in she had recovered from her fainting-fit; but on one of the heavy posts being lowered on her back, she again fainted. During the night she revived; and feeling an immense pressure upon her, she could not tell--to use her own expression-- whether she was in the natural world or in some other. After much struggling, she succeeded in getting from under the posts, to a side of the cavern which had not been filled up. This movement caused the earth to fall from between the posts; when she ultimately succeeded in forcing her way up between two of them, and walked to the Christian Pa for protection. The circumstance has greatly astonished all parties; but especially the wretch who shot her, and who has now consented to her remaining with the Christian Natives. They had, indeed, previously informed him, that, having shot and buried his slave, he could no longer exercise over her any authority, and that they meant to retain her.