Major Richardson, in replying to a question as to whether any applications had been received from any of the natives of the Chatham Islands to have their claims to land in those islands investigated by the Native Lands Court, and whether any duly-qualified licensed surveyor had been employed in those islands, by natives or Europeans, to survey lands, for the purpose of having the ownership of such lands decided according to the provisions of the Native Lands Act, 1865, said that • twenty-five applications had been received, ; which had been forwarded to the Judge of the Court, who was waiting for further applications being sent to him before visiting the islands to deoido upon them; and that a duly-licensed surveyor was employed. The islands being an integral part of New Zealand, all the natives were entitled to the benefits of the Act. The Hon. Colonel Russell, in a lengthened speech, proposed a motion to the effect that it was desirable the Council should be informed if any steps had been taken by the Government to improve the position of the natives as regards their representation in the General Assembly, their more effectual education, the more pro fitable management of their reserves, the opening out of their lands, and other measures indicated by the late Native Minister in his address appended to the journal of the Council for the last session. He regretted the abolition of the office of Native Minister last session, as there were many subjects of vital importance to the native race which had not been de v alt with in consequence, but had been left in abeyance, as there was no Minister exclusively \ charged with the management of native affairs. In speaking of the right of the natives to representation, he observed that they had in every way acted as a friendly people to the Europeans who in the early days of the colony had come to settle in the country, and he could not con ceive a greater political injustice than was done to them in transferring their government from the Queen to the colonists, and placing them under laws made by an Assembly in which they had no seat, and in the making of whose laws they had no voice. There were, he said, very few natives enrolled in the electoral rolls of the colony. 