A.—No. Ba,

56

PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS

No. 189. Mr. Commissioner Branigan to the Hon. the Defence Minister. (Telegram.) Cambridge, 2nd February, 1870. No news up to this from McDonnell's camp. I expect an orderly in every moment, when I will send you latest news. St. John Branigan, Commissioner, A.CF.

No. 190. Mr. Commissioner Branigan to the Hon. the Defence Minister. (Telegram.) Cambridge, 2nd February, 1870. Just (2 p.m.) arrived from McDonnell's camp. No news of cither Topia or Kemp when I left. McDonnell marched at 6.30 a.m. this morning straight towards Paengaroa. He has taken four days' rations with him, and his strength is 146. dimming remains in charge at Tapapa camp, 102 strong; and Henare at Hamaria, with 50 of his own people. Topia and Kemp have 2 officers and 30 Constabulary with them. Road to T'auranga is easily accessible from Tapapa for horsemen. Distance between thirty and forty miles. St. John Branigan, Commissioner, A.CF.

No. 191. The Hon. the Defence Minister to Mr. Commissioner Branigan. (Telegram.) Auckland, 2nd February, 1870. Thanks for telegram. The reports I get from the King country arc satisfactory; still I am anxious to guard against Tc Kooti getting there. Of the two evils, I would sooner he got tothe Urewera country, bad as it is for fighting. I trust he may be caught before he attempts either. Arc Militia paid off? Donald McLean.

No. 192. Mr. 11. T. Clarke, Civil Commissioner, to the Hon. the Defence Minister. My dear Sir, — Tauranga, Ist February, 1870. 9 a.m. I have just returned from Te Kaha, and other settlements along the coast. I have collected from Ngaitawarere (Hata's people), Whanau o Apanui, Ngaitai, and Ngatipukeko, a force of 150 picked men. The object of this force, as I intimated to you in a former letter, is to take up an advanced position, and cover Arawa settlements during the absence of all the available men. Position proposed to be taken vp —either Akeake or Oropi, where the back cross-roads meet, and would be Te Kooti's most probable line of retreat. This is a promise I made to the Arawa before they 7 left, as they were anxious about their women and children at Maketu and Rotoiti. I have endeavoured to carry out your instructions as expeditiously as possible, and have not spared any exertion. The following is an abstract of what has been done since the arrival of your first letter of instructions on the 23rd January : —As soon as I could get my horse across the harbour, I went to Maketu to make final arrangements with Arawa chiefs; was in consultation with them the rest of the day as to the best line of march to be adopted. Wrote circular letters to the principal Arawa hapus, requesting the people to assemble at Ohiuemutu (Rotorua) on the following Wednesdays Returned to Tauranga the following day (25th), to complete arrangements with Colonel Fraser and Captain Montgomerie. The "Sturt" arrived from Auckland on 26th. Fraser shipped his men, proceeded to Maketu; landed men, aud marched at once. I served out arms and ammunition to Arawa, and started them all off; went on to Rotorua, and arrived at Ohinemutu on the evening of the 27th. On the 28th got all the Arawa together, with the exception of Fox's people, who were with Eraser's men. Received information of Te Kooti's movements, which rendered it immediately necessary to get men up from the coast. On the 29th rode from Ohinemutu to Tauranga, a distance of fifty-two miles. Left for the coast in the " Sturt" on the 30th, and have returned this morning. From the above I think you will see I have not spared myself to carry out your instructions ; in fact, I feel quite done up. The Natives with Arawa, and those I have brought up, are behaving exceedingly well, and are eager for work. There is a great deal of healthy emulation in the different hapus. Our men (Europeans) march very slowly; they have been in camp so long that they have become unused to it. Ihey left Maketu before I did, and had only got up to Ohinemutu as I was leaving to return. I should have stopped to see them finally away; but from information derived from Ilauhau sources, I felt compelled to fetch up the men from the coast without delay. Fraser has with him some of our best Militia officers, Captain Turner and Lieutenant Mair; Lieutenant Way is doing the transport to Ohincmutu, and is getting up stores fast. I shall get these 150 men from the coast in position, then my mind will be easy.