A.—No. 1

78

DESPATCHES EROM THE GOVERNOR OE

" held out by our evident inability to cope with the small number of foes assailing " us a year ago, no attempt was made by the Waikato tribes to regain their lost " territory, or to carry out the threat of the more violent among them, to drive " the Pakeha into the sea. We know that pressure was repeatedly brought to " bear upon these men who choose to acknowledge Tawhiao's supremacy to take " up arms a second time, and that their milder and more prudent counsels pre- " vailed. This being the case, we may accept without suspicion their proposals " to establish a better understanding between themselves and the Europeans than " has hitherto prevailed, made, as they were, immediately that the accession to " office of Mr. McLean gave them an opening to make overtures to the Govern- " ment. The Waikatos have never been a treacheroits enemy, and they have " always proved themselves undoubtedly brave. They were under no pressure to " make advances to us, and, as far as we can see, no object is to be gained by a " simulation of friendship just now; and we may, therefore, with a fair show of " evidence in our favour, accept as true the interpretation of their actions offered " by Topia,—that they have grown into a conviction that the English Government " has only good intentions towards them —that they are tired of their self-imposed " isolation, and desire to work as one people with us. If this be so, the incidental " circumstance of a letter from Tawhiao, capable of bearing a favourable interpre- " tation, or the arrival of a messenger in Auckland, bearing a report which is " translated in an opposite direction, should not be allowed to elate or depress us "in the anticipation of establishing peace. A full return to those amicable terms " which will be acceptable to both races, can only result from, and must be " accompanied by, full confidence given and received on either side." 5. Again it will be seen from Mr. McLean's Memorandum, that Tawhiao and his adherents gave no countenance or support to Te Kooti when he recently threatened the English settlements in the Waikato. In my last monthly report (No. 6, of the 10th ultimo), I observed that according to the latest news then received in Auckland, the advance against Te Kooti of the Native Contingent under the loyal chiefs Te Kepa (Major Kemp), and Topia, had been impeded by heavy floods in the W'anganui River, and by very tempestuous weather in the mountains of the central interior. Te Kooti and his followers were thus enabled to effect a retreat from their position near Lake Taupo, and they suddenly appeared near the township of Cambridge in the Waikato. Much alarm was felt both by the settlers and by the loyal Natives in that quarter ; and the Militia was immediately called out for active service in that part of the Colony; a call which was forthwith responded to throughout the district, though great loss was occasioned by farm labour being everywhere suspended in the middle of the harvest. A sketch of the operations which subsequently ensued will be found in Mr. McLean's Memorandum. It appears that Te Kooti, after several skirmishes with parties of the Colonial Eorces and friendly Natives, has again effected his escape to the wild mountains and forests of the Hrewera Country. 6. The son of the famous Ngatihaua chief To Waharoa,* (better known by his Christian name of William Thompson, and by his sobriquet of the " Maori Kingmaker," for he was the leading spirit of the Native King movement,) has recently come to Auckland to see me. I received him yesterday, and he made very friendly professions on the part of his tribe. I had held a conference with them on my first visit to the Waikato in May 1868., 7. Mr. McLean informs me that there is no further news of importance here up to this day (Eebruary 15th), when the monthly English mail leaves Auckland. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. G. E. BOWEN.

Enclosure 2 in No. 46. Memorandum by Mr. McLean. Since the last monthly report, Te Kooti, Kereopa, and their followers abandoned the position taken up by them at Talma, from which they were followed up by Topia, a chief of Upper Wanganui—one * He died in 1867. t See Governor of New Zealand to Secretary of State, Mo. 49 of 30th June, 1868, vide Appendix to Journals, II of B 1869, p. 72.