IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

F.—No.. 6b

11

No. 14. Mr. Paeeis to the Hod. D. McLean. Sib,— New Plymouth, Bth November, 1870. I have the honor to report for your information that during my absence on my late visit to Wellington, a Native meeting was held at Mataitawa on the 21st October, at which there were about one hundred and fifty Natives assembled from the district north of New Plymouth, together with thirty of Tiiokowaru's Natives from Ngatimaru. Tho meeting, which was convened by Tamati Te Ito, is said to have been very favorable for peace and quietness ; but so far as I can learn, it was got up to assert an independence of Te Whiti, which I submit is so far satisfactory, for too much influence in one Native is not desirable, and it is to be hoped quiet and orderly checks upon his far-stretched assumption will have a beneficial effect. Titokowaru's people explained to Bopata the unpleasantness which took placo at Opunake in the matter of killing some sheep as they were returning from the Parihaka meeting. Another meeting was held on the 31st October by the whole of tho Ngamahanga Tribe at Tauamona, between Stony River and Warea for a similar purpose. The Ngamahanga have been divided into two parties ; the largest party under the principal chiefs have been loyal for years, and have been of lato working at road work in their district. The other party, under Te Motu, has been allied to Te Whiti up to the time of the last meeting at Parihaka, after which To Motu proposed to the other section of the Ngamahanga to have a meeting to reunite as one hapu. Bopata Ngarongomate attended the meeting (being himself a Ngamahanga Native) and speakß very favourably of the meeting, especially the part Te Motu took. I have, &c, B. Paeeis, Tho Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

No. 15. Mr. Pareis to the Hon'. D. McLean. Sie,~ New Plymouth, November 22nd, 1870. In reference to the visit of a party of the Ngatitama and Ngatimutunga Natives to Tokangamutu, from which place they have recently returned, I have now the honor to inform you, that it is reported that the Northern tribes have consented to restore to the Ngatitama the long-disputed territory known by the name of Poutama, from which they were ejected many years ago for the murder of tho chief Bangihapainga. The proposal emanated from Beihana Whakahoehoe (who is a descendant from Eangihapainga), and was supported by Tawhiao, Bowi, and other chiefs, without enjoining any conditions more ]thau a voluntary surrender of tho land to the original owners ; but Tikaokao (Tawhana) proposed that they should be united as one people, as a condition of the surrender of the land to Ngatitama. To farther confirm the proposal, a woman of rank named Ruriruri, sister of Hone Pumipi Tuhoro, fame to Urenui with the Ngatitama when they returned from Tokangamutu, for the purpose of making known the decision of tho Northern tribes in the matter according to Native custom. I saw the woman Euriruri on Saturday last at Urenui, where she remains until Ihaia Kirikumara and party return from the North, after which she will return to the North, accompanied, most likely, by a party of Ngatitama, that being the custom of Natives on such occasions when they wish for such a proposal to bo concluded, as no doubt the Ngatitama do, for they have been very desirous for a long time to repossess themselves of Poutama. I questioned the late returned Natives from the Chatham Islands, with whom I had a meeting last Friday, as to their view of Tikaokao's proposals to join the Northern tribes, in answer to which they all repudiated anything of tho sort, and stated that until the position of the Ngatimaniapoto in relation to the Government was satisfactorily defined, they should not go beyond the White Cliffs. It appears that Beihana Whakahoehoe wanted to come so far as the White Cliffs with the Ngatitama, and to send for me to go and see him there; but ho was prevailed upon not to come until it was known whether I would agree to *ee him or not. Beihana Whakahoehoe is the son of the late Ngatimaniapoto chief Huatari. He has been a violent leader of a section of that tribe during the war since 18G2; before that he was well disposed towards the Government, and took a prominent part with Hikaka in opening the road for the overland mail from Bangiaowhia to Mokau. I have, &c, The Hon. the Native and Defence Minister, E. Pareis, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

No. 16. Mr. Halse to Mr. Paeeis. Sib,— Native Office, Wellington, 27th December, 1870. Adverting to the third paragraph of your letter of November 22nd, No. 274,1 have the hon<>r to state that Mr. McLean is not aware of anything against Beihana to preclude a compliance with his request; at the same time, he wishes you to use your own discretion in the matter. I have, &c,

H. Halse, The Civil Commissioner, Taranaki. Assistant Under Secretary.