It would appear from that that the Resident Magistrates had not much to do. (Hear, hear.) But he must put before them a serious question — that was, whether they wished to withdraw native magis trates at the present time, because he could not advise it. The magistrates, he believed, prevented a great many of the natives from riiehing into the vortex of Hauhau fanati cism. To endeavour to save, if that were the case, £300 by docking a magistrate at the present time, the country might be running into an ex pense in years to come of £20,000. The next item was — clerks and interpreters (30), £5,381. That number of officers were necessary to carry on the work of the department. Assessors (161) and heads (42) of ranangfß, £8,032. The House would ask, what were they good for ? But he could not answer. Whether they were useful in saving to us influence over the natives was very doubtful. He had heard many advocate their being kept, and again he had heard many say that they had apernicious effect. Police, £4,397, was another item on the estimates. He believed the native policeman were in some instances letter-carriers or messengers, as might be re quired of them ; but whether they were necessary he could not say. He looked on them in the same light as the others. £2,236 ss. was put down for 68 pensioners, which was a permanent charge. Then there was £400 for a Commissioner for Native Reserves, Wellington ; and he would en deavour whether that Commissoner could be paid out of the reserves or not. If there were no re turns got from the letting and managing the re serves, he supposed that they were not worth looking after. Medical officers were to receive £3,675, and £2,100 was put down for hospitals. Then there came a new item, £700 forhostelries. £6,000 had been placed down for schools instead of £8,000 a 8 in the former years, as owing to the war the number of schools to be supported had been somewhat lessened. For Native Land Courts £8,000 had been proposed, but that sum, it was expected, would be recouped by the courts themselves. For contingencies £5,350 had been put on the estimates, and then a sum, £1,273 155., had been added to make the total amount exactly £58,00. 