E.—No. 3. SECTION I.

company with Captain Greaves, we saw some one riding on horseback along the beach coming towards the Poutoko, which proved to be William Ncwland. When he arrived at the Poutoko I asked him if he had seen any natives. He replied, "Yes, I saw five or six at Wairau." I asked him if they had interfered with him or said anything to him. He replied they said " Tenakoe," that was all. I don't remember any further conversation with William Newland on the day in question, or further seeing him. I don't remember making any remark to him of the danger he had escaped on the day in question. A day or two afterwards I said to William Newland in the town, "I think you had a very narrow escape of your life ; we have heard that ambuscades had been planted early in the morning, and that they had retired to the ranges a short time before you came up." When I used the word " we," I spoke of persons generally in the town. It is my duty to state to the Jury that I am directed by the Government not to answer any questions respecting any communications with the Government. By Mr. Gledhill :~-Do you know whether the authorities had been informed of the intention of the Natives to murder any persons passing to Tataraimaka ?—I decline to answer that question. I was not aware, directly o. indirectly, on the morning in question, whether there were ambuscades lying. Taranaki and Ngatiruanui Natives have been in arms against the Government during the last war. I don't know that terms of peace have been offered to these Natives, and that they have accepted them. I am not aware that any other terms have been offered to them but those offered by Governor Gore Browne himself. I am not aware that they were accepted. I am not aware that any proclamation of peace has been made since the outbreak in 1860. By Mr. A. S. Atkinson: —Did you communicate to any Member of His Excellency's Government the information upon which you thought it your duty to go down to the Poutoko on the 27th April, cautioning persons not to go o '■ to Tataraimaka ?—I decline answering that question. On Sunday, the 26th of April, I received two letters from Waitara, from Taylor and Ihaia, stating they had heard a report that the Southern Natives intended commencing hostilities on the following day (Monday). They told mo that they were informed by Hone Wetere on the Saturday, as they were returning from town, and requested me, should I hear anything further about it, to let them know early on the following morning. I received the letters between one and two o'clock. I went immediately to the Henui to look for Hone Wetere to enquire if he thought it was correct what he had stated to the Waitara Natives the previous day, that hostilities would commence on the Monday following. He stated that it was correct that he had heard the report. I went to Waitara the same evening (Sunday) in consequence of that report. I went to the Poutoko the following morning. Eobeet Pabbis, Assistant Native Secretary. Josiah Flight, Coroner. Thomas Bleet, on his Oath, saith as follows : —I am a private in the 57th regiment. I was one of an escort from Poutoko to Tataraimaka, on Monday last, with two carts and provisions. We crossed two rivers. When we arrived two hundred yards over the second river, we saw another escort meeting us, about a mile away. They came on till they got about eight hundred or nine hundred yards from us. There was a turn in the embankment on the sea side, to which the other party came up, which hid them from us for about a minute ; whilst they were hid from us, a volley was fired. I ran close to the sea, and saw two men lying on the beach ; they had red coats on; I believe them to be soldiers. We turned our bullocks towards the Poutoko. As we did so, a mare, belonging to Dr. Hope, came galloping over the sand hills after us, and one shot was fired over our heads. We did not see the person who fired it; we saw no Natives. We heard two volleys fired after the first volley, and some odd shots. Where we stood, we could see the bullets from the first volley drop into the sea. If the men who were meeting us had fired those shots they could not have fallen in the same way. I can say the volley was not fired by our men. We saw the smoke coming out of the bush after the guns were fired. The beach is the road between Poutoko at that part. We were close to the sea; the waves wetted the cart wheels. The man who fired at us could not have been twenty yards away. There were two bullock drivers in front of me. I don't think the bullock drivers ahead could have seen Natives at the bend. We did not return the fire because we could not see the man; if we had, we should have waited for orders from the corporal. There were four and a corporal in our party. When the shot was fired at us we waited for a time looking up the beach, and then retired, leaving the bullocks on the beach. The river I crossed in return was up to my waist belt. The mare had a saddle and bridle on. T. Bleet. Josiah Flight, Coroner. Thomas Steen, on his Oath, saith as follows : —I am corporal in the 57th regiment. I had charge of an escort from Poutoko to Tataraimaka on Monday last, with drays and provisions. There were four and myself in our party. We left Poutoko about eight o'clock ; crossed two rivers (Tapaewai and Oakura). I was in front of the bullocks, talking to the other corporal. After we crossed the second river, about twenty yards from the river, I saw a party in front, in red clothes ; they were from three quarters to one mile from us. We came on for a while, meeting each other till they came to a hollow in the turn of the beach, when we could not see them any more. They were then about six or seven hundred yards from us. I heard a volley fired. I saw the bullets drop in the water. I observed to one of the bullock drivers that they must have been marched down to discharge their pieces. Had they fired at any party their bullets could not have dropped into the sea. I did not see any smoke that I remember. One of the bullock drivers said they were attacked, so they turned the bullocks round. I told my men to cap, and the bullock drivers took out their pieces from the carts and loaded them. I went a little to the front and right to the beach, and saw two men lying on the sand. By their clothes I saw they were soldiers. I came back and said I saw two men lying dead. When I returned one shot was fired at us. I did not see the man who fired. I did not then see any Natives. As we were going on, I saw a man on horseback, who raised himself in the saddle, and when he saw us he rode away towards Tataraimaka. The man was a Maori, and was near the place where the firing took place. On our return, after we had just crossed the Oakura, I saw another Native on horseback. He asked, is that a wild man, pointing to where the shots were fired; I said yes, and he rode off. There was firing for about a minute after the first volley, and then all ceased. The shots were one and sometimes two or three together. When I left the Poutoko I had orders to take charge of the waggons ; they were of a general kind. Our arms are constantly loaded at the redoubt. I received no special instructions on that day. I should have considered myself justified in firing at the man who fired at us, if I could have

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TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.