A.—No. 20.

Enclosure in No. 43. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Maib to Mr. Clarke. Srn, — Opotiki, Ist December, 1866. I have the honor to inform you that I arrived at this place on the 26th ultimo, where I fortunately met Mr. Rolleston, who conferred with me upon the various matters relating to this district. On the 28th ultimo I took advantage of the departure of the steamer " Sturt," for Napier, and embarking in her landed on the same day at Te Kaka, where I was well received by the people, all of whom, from To Hata and Te Matenga downwards, expressed their satisfaction at the fact of the arrival of a Magistrate to reside among them. Prom Te Kaka I returned by land, passing through Te Awanui, Omaio, Whitianga, Maranui, Torere, and Opapa, at all of which places I met with a warm reception. In all the settlements which I visited there appears to be no want of food; the crops promise well, and health and quiet seem to prevail generally. The entire community arc at present absorbed in the exciting pursuit of whaling; during my visit numbers of whales were seen, but owing to the inferiority of the gear used none were captured; I believe that not less than twenty boats have been fitted out for this season's whaling. Letters and messages are occasionally received by Te Hata and Te Matenga, of a somewhat threatening nature, from Mokena and Mohi te Karu, of Ngatipouro, having reference to certain old men and women fugitive Ngatiporou. who arc living among the Whanau-a-Maru and Whanau-a-Ihuta. These letters, though no doubt well intended, are not calculated to do good, and if they are repeated I shall report the matter to the Resident Magistrate of Waiapu, and advise him to check the zeal of Mokena and Mohi. There are several European traders on the coast (see margin), and a considerable quantity of produce has been exported during the last few months, but I could not discover any signs of illicit trading. The VV hakatohea are very quiet, indeed there appears to be a very general calm, but whether it portends good or evil I am at a loss to state. My remarks have been necessarily very brief, as I have had a very limited time for observation, but I trust shortly to be in a position to report more fully upon the state of the district. I have, &c, W. G. Matr, The Civil Commissioner, Bay of Plenty. Resident Magistrate.

David Briatow, Pauaoa. Mackay, Wharekura. Smith, Te Kaka. G. Kitchen, alias Briskey, Amurui. W. Webb, (H. 0.) Omaio. Eobt. Black, Whitianga. W. Dawson, Louis Joseph, Torere.

No. 44. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Mackay to the Hon. J. C. RrcnMoND. (No. 475.) Civil Commissioner's Office, Sir, — Auckland, 27th December, 18G6. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist December, requesting me to remain at Tauranga until His Excellency the Governor's arrival, in order that I might give him information on the recent proceedings respecting the surveys at Wairoa, and to afford him assistance and information on any other matter wherein he might require my services, and in reply I have the honor to inform you that I had left Tauranga prior to receiving your instructions ; but, on ascertaining your wishes on the matter, I proceeded to the Kawau and had an interview with His Excellency, and explained my proceedings at Tauranga to him. I have, &c., James Mackay, Jun., The Hon. the Native Minister, "Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

No. 45. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Clarke to the Hon. J. C. Richmond. (D. 297.) Civil Commissioner's Office, Sir, — Tauranga, Bth January, 1867. It is with great regret that I have again to report, for the information of the Government, that the repeated threats of the Ngatiporou Hauhaus to stop the progress of the surveys of confiscated lands in this district have at length been carried out. A party of Hauhaus under Ropata and Kewine (as to former reports of these men, vide extracts from former reports attached) have again put a stop to the surveys, this time in the Waimapu Block, on that portion of the survey left incomplete by Mr. Gundry. Mr. Gundry left, having been warned by Mr. Mackay that it was unsafe for him to continue the work (vide extract from Mr. Mackay's letter). The property of the surveyors has been carried off, and but for the timely warning given by the friendly Natives to the surveyors, I have very little doubt that murder would have been committed. The surveyors took a hasty departure having only left their camp half-an-hour before the Hauhaus came up, they left a Native named Hariaua in charge. The letters from Mr. (Skeet, the district surveyor, and statement of Raubaia and Hariaua I enclose. Peue Taka, Tupara, Hunia, and others of the disaffected Ngaiterangi were of the party, which numbered in all seventy-four, all armed with double-barrelled guns. After carrying off" the goods and instruments of the surveyors the depredators went on their way on a visit to old Hakaraia, it is said on an invitation from that chief. Since the Hauhau party have arrived at Hakaraia's settlement, at Te Puke, the accompanying original letter has been sent by Tupara, to his friends, the language of which is ominous. He recom--10

37

AFFAIRS AT TAURANGA.