H.—l4,

8

Mr. Alley. The land had not been through the Court, and was claimed both by the Ngatimaru and the Ngatihaua. Had Mr. Alley's cattle been allowed to remain, the Natives who had given him permission would have been held to have exercised rights of ownership, which there was not the slightest chance of the others agreeing to. I never advised or instigated the Natives to drive off the cattle ; and my object in warning Mr. Alley was to prevent injury being done to them. I was quite certain they would not have allowed them to remain, though I do not suppose they would have gone to blows about them, as the Government would probably have interfered to prevent bloodshed. I never at any other time advised or instigated the Natives to drive off the cattle. Karauna, chief of the Ngatimaru tribe, states: —l took part in driving Mr. Alley's cattle off Waiharakeke. I did so because the land was mine, and I had given no permission for the cattle to be there. I heard that ¥m. Thompson's children had given this permission, but they had no claim to the land. I had heard previously that Wm. Thompson's children wanted to sell the land to Sir Donald McLean, and on account of that I told them not to sell, or lease, or put cattle on this land. I did this of my own accord, and was not advised to do so by Mr. Puckey or any other European; nor did I hear any other Natives say that any Europeans had advised them to drive these cattle away. I heard from a Native named Tupara, of the Ngatihinerangi tribe, that he had sent a telegram to McLean at Wellington regarding these cattle, and the answer was that the cattle could be turned off by the Ngatihinerangi. This was a short time before they turned them off. Tupara is now at Te Puna, Tauranga. I did not send the telegram, but I heard Tupara make the statement. "We should not have allowed the cattle to remain, even if Sir D. McLean had asked us to do so."

Enclosure 18 in No. 5. Mr. E. "W. Puckey to Mr. H. Alley. Sib,— Native Office, Thames, 19th May, 1873. I have the honor to inform you that news has been received here to-day, to the effect that a large number of cattle, said to belong to you, are being depastured on lands adjacent to the Aroha, which have been taken through the Native Land Court and awarded to the Thames Natives, and on lands claimed by Ngatihaua, but their claims are disputed by the Thames tribes, who claim through their ancestors. A meeting has taken place here to-day, and I hare been requested by the Natives to desire you to take immediate steps to have the cattle removed, either to lands belonging to the Natives who have the cattle in charge, or else to Hikutaia, or wherever the cattle were driven from. I would recommend you to do this at once, as the Hau-Hau portion of the people counsel the advisability of killing the cattlft, but, in deference to the wishes of the people here, have for this time left the matter to be dealt with by them. At the meeting, it was further decided that in case you failed to remove the cattle at once, the Natives would drive them back, and if they were taken on the land again they would be killed. In addition, I would point out to you the desirableness of abstaining from any act which might complicate our relations with the Natives; and as this question is one of importance to yourself more particularly, let me urge upon you to lose no time in removing the cattle. The Ohinemuri Natives have refused to allow them to pass through on their way back, but I will see to that myself, and will remove any difficulty on that point. Please reply by return of messenger. I have, &c, E. W. Puckey, H. Alley, Esq., Hikutaia. Native Agent. By Authority: Geoege Didsbtot, Government Printer.—lB76. Price 6d.]