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PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS

coast; they are a fine lot of fellows, and will, I think, do good service. I should go out myself, but lam just on the borders of knocking up and dare not attempt it. Supplies have also been sent out, and ammunition. Since I wrote to you by the " Jane," our plans have been somewhat altered. I hear Lieut.Colonel Fraser intended marching through to Patetere in one column; but from information received, and after consulting the Native chiefs, decided to march in two columns, one under Lieut. Gilbert Mair to advance by the Purakau road, and the other under Lieut.-Colonel Fraser, including the European force, to make a flank march by the Mangorewha road, and advance on Patetere by the Tauranga side of the forest, with a view of intercepting Te Kooti's advance on the Rotorua and Maketu settlements. This latter move caused considerable delay and annoyed me much, as you will see by the enclosed notes; but it has proved to be a correct move, although that exigency had been provided for bj getting up a force from the coast. I have visited the different Tauranga settlements; yesterday I was at Rangiwaea; the dayr before at Maungatapu. Large fires in the direction of Pacngaroa, Lieut.-Colonel Eraser's position. Yours, &c., 11. T. Clarke. Enclosure 1 in No. 207. Lieut.-Colonel Fraser to Mr. H. T. Clarke, Civil Commissioner. My dear Clarke, — Pacngaroa, 3rd February, 1870. Tc Kooti has engaged us at Pacngaroa; about 200 men were there. We have lost one European and two Maoris (scouts). I want every man you can spare, and ammunition. An ambuscade was most artfully laid for us about a mile from Pacngaroa; about forty men formed it. The firing was very heavy, without any shouting. Fox behaved very well, and his men too. We have at present driven the enemy back, but I want more men, and good ones, to act with confidence. No one was wounded. Crapp had a most miraculous escape. I send this in by him. There is no doubt about its being Te Kooti. Breech-loading ammunition has been found in the whares and Enfield ammunition, besides numerous covers from the cartridges. There have evidently been upwards of 200 men at Pacngaroa, sleeping in, about, and outside the whares in the fern. Crapp will tell you all about it. Yours, &c, J. Fraser.

Enclosure 2 in No. 207. Lieut.-Colonel Fraser to Mr. H. T. Clarke, Civil Commissioner. My dear Clarke, — (No date.) I send Fox down to speak to you; he will tell you all about out- reasons for dividing and doing as we have done. The Natives would not hear of our leaving Rotorua, except in two bodies by the two principal roads, so I had to change my plans at the last minute. I still think I have done the best under the circumstances. Lieut. Mair and his men probably reached Tapapa yesterday, giving Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell a re-infor cement of 200 men; and if you will let mc have a few more men from here, say under Robert, we can move and push on, on one road. Yours, &c., J. Fraser. Say 100 men. Marsh has done the scouting very well. Fox wants rations; he will see you about them. I move on to Akeake now, that is to say to Taumutu, and will start, fresh, to-morrow. I could not move far to-day, as my men arc too tired and foot-sore. The road was very rough, and the Maoris arc quite done up. —J. Erasei;.

No. 208. The Hon. the Defence Minister to Mr. Commissioner Branigan, Cambridge. (Telegram.) Auckland, sth February, 1870. Inform Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell that an advanced party of Eraser's was fired on by the enemy from an ambuscade artfully laid—our loss was one European, two Natives. A skirmish ensued, the enemy was driven off. The number of the enemy about 200. This took place at Pacngaroa, about seventeen miles from Tauranga. " Sturt "is just in from there. Donald McLean.

No. 209. Mr. Commissioner Branigan to the Hon. the Defence Minister. (Telegram.) Cambridge, 6th February, 1870. Wi Pukapuka just arrived from Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell's camp. He reports Topia and Kemp have gone on towards Tauranga, and that Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell follows to-morrow with 100 men. He has received information that Te Kooti is at Pacngaroa. Pukapuka says