A.—No. 20.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO

52

Enclosure 1 in No. 54. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Mainwaring to Mr. Clarke, Sir,— Waihou, 6th March, 1867. In accordance with instructions received yesterday from Mr. Commissioner Mackay that 1 should at once take measures to place you in possession of such information regarding Native movements in this district as I may be able, I have the honor to inform you that I now despatch two policemen to Tauranga, via the Waircre, with instructions to proceed at once to you. The Ngatiporou are living near here at a place called Kuranui, adjoining Patetere. Te Oriori visited them recently and told them to give up their guns and make peace, or return to Tauranga. This they declined to do, and said that they were in the hands of God and would be guided by him (Kei a Ihowa Te Tikanga). Finally, twelve of the Ngatimalruta tribe, calling themselves Matutarea's Apostles, appeared, and one of them deliberately fired at Te Oriori, and ordered him off. At Paiwhenua there is said to be a gathering of about 200 Natives of all tribes. Tana Thompson's second son and successor is there, not having returned with his mother, who went there for a " tangi." lam afraid that his sojourn there will be productive of no good; whether there is any intention on the King's part to unite with Hakaraia I cannot say at present. There are large cultivations about Patetere, and I know that Hakaraia's idea is to remain there and increase his numbers. From the Thames and Pia-ko Districts I have heard nothing of a serious nature. Gum digging and thrashing wheat at present engrosses all the Natives' attentions. Te Pakaroa has returned from the King, and declares to mo that he will abide by Thompson's dying instructions, viz., " takoto." I shall keep a strict surveillance over all their proceedings in this quarter, and for the present shall retain these policemen in order to communicate with you. A third messenger will be in readiness to convey any message you may wish to send to Auckland or to Mr. Mackay, who is at Ngaruawhia. I have, &c, H. T. Clarke, Esq., Civil Commissioner, R. C. Mainwaring, Tauranga. Resident Magistrate.

Enclosure 2 in No. 53. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Nesbitt to Mr. Clarke. Dear Clarke, — Ohinemutu, 9th March, 1867. A party of Waikato Hauhaus arrived in this neighbourhood yesterday,. The numbers, according to Native report, 300. They are at Puraku, at Wai-te-ti, and at Parawai. Large fires were seen at the latter place, which is about halfway between this and Puhirua. To-day I sent a man to Puraku to endeavour to ascertain, if possible, their numbers; but he was afraid to approach sufficiently near. He only saw a large number of cooking fires, no men. Mita Hikairo has just come here from To Ngae. He has had some communication indirectly with Katene, of Puhirua. The latter says the Hauhau party are anxious to attack Mourea, or To Ngac, but that he and his people oppose this, and desire them to fi»ht at Ohinemutu. Ilakaraia is in the neighbourhood of Puhirua, with, it is said, seventy men. Hikairo saw some of the Waikato parties. He estimates the number he saw at sixty or seventy, but he thinks there may be many more in the bush. At present it is impossible to form an opinion as to the entire numbers. I have, &c, To Mr. H. T. Clarke, Civil Commissioner, Tauranga. W. K. Nesbitt.

Enclosure 3 in No. 53. Te Pukeiahua, Ohinemutu, To the ¥ab Minister,— 9th March, 1867. Father, salutations! Father, the Hauhaus have taken up their quarters at Kotorua. They and we are together (in close proximity). The number of that war party is 300. Our thought is, that you should consider this matter. This is the thought: that you should forthwith come by Mangorewa (road), you (the Europeans) and the Arawa, that we may extinguish, when you arrive hither, tho war party opposed to us. Leave that and come to this. He (the enemy) will not return to his own country—such is my opinion. Should you agree, let us know the day upon which you start to come hither. But there is a war party watching the Mangorewa (road) to prevent people from that side coming through. Do you be cautious. This word ends. From the Committee of Ngatiwhakare. Written by Peteea Te Ptjkuattja.

Enclosure 4 in No. 53. [translation.] Okauia, 21st March, 1867. To Tohaka, Te Tektjka, to Te Pueu, tliat is to say, to all of you, — Oh friends, salutations to all of you. Oh tribe, salutations! Oh mothers and children, salutations ! Oh daughters, salutations ! Friends, do not consider us, who have come hither. It is not because the fault is with God, the fault is with man. That (subject) ends.