NEW ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OE STATE.

77

A.—No. 1,

and " Eosario," at Tauranga, has been productive of most beneficial results; and Ministers trust that His Excellency will express his appreciation of services so readily and cheerfully rendered by the officers and men of those ships. 12th Eebruary, 1870. Donald McLean.

No. 46. Copy of a DESFATCH from Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Eight Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. (No. 20.) Government House, Auckland, My Lord, — New Zealand, 15th Eebruary, 1870. In continuation of my Despatch No. 6, of the 10th Eebruary ultimo, forwarded by the last mail, I now have the honor to transmit two papers furnished to me by the Colonial Ministers, showing the progress of events in New Zealand during the past month, and their opinions respecting the general condition of this Colony at the present time. 2. The first Enclosure* contains Memoranda by Mr. Eox, the head of the existing Ministry, respecting the Patea District (which I visited with him in last September), t and other recently disturbed portions of the West Coast of this Island. This paper furnishes much valuable, and on the whole satisfactory information. It will be seen that the location of a part of the loyal Ngatiporo clan at Waihi, in front of the English settlements (which I reported in my Despatch No. 131, of the 11th October last), and the other defensive measures adopted, have already so far restored security and confidence that a public stage coach has been started to run twice a week between Wanganui and Eatea, through the country devastated by the rebels under Titokowaru little more than twelve months ago, but now re-occupied by the Colonists. It is hoped that the marking out of a recognized boundary line between their respective territories (a measure which I have strongly recommended) will have the effect of putting a stop to the occasional affairs of outposts and skirmishes between parties of the friendly and the hostile Maoris, such as those referred to by Mr. Eox. 3. It is a very important and significant fact, that (as will be seen at page nine of Mr. Eox's Memoranda) Tawhiao, the so-called Maori King, has recently sent a letter to that portion of the JN gatiraukawa clan which obstructed the execution of the decision of the Native Lands Court in the Eangitikei-Manawatu case, ordering them to desist from their opposition; and that this order was immediately obeyed. The surve)^ were then recommenced, and are so far progressing satisfactorily and without interruption. Under these circumstances, I have, with the advice of my Ministers, granted a pardon to Meritana, a turbulent Maori, who had been imprisoned in Wanganui gaol on conviction for destroying a trigonometrical station. 1. In my Despatch No. 118, of the 17th November ultimo, I explained the grave embarrassments which had arisen during some years past respecting the Eangitikei-Manawatu land claims. The interference of Tawhiao in favour of peace appears to be a strong proof of the probable ultimate success of the policy shadowed forth in my Despatch No. 151, of the 25th November ultimo, and in previous Eeports, and of the good faith of the leading chiefs of the so-called " King party," in their conference with Mr. McLean in last November. It is true that the missives published in the name of Tawhiao by his uncle and chief councillor Tamati Ngapora Manuwhiri, continue to wear their former ambiguous and oracular character. I annex as an example of his usual style a letter recently addressed by him to Topia, one of the chiefs now in arms for the CroAvn, and Avhich is considered by persons deeply skilled in the Maori character and language to evince a friendly and pacific spirit. The following are the remarks on this letter made in one of the principal journals of New Zealand : — " We receive it as another proof of the King's sincerity in desiring peace ; " though, after all, these enigmatical epistles are only to be valued as collateral " evidence of a fact already proved —the proof, in our mind, lying not in the pro- " fession of friendship, so much as in the fact that, in spite of all the inducement

* Enclosure 1, see Parliamentary Papers, 1870, A. No. 4.

t See Governor of New Zealand to Secretary of State, No. 134, of 14th October, 18fa9. 20