Religion. - The church services are well attended and the Sabbath school is open the whole year and is fairly well attended by the children and young people.

Characteristics. - The people on this reserve with few exceptions are clean, well behaved and law-abiding.

I have, & c.,
JOHN THACKERAY.
PROVINCE OF ONTARIO,
MISSISSAGUAS OF THE CREDIT,
HAGERSVILLE, 10th September, 1896.

The Honourable
The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs,
Ottawa.

SIR, - I beg to inclose a tabular statement of the Mississaguas, of the Credit, for the year ended the 30th June, 1896.

Vital Statistics. - The census of the band remains the same as last year namely, two hundred and forty-two. The births were eight, additions, two; the deaths nine and removals one.

Agriculture. - The soil upon this reserve is clay loam, and corn is not raised very extensively; the yield, however, was better than last year.

The wheat crop was less and the straw very short. Oats were a good crop, but the straw also was remarkably short, in many cases too short to bind. Pease were a good crop and barley somewhat better than the year before. There was a large yield of potatoes.

The hay was a total failure: owing to a severe frost and a subsequent drought, it did not mature. Very many of the fields were not cut, and there were only one or two farms which yielded enough to last a small stock through winter. By this famine in hay, and the very small quantity of straw, it was found that the Indians were not going to be able to winter their stock without assistance. The council asked for relief for their people from the department and it was furnished in the shape of baled hay from the east, which was paid for from the funds of the band, to be refunded by the individuals receiving it. This prevented what no doubt would have been a calamity, and only a few head of stock died during the winter, which was a very severe one.

Inspector's Visit. - To ascertain the exact needs of this band, and to inspect the reserve and agency generally, Mr. Inspector Macrae paid a visit to this place in February last, and made a house-to-house visit. He accomplished this during inclement weather, the snow storms being very severe.

Education. - Mr. N.F. Black having resigned his position as teachers Mr. J.H. Porter has replaced him, and is conducting the school in a satisfactory wanner. By property managed examinations the children are moving up in their classes, and this spring two of them, Effie Wood and Regie McDougall, have passed the entrance examinations and are attending the high-school.

Religion. - The aged missionary, the Rev. Charles Stringfellow, was thrown from his buggy and received a very painful compound fracture of his leg. He was consequently obliged to give up his work upon the reserve, and has been replaced by the Rev. E.H. Taylor. The church is in a prosperous condition.

General Remarks. - Although several meeting have been held, between the Mississaguas and the Six Nations, in respect to a money dispute as to the payment of squatters' improvements, no settlement has as yet been arrived at. The two nations, in discussing the case, however, expressed a strong feeling of friendship towards each other which was pleasing and satisfactory.