A.—No. Ba.

AGAINST THE REBEL NATIVES.

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night near camp. With difficulty Native chief prevented his being shot by our Natives. Mr. Preece, with forty mounted Natives, started this morning at 8 a.m. for Te Waotu to ascertain if Te Kooti had been there. Some of McDonnell's force left at Tapapa. Nothing known of Te Kooti's whereabouts. McDonnell still out with a party, and Kemp in another direction with another party. The force at Tapapa have good quarters, secure from rain, in Native huts. Scout not returned. Was to have been in at noon this day with further news about movement of King Natives. The spy was taken by a Native. Mr. Branigan at Tapapa when Mr. Buckland left. The Hon. the Defence Minister, Auckland. Wm. Jackson, Major.

No. 168. Major Jackson to the Hon. the Defence Minister, Auckland. (Telegram.) Cambridge, 28th January, 1870. Meat contractor just in : left Tapapa at 2.30 p.m. yesterday. McDonnell back to camp. Nothing seen of Te Kooti. The Hon. the Defence Minister, Auckland. Wm. Jackson, Major.

No. 169. The Hon. the Defence Minister to Major Jackson. (Telegram.) Auckland, 28th Januarys 1870. Received your telegram, and feel much obliged to you for reporting what you hear. What number of spare arms have you in store? Are the crops suffering from the Militia being on duty ? Major Jackson, Cambridge. Donald McLean.

No. 170. Major Jackson to the Hon. the Defence Minister. (Telegram.) Cambridge, 28th January, 1870. Not arms enough for men in district; at least forty more stand required (to be sent to Hamilton). Crops in some districts suffering. Propose, with your sanction, to strike third class men at Hamilton off pay. Labour much required there by the settlers. Ammunition as reserve required at Hamilton. The Hon. the Defence Minister, Auckland. Wm. Jackson, Major.

No. 171. The Hon. the Defence Minister to Major Jackson. (Telegram.) Auckland, 28th January, 1870. Received your telegram, and approve of your proposal to strike off pay third-class men at Hamilton, and with Lieut.-Colonel Moule's concurrence I should like to see as many of the Militia of all classes as can be spared allowed to look after their crops, by leave or otherwise, especially as there is a large force now in the vicinity. Major Jackson, Cambridge. Donald McLean.

No. 172. Mr. Commissioner Branigan to the Hon. the Defence Minister. (Telegram.) Cambridge, 28th January, 1870. Left McDonnell's camp this morning. He had arrived there yesterday morning from a reconnaissance towards Taupo. On his return to camp the rumour that Kooti had crossed the Waikato arrived from Major Jackson. A party of the Native contingent was then sent out in that direction under Lieut. Preece; they however returned late last night, reporting that they had searched the country and neighbourhood, and could discover no trace of him, and that he could not have crossed the Waotu without their discovering some trace of him. I left the camp this morning at 4 a.m. McDonnell intended, as you will see by his report, to send a portion of his force into the bush in the vicinity of his old pa, and another towards Taupo. The weather was fine when I left, so that there will be no difficulty in the way of the Natives travelling. No sign of Fraser when I left. St. John Branigan, Commissioner, A.C. " Camp, Tapapa, 27th January, 1870. " For the information of the Defence Minister I have the honor to report that I returned this morning from Hamaria, a village on the road to Horohoro. There were no signs of the enemy having gone in that direction. Some of the Arawa have collected at Katikati, and I