?.—No. 6.

3

REPORTS PROM OPPICERS

No. 3. The Hon. D. McLean to His Honor J. D. Ormond. Sir, — Auckland, 13th February, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 9th instant, enclosing Mr. Locke's report, and containing an account of the interview held by you with Maihi Te Ngaru and other Ngatiraukawa chiefs. It is most gratifying to find such a change among the Ngatiraukawa of the interior, as, from the numerous localities in which sections of the tribe have established themselves, their influence has been very considerable. The cautious and prudent course which you have adopted with reference to these Natives, and the timely departure of Mr. Locke to visit them, has been attended with the very best results ; and I am in hopes that one of the great obstacles to the progress of roads and improvements in the important part of the country which lies between Taupo and Waikato has been removed. I beg you will convey to Mr. Locke an expression of the satisfaction with which I have perused his report, and the speeches of the Natives delivered at his interview with them. The results of this meeting amply testify to the advantages accruing from a firm and discreet course of action when dealing with Maoris on subjects of importance, as compared with hasty and impulsive measures, which almost invariably lead to further complications, and tend to create suspicions, and eventually opposition, on the part of the Natives. Nothing can better prove the good effects arising from the military occupation of Taupo than the important fact of the submission of the Ngatiraukawa, and their desire to be employed on public works. As regards proceeding with telegraph and road works between Cambridge and Taupo, I consider that though the chief obstructions be now removed, yet it will be advisable not to proceed with these works till the assent of a section of the Ngatihaua, who are interested in the land, is obtained. I have, &c, His Honor J. D. Ormond, Napier. Donald McLean.

No. 4. His Honor J. D. Ormond to the Hon. D. McLean. Sie,— Napier, 23rd May, 1871. I have the honor to state that Mr. Locke proceeded to Taupo, to hold a meeting with the Ngatituwharetoa and Ngatiraukawa Tribes at Tapuaeharuru, by my directions, and I herewith forward his report of the meeting, with a letter from Ngatituwharetoa. I have, <&c, The Hon. the Native Minister. J. D. Ormond.

' Enclosure in No. 4. Mr. Locke to His Honor J. D. Ormond. Sie,— Napier, 13th May, 1871. I have the honor to forward you the following report of a meeting held with the Ngatituwharetoa Tribe at Tapuaeharuru, Taupo, in April last, when that portion of the tribe inhabiting the west shores of Taupo Lake and the district around Tuhua renounced their adhesion to the King, and formally surrendered to the Government. The people known under the general name of Ngatituwharetoa hold a very important position in the centre of this Island, having the possession of a large expanse of country surrounding Taupo and Rotorua Lakes, the country about Tongariro and Ruapehu mountains, and the upper waters of the Wanganui, Rangitikei, and Waikato Rivers, stretching down the latter river to near Titiraupenga, where they become intermixed with the Ngatiraukawa, and are again connected in the north and west beyond Tuhua by the Ngatimaniapoto. The whole of these people, with the exception of Poihipi Tukairangi and a few followers, joined the King movement at the commencement, and were assembled at Meremere shortly before the retreat from there. A few on the eastern and southern shores of the Lake renounced Kingism ; the majority, however, of the tribe continued staunch Kingites and Hauhaus up to the present time ; that portion of the tribe residing on the west shore of the Lake have more especially continued the strictest observers of the aukatis and other regulations, by which all communications with Europeans, and, as far as possible, with what are known as friendly Natives, was prohibited. It was necessary that these and tho two neighbouring tribes (Ngatiraukawa and Ngatimaniapoto) should be dealt with before any uniform plan could be carried out for the opening up of the country by means of roads, telegraph, and other public works, thereby developing the resources of the interior, and giving security for the future peace of the Island. In my report of the 2nd February I had the honor to inform you of a preliminary meeting I held with the Ngatiraukawa Tribe. On the 26th of April I met the Ngatituwharetoa in accordance with appointment, at Tapuaeharuru ; but as I forward enclosed a very fair report of what took place on the occasion, written by themselves and signed by Matuahu and Manuera in the name of their people, it is almost needless for me to give a further account, more than to state that, from what I have been able to observe, I feel that these peoplo are sincere in what they have done. They evince a great desire to have some vessels on the Lake, and for a trade to be opened up with the part of country in which they reside. Considering these people have held aloof from friendly communication with Europeans for upwards often years, it shows that an amicable footing has been established, which only requires to be judiciously followed up to throw open for settlement a large extent of good country now sparsely inhabited in the centre of the Island.