?_;>—No. Bb,

62

PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS

About supplies, I am very glad to see you have found potatoes at Wanganui Baru; that will be a great help ; do all you can to use the enemy's food. I have written to Sub-Inspector Newland to send up what is actually necessary to keep the expedition going, and I intend sending the " St. Kilda" to Wairoa at once on her return from the East Coast; she is now overdue. She will take a supply of biscuit and groceries, part of which I intend for Eopata's force, and part for your people, and hope it will enable a move to be made on Buatahuna, after the Lake settlements are cleared out. In such case it would be well to occupy the Lake with a portion of tho force, whilst the remainder move on. I hope in the meantime you may succeed in getting up the sunken boats, although I am not sanguine you will do so. I have requested Sub-Inspector Newland to arrange canoe transport to Te Ariki, from whence you will have to get up the supplies he sends. He proposed to establish a post there, but I see no necessity for this. There is no chance whatever of the enemy coming to your rear, and you can easily arrange to meet the canoes on their arrival at To Ariki. I am glad Mr. Witty has joined you ; he will be a great help, and it is possible the Mohaka Natives may follow him, as I wrote to Paora Berepu recommending it. I left it however a good deal to him. The weather has, I am sorry to see, been very unsettled since you have been out ; I trust you may have.a few days fine now to complete your work in; and wishing you speedy success. I have, &c., Air. F. E. Hamlin, Wairoa Expedition. J. D. Ormond. P.S.—lt is almost unnecessary for me to urge you, in case the Natives should again think of returning, to use every exertion to keep them at Onepoto until Bopata can reach the enemy's rear. —J. D. O.

No. 83. The Hon. the Fremier to Major Kemp. To Major Kemp,— Dunedin, April 16, 1870. Salutations. lam sorry that I was not at Wellington on your arrival at that place. I have, however, heard of all your good works, of your fights, and of the capture of prisoners by you. That man Te Kooti is defeated, and his evil deeds are defeated. Your feet, and tho feet of Whanganui have trodden him down. You have fulfilled the promise which you made in tho Aomarama. My belief is that the war is now over ; let us turn our thoughts, you and I, to works of peace. This is all. From your friend, Major Kemp, Wellington. William Fox.

No. 81. The Hon. the Premier to Topia Tueoa. To Topia Turoa, Chief of the Tribes of the Upper Whanganui,— Dunedin, April 10, 1870. My friend, you and I conversed together face to face in the Aomarama. The word which was proclaimed on that day is a permanent word. You have driven forth that pest (Te Kooti), and quenched his power. I have hoard of your deeds at Tuhua, at Tapapa, at Opotiki, and at all the other > places from whence you have driven Te Kooti. Our work now is to be a work of peace. Let me know your thoughts on this subject, as you made known your thoughts at Banana and at the Aomarama. I rejoice greatly that you and your people have returned to Whanganui. Convey to your people the thanks of the Government for the services they have rendered. This is all. From your friend, Topia Turoa, Wellington. William Fox.

No. 85. Captain Preece to the Hon. the Defence Minister. My Dear Sir,— Fort Galatea, 18th May, 1870. On the 12th, I sent back the Urewera man with Te Meihana; I wrote letters by him to Ahikereru and Urewera Natives, telling them to surrender at once. I gave them no promise of mercy, but told them that they must trust to the Government. I arrived here on the 15th ; the next day Te Meihana returned, saying that the Ngatiwdiare were all coming in, and that the latter had gone on to Buatahuna ; Meihana" went back yesterday to bring them out; they will all be out to-morrow. Yesterday afternoon a man named Ngawaka came out from Horomanga, with a letter from Wi Bateno to Captain Mair, saying that they were willing to come in ; we wrote a letter telling them to come. There is a man named Bangiaho (who was reported as killed at Ngatapa) among them ; this fellow was leader of the Poverty Bay murders, and killed Pitcairn at Ohiwa. I think he will come in, we will let him do so if he likes ;he ought not to get oft' clear; so I let you know what a bad character he is. I think he is the only man who has committed any great offence among them. We shall hear to-morrow from the Urewera. I think some of them will come in, but the thing they seem afraid of is food ; they say, if we all go out, will the Government be willing to feed 200 of us, and women and children. I think it would bo important to get them out of that country. Te Kooti is at the head of tho Waioeka, in three small parties ; only 20 of his own men. He wrote a letter to the Urewera, telling them to build up the house, he should soon be there; they tore it up and sent the messenger back. This, of course, is only their own story.