E—No. 9 Sec. nr.

Minute by the Colonial Secretary. Send Mr. Gorst a copy of Hetaraka's letter, of September 18, 1861, and send Dr. Harsant a copy (if Tamehana's statement, requesting his report on the same. April 16, 1862. W. Fox,

Deposition of Tamehana Te Ravgitupu of Kopua, Waipa. This is about a pig I killed. Wetini and Manahi said it was their pig. They asked me to go and catch pigs. I killed a pig and gave them a part of it, which they took and ate. In tho morning they came to ask me what were the pig's ear-marks. I said that one ear was cut off and one was split. Wetini said it was not one of their pigs, but belonged to some one else; afterwards he said it was one of theirs. They went back to their village and held a runanga, and made out that it was their pig and demanded £ 1 18s. from me as payment. A man came to me for the payment, to which I agreed, saying that when my wheat was ripe I would thrash it and then pay. When my wheat was nearly ripe, Wetini and Manahi tied two of their horses in the middle of my wheat, and broke down my fence and let their cows in; I was not there myself at that time; a man came to tell me that my wheat was eaten up by the horses and cows; I wrote to tell them not to allow their cows and horses to come into my wheat; they would not listen to me, so I went bodily and said if they did not look after their cattle there would be no wheat left to pay for the pig. They did not approve of that. The third time the cattle were taken in the wheat was entirely spoilt. I had forty bushels in my own field and thirty in the field of my grandchild, all this was destroyed; I thought this damage a sufficient payment for the pig. Wheat was then fetching 6s. abushei; I saved one kit full, about three bushels, which I sold for 18s. After that they demanded payment for the pig; I gave them a canoe. They came a third time and said they would rather have a money payment than either canoe or wheat; I said I should pay no more, because it was not their pig but some one else's. After that I prosecuted my fellow sawyer (a pakeha) before Dr. Harsant for non-payment of wages, and was adjudged £7; and £2 were deducted for some set-off. Wetini, Manalii, and Hetaraka wished to strip me. I was summoned by Heteraka, a Queen's Assessor (that man is a thief) and ordered to pay for the pig. I refused because I had already paid with my wheat and my cauoe. They then determined to go and ask the Doctor and Buller (Pura) for the money, but Buller would not give them anything and disapproved of what they had done. Then they went to the Doctor and he said he did not wish to hear anything about it, and that they must not come to take the money from him, but when I and my pakeha friend More got the money then they might take it. More heard this and told the Doctor to be careful what he did, as if he were unjust he would be sure to be turned out because Governor Grey was come; that the Doctor knew they were bad men. The Doctor asked why; More said they had stripped him and other pakehas. Dr. Harsant had £7 4s. 4d. of my money in his hands. More told the Doctor to take the money to his house and that he would send me for it in three days; on the way Dr. Harsant told the other Natives this (I believe he did because on the third day they came to waylay me; I am speaking the truth, I believe he did). On the third day I reached Dr. Harsant's by dinner time; he and some men had gone out of the way to avoid me; the girl, his daughter, went to fetch him. He, Heteraka, Pita, and Piripi came to the house. The Doctor shook hauds with me and brought out a desk; he paid me 47 4s. 4d. and took a receipt. Hetaraka told me not to take up my money, he wanted 30s. for the pig and costs. I refused. The Doctor put his hand on Ileteraka and said " let us go out," and turned and told me to stay and get some food before I went. Then they went outside and talked. I took the food, put the money in my pocket, and went out. I let my dog loose and off I ran. The Doctor told them they must not strip me on his land, but must wait till I was out of his sight. I ran as hard as I could; they chased me and caught me in Abraham's field. Pita caught me; he told me to run as hard as I could. I went a few yards aud then considered that my place was so far off it was no use to run. Pita was running with me aud tho other two were behind. Piripi laid hold of me, and then Pita caught me and threw me down. Hetaraka called out from behind, " take our money." Hetaraka caught me by the hair, threw mo flat on the ground, and gave me two blows with his fist on the cheek. I said, " Friend, leave off, you will be in the wrong." He said " No I wont." Then the blood begun to run from my mouth and ear. Piripi took the money from my left hand breeches pocket. It was in a bag, (the bag was produced). They poured out £3 14s. 4d. Hetaraka said, " We will take the £3 and leave you the 14 shillings and 4 coppers." I got up, put the shillings into the bag, aud then cried out " Who cares for that money (kia ahatia atu ena moni) ? Look out, don't go into the high-roads or into Auckland or I will tell of you, and the Governor will seize you. You have done a very great wrong." The Govprnment had sent Dr. Harsant some guus from Ancklaud to arm the Queen's Natives, aud these Natives had given some of these guns to the kingites. I have only heard this, I don't know how many they gave. I demand compensation for my blood, for the assault, and for what was taken from me. Those men are false to the Government, they are only trying to get money. My tribe is Ngatitiwahi, my laud is at Aotea. My mother is from Waipa of Ngatimanipoto and Ngatiraukawa. It happened after Governor Grey came, about a week after. A meeting was held and all the Ngatimahanga and the Europeans condemned the proceedings and the conduct of the Doctor.

5

UPPER WAIKATO.