F.—No. 6a.

FURTHER REPORTS FROM OFFICERS

12

THAMES. No. 8. Mr. Kemp to Hon. D. McLean. Sir,— Native Office, Auckland, 27th May, 1871. I have the honor to make the following report of the Native meeting which assembled at Ohinemuri, having for its principal objects the opening of. the mail route between the Thames and Katikati, which had been for some time closed up by the direction of a chief Te Hira, and a small band of adherents known as the " Keriwera." In fulfilment of a promise made by the chiefs on your recent visit to the Thames a large party was formed, in which the tribes Ngatimaru, Ngatipaoa, Ngatimatere, Ngatiporou, and some friendly Hauhaus took part, and these were accompanied by Mr. Puckey and myself, as representing the Government. The real object of the meeting was to expostulate in friendly terms with this small section of their own people, and to endeavour by this means to dissuade them from forming an alliance with the King party, in a matter which thev saw plainly would be fatal to their own interests, and hinder for a time the carrying out of the mail service, in the benefits of which they with the Europeans alike participated. It is right in reference to this matter, that I should state that from the first closing cf the mail route, the King party are understood to have taken a prominent part in causing this difficulty, of which I think there seems to be but little doubt. The excitement and irritation amongst the Natives caused by the judgment recently delivered in the case of Te Aroha before the Native Lands Court, rendered it necessary that we should accompany the Ngatimaru on to the ground, which we did at their request. Messengers having arrived to say that the Ngatihaua, and several sections of the Waikato —friendlies and Hauhaus —against whom the decision of tho Court had been given, intended to occupy the ground in force, which induced the Ngatimaru at once to hasten to the spot, with tho view of taking early possession. Fortunately, however, the timely letter addressed by you to the Ngatihaua and Waikato, and a similar one addressed to the Ngatimaru and Ngatipaoa had the effect of allaying the excitement, and prevented a recourse to arms, which might in all probability have taken place had they met together on the ground. In consequence of this, the meeting to take place at Ohinemuri had been postponed, and it was not until the 13th instant that the different hapus met together at Te Hira's residence. After the usual preliminaries a formal meeting was arranged, and the several parties assembled under their respective chiefs. The question of the mail was carefully introduced, and taken into consideration by the tribes of Hauraki, according to promise, and submitted by them in a spirit of earnestness and conciliation to the meeting, but more especially in an appeal to the good sense of Te Hira and his supporters, and to the still closer ties of relationship which existed between them. During an interval of three days, friendly negotiations were kept up in the hope that they would yield to the wiser counsels of their friends ; and when the meeting finally closed, wc were all disappointed in finding that no change for the better had taken place ; the objections raised by Te Hira being directed generally to the occupation of the district by Europeans, the»' establishment of the telegraph, the purchase or leasing of the land, the introduction of a mining population, and, as a consequence, their ultimate expulsion from the only district they now hold. Up to this stage of the proceedings the position taken by the chief Te Moananui was, to say the least, very doubtful; but his last speech (and he is able to speak with eloquence) wa3 more reassuring, and we all still hoped that by the influence he is known to have with the Uriweras in particular, they would in a few days time (the meeting having dispersed) be induced to withdraw their opposition, and allow the mail to pass through unobstructed. I still hope before tho next mail leaves to be able to report more favourably on this subject. I beg leave to bring under your notice the patience and painstaking evinced by the loyal chiefs of the Ngatimaru, Ngatipaoa, and Ngatiamatera. The orderly manner in which the proceedings were throughout conducted, would have done credit to any body of men assembled together under the same circumstances. I have, &c, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. H. T. Kemp.

WAIKATO. No. 9. Mr. Seaeancke to the Hon. D. McLean. Sir,— Hamilton, 28th October, 1870. I have the honor to inform you that a party of Hauhaus, about seventy strong, headed by the two chiefs Te Kati and Wiremu Hunia Te Ngakau, from TeKuiti, marched from Maungatautari, on Tuesday last, through Cambridge to Tamahere, arriving there late in the evening. They wore quite unexpected by the Natives there, but were nevertheless most hospitably entertained. They remained there all Wednesday, and on Thursday morning marched on in a most orderly manner to Hamilton, where on the eastern bank they were entertained by Captain Steele. They then crossed the ferry. They went on through Ohaupo, and, I believe, slept last night at Rangiaowhia. I was not aware of this visit by the Hauhaus until their arrival at Cambridge. On Wednesday morning before daylight I was on my way to Tamahere, meeting their messenger to me ; they met me in a friendly spirit, informing me that their visit was entirely one of love and friendship ; that they wore desirous to see their old settlements and the graves of their relations at Hamilton; and that they would return home via Te Awamutu, Rangiaowhia, Kihikihi, and Wharepapa. Their whole remarks were dictated in the most amicable spirit, and their general conduct most orderly both there (Cambridge and Hamilton), and also on their march