E.—No. 1.

ECoroi, of Ngatituahuru (Thames), at present with the enemy at Waikato ; has 30 head of cattle at Waitakaruru. Hoera also is with the enemy. Rebels killed at the Arawa o te atuaby the Arawaa : — Ngatiawa : Teßangi [paiu, Iroara, Maketu, Tamepono. Whakatohoa: TeAporotanga (murdered by "Winiata's wife), Rangixnatoru, Petua Rauru, lhaka Koremu, Kaperiera, Tama Kaipia, Hona Porea, Hira Tikitiki, Pene Maipi, Herewini. Mikaere Apanui, Katiamo, Te Amo, Apere. Ngatipou: Kepa, Korana. Ngaitatoarere: Natanahina. H hananapauni: Paibipi. Enclosure 3 to No. 58. Will Mr. Fenton be so good aa to state whether at any time when the Maori prisoners were detained on board the hulk, he, as Assistant Law Officer of the Government, was directed to take steps to ascertain whether any murderers could lie identified among them, and whether and when he took any and what steps towards that end. 2. Whether he ever heard or suspected that Tapihana, a Ngatikahairo native from Kawhia, was one of the murderers of the Merediths. 3. "Whether he is in possession, or has ever been in possession of. any evidence to shew that a native named Tarahawaiki was one of the murderers of the Merediths. October 28th, ISti I. W i lmam Fox. MEMORANDUM by Mr. Femon. 1. Whilst the Maori prisoners were on board the hulk I made a great number of visits on board, ■ ,i.)!( bimes alone, sometimes with the Commissioner of Police or others, in order to find if any of the ivrs could be discovered amongsi them. I made these enquiries by direction of the Government. :.■ Culvert accompanied the Commissioner and myself on one occasion, with the view of identifying Waiti, the murderer of his son. The prisoners were passed up from the hold one by one, and so returned, but the murderer was not there. Similar strict examinations have been made by me or in my presence on other occasions. I was desirous above all to discover the murderers of the Merediths, father and son, and having reasons, from information I had received, to suspect Tarahawaiki of being concerned in that outrage with Ngatiapakura, under Taati. 1. tried every plan I could think of to obtain some evidence, even trying to get (privately) some of the other prisoners to turn Queen's evidence, but I did not succeed. Most of the murders in this province were done (1 believe) by a small party of people under the orders of Wiremu Kiho, of Pokino, but neither he nor any of his party were in custody. I only succeeded in detecting one murderer amongst the prisoners, viz : ; ware. He was tried and* convicted of the murder of Drumgoold. His associate and colleague, Tarawaita, was not amongst the prisoners. Certainly I used every ell'orl to search out the murderers amongst the prisoners, but 1 did not succeed except in one instance. 2. I never heard that Tapihana was suspected of the murder of the Merediths. He was, I believe, with Mohi at the time. 3. I have not anything, and could never obtain anything, that would be "evidence" against Tarahawaiki for this murder. 1\ I). Fehtos, October 28th, 1864. Assistant Law Officer. Enclosure 4< to No. 58. Will Mi1. Xaughton be so good as inform the Government whether any and what steps were taken by the direction of the Government, and at what date, to ascertain whether any of the Maori prisoners detained on board the Hulk were chargeable with the murders of the Merediths or other persons, and particularly whether Mr. Naughton obtained any evidence to whew that a chief called Dapihana, <rr one called Tarahawaiki, had committed those murders ? 28th October, 1864 William Fox. MEMORANDUM by Mr. Commissioner Naighton. The Commissioner of Police recollects going on board the hulk in the harbour on the 28th December, 1863, with a warrant for the purpose of arresting one William White, an aboriginal native, charged with the murder of Sylvester Calvert. Captain Calvert accompanied the Commissioner. The prisoners were brought up on the deck of the hoik, one by one. Captain Calvert expressed himself satisfied to the effect that "White was not on board. The Commissioner also recollects going on board the said hulk, on the 29th December, with a warrant for the arrest of one Tangataware Iwataia, for the murder of James Drumgoold. On this occasion the Commissioner was accompanied by Mr. Fenton and some natives. The Prisoners on board the hulk were examined in the same order, when Tangataware was recognized and arrested. The Commissioner went on board on another occasion, accompanied by some persons from the neighbourhood of Drury, when the prisoners were all brought on deck singly, and returned in the same order. None were recognized as murderers. 28th October, 18(54. Jas. Naughton, Commissioner of Police.

No. 59. MEMORANDUM of His Excellency in reply to Mixistebs' Memorandum of the Ist November. The Governor has received the Ministerial Memorandum of the Ist of November, upon the subject of the escaped Native prisoners.

91

RELATIVE TO MAORI PRISONERS.