AGAINST THE REBEL NATIVES.

A.—No. Ba.

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Te Kooti. My sympathies are with you and your people of Wanganui. By this time you will probably have reached Pacngaroa, and formed a junction with the forces from Tauranga. McDonnell will also soon arrive there. I trust you will work well together, and that you will give attention to any instructions or suggestions he may make, so that the result of your joint operations may be clear and successful. I hope that your health will be spared, so that you may be strong to put down the present evil and trouble, so that peace and happiness may grow and spread throughout the length and breadth of this Island. From your friend, To Major Kemp, Cambridge. Donald McLean.

No. 220. Major Kemp to the Hon. the Defence Minister. The Hon. Mr. McLean^ — Tauranga, Bth February, 1870. Salutations. It was on the 29th of January we overtook and captured some of Te Kooti's war party, and two were killed and one taken alive. Wc left on the 2nd, and were two nights before getting through the bush to Tauranga,—that is to say, Pacngaroa, where we met Lieut.-Colonel Fraser's war party. We first thought it was Te Kooti's war party, and were glad; but when we saw it was the Arawa's war party we were very much disheartened. It was they (the Arawa) who had alarmed Te Kooti, or we should have come up to them. The Arawa were fired upon by Te Kooti. Two of the Arawas were shot, and one European. They did not get any payment, or kill any of Te Kooti's. Sufficient. lam going to pursue him, and very likely I will be at Matata. That is all. Mciha Kepa Rangihiwinui.

No. 221. Mr. Commissioner Branigan to the Hon. the Defence Minister. (Telegram.) Newcastle, 9th February, 1870. Inspector Cumming's letter just received. You will sec that he has not been able to send the message to Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell. I have sent telegram to Inspector Moule to get Captain Wilson to send it by one of the Ngatihau. I intend to bring Sergeant Carkcek under your notice officially, and have told him so. " Sir, —I have the honor to report that I have been unable to get a Native to follow Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell with the information that Te Kooti is at Ohinemutu. The Natives I have here are all Wanganuis, and do not know the country, and they are also afraid of the Ngaiterangi, and believe it was they who had fired on Lieut.Colonel Fraser's force. Henare, with his fifty men, agreed to start this morning, and has sent a note to that effect, and that he will do all he can to help Lieutenant Mair; his men are good, and, once at Ohinemutu, will work well. Sergeant Carkeek informs me that Kepa, belonging to the Armed Constabulary, went to see a relative of his, who is with Te Kooti, and had not returned. I hardly think Kepa would desert, and he was inquiring before he went what a man would get for killing Te Kooti. Lieutenant Mair had not heard of Lieut.-Colonel Fraser's force since they separated, and was not aware of their being fired on. I enclose a statement from Sergeant Carkeek; he is a good man, and I think may be relied on. —Geo. J. Cumming, Inspector, A.C." Statement of Sergeant Carkeek, of operations at Ohinemutu, Rotorua: —" I arrived at Ohinemutu on Saturday; waited there for Native orderly, Peina, who did not arrive until Monday morning, when Louis Baker (a man-of-war deserter) came in, reporting Te Kooti and Kereopa a mile or two off in the bush. Shortly after, Native women came to the pa, reporting one of their number taken off by a party of Te Kooti's men. About a hundred Arawas then went out, and I wrote to Lieutenant Mair, and sent a massage to him, he being at the Awahou, six miles off; made Baker a prisoner. Lieutenant Mair arrived at half-past 11 a.m., and wrote to Tauranga. Ordered me to write to Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, and get a Native to take the letter; sent it by Hakaraia to Awahou, where I was told a man was who knew a short track through the bush, and that he would take it; he refused to take it. Hakaraia returned about 3 p.m. Could not get any one from Ohinemutu to guide me through the bush. Started for Awahou at half-past 4 p.m. At that time a party returned from Lieutenant Mair with a wounded man; and reported two Arawas killed, one wounded ; three Hauhaus killed; the Arawas following up Te Kooti. A fresh supply of ammunition was sent out, and I left for Tapapa at 5 p.m. Slept at Awahou. Started at daylight, and arrived at Tapapa at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Both Te Kooti and Kereopa were seen by a Native who knew them well.—A. H. Carkeek, Sergeant, Mounted A.C." St. John Branigan, Commissioner, A.CF. The Hon. the Defence Minister, Auckland.

No. 222. Lieut.-Colonel Fraser to the Hon. the Defence Minister. My dear Sir, — Tauranga, Bth February, 1870. Mr. Clarke will no doubt have told you the latest news from here, but I wish to let 17