E—No. 2.

LAND QUESTION, FROM 1839 TO 1859.

march homeward by the mountain road through the bush at the back of Mount Egmont, carefully avoiding any encroachment on the boundaries of the settlement. Indeed so cautious were they of interfering with the settlers that a considerable amount of property in goods and money belonging to an inhabitant of the town of New Plymouth, which happened to be in a house close to the pah of Ihaia, was carefully and scrupulously removed by the Ngatiruanui, before going into action. 5. From all I can hear, this last affair may be considered as settled, as the loss has been pretty nearly balanced and Ihaia and his party have gone back to their pah at Manuka; but with regard to the first, I fear that further bloodshed may be expected, and as unfortunately it has arisen about aland question, Katatore will have all the sympathy of those who are opposed to the sale of land. The relations and friends of the deceased Chief, Rawiri, who are principally resident within the settlement, and who are called the friendly natives, as being in favour of sale of land, are determined to have revenge for the death of their people. 6. The interference of the Government is vehemently called for by Rawiri's friends, who are the weaker party, and who are loud in their demands for arms and ammunition and also for troops. On the contrary, the opposite party are as anxious that the Government should not interfere in the matter at all. 7. I do not think that any danger is to be apprehended to the Colonists and the settlement from these Native disturbances, so long as the Government and Colonists abstain from interference. The natives of Rawiri's party would no doubt try to involve the Government in the quarrel, but I think the other party would be careful not to interfere with the settlement, as by so doing they would throw a preponderance into the hands of their opponents, if the Government were compelled to interfere, independently of which, natives are very averse to giving the first cause of quarrel. 8. The active and armed interference of the Government in these native quarrels would I fear be fatal to the prosperity of the settlement for some time to come, as the outsettlers would be compelled to concentrate themselves in town for the protection of their wives and families, and their properties zn the mean time would go to ruin. * I have, &c, C. L. Nugent, Native Secretary.

No. 23. RETORT FROM ASSISTANT NATIVE SECRETART HALSE TO THE NATIVE SECRETARY, DATED JANUARY 11, 1858. New Plymouth, Jan. 11, 1858. Sir, I have to report to you that Katatore was killed last Saturday under very atrocious circumstances. On his return from town towards sundown with three natives, named in the margin, all on horseback, he was waylaid by Tamati Tiraurau and a party of five natives (4 Ngalitahiris and 1 belonging to Mahoetahi)on one of the main roads of the Bell District, and shot. His relative Rawiri Karira fell at the first volley, and was literally hacked to pieces. Tamihana pushed on, but Katatore dismounted, and whilst leading his horse away up the cross road towards the Huira, was overtaken and pierced with several bullets, then beaten about the head with the discharged guns (three of which were broken over him), and finally mangled with tomahawks. * * * The plans laid for Katatore's death were Ihaia's, as he has admitted to Mr. Parris; but they were so well kept by the natives concerned that nothing was known of them until they were effected. Even Katatore, who received a warning on the road from Mr. Hollis, who had observed armed natives remaining in one spot, had no thought of being attacked. Ihaia was observed watching him about town during the day under an assumed desire for a reconciliation, and he followed him out of town. lam of opinion that the attack must have been meditated for some time, as on the first occasion of his moving out unarmed, he has been killed. It may be attributed partly to revenge for Rawiri Waiaua's death, and jealousy that Katatore, after all their efforts to punish him for it, should be in a position to offer land for sale, when Ihaia's offer was rejected. I am quite unable to venture an opinion on the probable consequences of this unfortunate business. I fear it will lead to serious Native troubles. Wiremu Kingi, of Waitara, occupied the Tima pah yesterday, and will aid the Kaipakopako Natives. The latter intend to attack the Ikamoana at once, rather than remain prisoners in their own pa. Hone Ropiha, the Assessor, met Katatore in town on Saturday, and was quite ignorant of Ihaia's plans. In conclusion, 1 deem it my duty to observe that Tamati Tiraurau, who resides in a well-fur-nished wooden house in town, remarkable for his intelligence and extensive mercantile transactions with the settlers, was especially prominent for his ferocity in this attack. He dragged Rawiri off his horse when mortally wounded by the first volley, and seizing him by the hair of his head, with the most fiendish gesticulations, as witnessed by two of the Bell Block settlers, first hacked his body and then his head and face to pieces. * * I have, &c, The Native Secretary, Henry Halse. &c. &c. &c.

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