E.—No. 3.

Lieutenant Lareom, Eoyal Artillery, distinguished himself greatly by remaining with his gun after he had received a severe wound, and I shall have the pleasure of bringing the services of this officer, and of the other officers and men engaged on this occasion, to the favourable notice of the authorities. I beg to draw your Excellency's attention to the very honourable mention made both by Colonel Warre and Major Butler of Captain Mace and the men of the Mounted Corps under his command. I have, &c, D. A. Cameeon, His Excellency Sir George Grey, X.C.8., Lieutenant-General. &c. &c. Ac. Enclosure in No. 35. COLONEL WAKEE TO THE UEPUTY QUAETEEMASTKK-GENEBAL. New Plymouth, New Zealand, March 12th, 1864. Sib, — Captain Stapp, Adjutant Taranaki Militia, having reported to me at about 11 o'clock yesterday morning that rebel natives had been seen near the spot where Mr. Patterson was murdered on the 28th ult., I determined to carry out a plan I had formed, not only to cut off the retreat of the rebels, but to destroy their stronghold at Kaitake should I find it feebly defended. Acting on the supposition that the rebels had sent out a marauding party from Kaitake of about the usual numbers (thirty or forty), I despatched the Bine Volunteers under Captain Atkinson (T.E.V.) direct to where the natives had been seen. I signalled to Omata to direct Captain McKeller (T.M.) to take out thirty men and place them in ambuscade at Burton's Hill, and as I knew that Captain Carthew (T.M.) would bo on the alert, having a wood party of thirty men at or near the ford on Hurford's Eoad, I requested Major Butler, who I sent at once to Oakura, to tell Captain Corbett (T.M.) to take some of his men from Parhetcri and intercept the rebels at the Upper Eord of the Oakura Eiver, should they have succeeded in slipping by the other parties. I instructed Major Butler, 57th Eegiment, to proceed as quickly as possible to Oakura, to tako out the 241b. howitzer with some rockets, under Lieut. Lareom, It. A., and all the available meu of the 57th Eegiment, under Captain Lloyd, 57th Eegiment, leaving tho Ecdoubt in charge of Captain Page, of the Taranaki Militia, (Melbourne Volunteers), until I could send from town one hundred rank and tile of 57th and 70th, under Captains Sehomberg (57th) and Wright (70th), to act as a reinforcement and support to any of the named parties, who, tho Lieut.-General will be good enough to understand, were all converging towards Kaitake, on which place Major Butler was to advance, to ascertain the number of rebel Maoris left to defend it, and to act as circumstances might warrant. As soon as the above arrangements were detailed, I left the town in chai'ge of Major Baddeley, commanding Taranaki Militia, and rode to Poutoko, from whence, seeing Major Butle_ seriously engaged, I proceeded to Oakura, instructing Captains Sehomberg and Wright to bring on their men as rapidly as possible. I have the honor to enclose Major Butler's report of his proceedings, and can fully corroborate his statement regarding the conduct of the troops engaged, under circumstances of no ordinary clanger or difficulty ; and it is to tho able manner in which Lieut. Lareom, E.A. (even after he was severely wounded) directed the fire of the howitzer —assisted by Lieut. Ferguson, E.E., as the gun was so short manned—and the very groat steadiness and precision in firing of the small party of tho 57th Eegiment, under Captain Lloyd, that so few casualties occurred. In the face of between two and three hundred Maoris, concealed in ri lie-pits, and behind an entrenched stockade, which, since our last visit, had been completed across the road, from one side of the gorge to the other, the men retired in perfect order, bringing back the body of Private Kennedy, 57th Eegiment, and the wounded men. I took the liberty of complimenting both officers and men on their excellent conduct in a Garrison Order, which I do myself the honor to submit for the Lieut.-General's approval, trusting that he will be kind enough to give some special mark of his approbation to the individuals named ; and especially to bring to the notice of the Governor the gallantry of Captain Mace, T.M., and Antonio Eodrigues — who on this, as on a former occasion, so nobly assisted wounded men—a return of whom and of all casualties I beg herewith to transmit. The 100 rank and file under Captain Sehomberg were not required ; and no natives having been discovered by the detached parties of Volunteers and Militia, the whole of the troops returned the same evening to their quarters. I have, &c, H. J. Wabee, Colonel commanding tho Troops, Taranaki. The Deputy Quartermaster-General, &c, &c, &c, Head Quarters. P.S.—As I fear I shall for some time be deprived of the services of Lieut. Lareom, E.A., whose wound is progressing favorably, the ball having been abstracted, I trust the Lieut.-General will be able to send me another Artillery officer, and a few more gunners, the 22 now here being mostly superannuated, and so detached at different outposts it is with difficulty I can man one gun. H. W., Colonel.

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