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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 152, 11 December 1863, Page 3

Waikato. —Reports were rife on Sunday afternoon that the insurgent tribes had laid down their arms, and were sueing in the

most submissive manner for “ peace-at-any-price.” On diligent enquiry we could not find that this report was in any way authenticated. Could we have discovered any trustworthy foundation for the rumor w T e should certainly have given it to onr readers in an extra at an parly hour yesterday morning. In the absence of anj such corroboration of the report, we hesitated to give it any further currency, and waited to see what information would be forthcoming at the meeting of the House of Representatives at noon. That we had judged rightly in so doing was speedily proved. Mr. Fox laid on the°table a correspondence which, now that we have it in a reliable form, we hasten to present to our readers. It appears that the letter of which so much has been made was written by Wiremu te Wbeore, a friendly chief, of his own proper motion, and not by any means as the spokesman of the Governor. It will be seen that the letters laid on the table of the House yesterday were, one from William Thompson, alleging that, so far from having voluntarily laid down their arms, his people had lost them in swimming across the Wangape Lake, and that by no means have they become lecoucileu to the further progress of the General ; the other is from the Governoi'i stating firmly that the General’s onward progress would not be staid until the Queen’s flag floated over Nguruawahia. From our correspondent’s letter, it will he seen that General Cameron is still advancing, and that the Pioneer has passed the shallows, and is now floating in the deeper and more tranquil reaches of the higher part of the river, within eight miles of the King’s capital. The following are the letters laid upon the table of the House yesterday ; Ngaruawahia, Dec. 2, 1863. FniEND Wiremu, —Writer of the letter and Pene Pukewhau, jour letter has arrived, in which jou saj that our guns and powder bo given to tho Otovernor. Hearken we brought away uo "uns or powder with us. All the pakehas witnessed tho swimming across the lake of tho survivors—their guns and their powder were all lost in the lake. These arc the persons who escaped hither belonging to the tribes Ngatehaua and Kgatihouki.

(Here follow 36 names). All the guns and powder were lost in the water, not one was brought away; do not suppose I am concealing [the truth] from you ; no, this is the real truth, perfect truth. You say I 'em still in arms at the present time. A T ow I will thus reply :If I were still desirous Oi bearing arms, I could have still remained at Paetae for some of our tribes were stavirm- there 200 [4oo?] with arms and ammunition. ° Understand I cannot bear arms whilst the chiefs of Waikato, who have been made prisoners of, are making proposals of peace. _ Friend, hear also that 200 [4oo?] went to assist [at Rangiriri] ; they passed across the lake landed, and went on, and arrived at the top of a ridge; when they saw white flags flying.- that was all, thereupon they sat down on the top of the ridge ; afterwards Hemi, a half-caste, came up in company with Tiremei—they said “ Peace has been made.’ * The 200 [4OO ?] then returned to their respective homes. Friend, it .is your side alone wir'-i' is sfiil in arms that is to -say, the steamer which is at work in the Waikato,making pahs as it goes on ; when they finish one they come a little further and make another. Now then, let the steamer stay away—do not let it come hither. That is all, Wrr.r.»rrt . .. V» iULJIU JiAJIiITaNA. Government House, 6th Dec. 1863. O, All you chiefs of Waikato, O Peko Perkewhau.—Your letter of the 2nd December has reached me. Sons, my words to you are these the General must go uninterrupted to Ngaruawahia. The flog of the Queen must be hoisted there • then I will talk to you. ’ , T r, . C Si S iled 3 G. Grey, Governor, —Jyew Zealander, Deo. 8,