514 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



bewildering to the student, who only desires to reach the 

 truth. Another instance of a Maori's evidence is given in a 

 footnote to Brett at page 28 : " Patuone stated that he was at 

 the Bay of Islands when Cook was a visitor. His statement 

 was " — and then it follows ; but the author who adduces that 

 statement does not tell us where he found it, when it was 

 made, how old Patuone must have been, whether he was 

 truthful or not. For my part, I have no desire to pose as a 

 Niebuhr destroying the value of the Maori evidence, but the 

 constant carelessness with which it is cited is a drawback to 

 its use. 



May I finish with a bold suggestion ? The Government 

 of New South Wales has been enlightened enough to issue 

 a series of volumes of " Historical Records of Early Aus- 

 tralian History," which will prove invaluable to the future 

 historian. In the case of New Zealand there is so great a 

 gap between the early voyages and the later occupation 

 that a single volume would probably suffice for all the 

 records that can now be secured prior to 1820. But a 

 volume of value could be made, including the parts of 

 Tasman's Voyage, in Dutch and translated ; extracts from 

 the various logs and journals of the " Endeavour," as far as 

 New Zealand is concerned ; the same for Cook's two later 

 voyages ; the accounts of Marion's voyage, and of De Sur- 

 ville's. A nation should, at national cost, publish its 

 origines ; and there are several residents of New Zealand 

 more than competent to edit a volume like vol. i., part i., 

 of the " Historical Records of New South Wales." Copies of 

 the logs would have to be taken in London, and New Zealand 

 is fortunate in being represented there by a man of letters, 

 who would assuredly help in the matter. 



In many respects the Government of New Zealand is the 

 most enlightened and progressive in these southern seas, and 

 I feel the impropriety in one not subject to it making sug- 

 gestions as to what it should or should not do, especially 

 when they imply expenditure. But I have ventured to make 

 suggestions in this paper, and sbould like now with due re- 

 spect to recapitulate them. They are three :-— 



(1.) To clear a belt against fire round Ship Cove. 



(2.) To reserve the land round Cook's Cove, Tolaga Bay. 



(3.) To publish a volume on the earliest history of New 

 Zealand, with extracts from the logs of the ships that visited 

 it, especially between 1769 and 1780. 



