E.—No. 2,

horse in question belonged to Hare Paiaua, ■who joined the rebels in arms against the Government, you are requested to be good enough to cause it to be returned to Mr. Neill, with as little delay as possible. H. Halse, Acting Native Secretary. The Assistant Native Secretary, New Plymouth.

No. 3. MINUTE BY HIS EXCELLENCY REQUESTING THAT NOTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BY MR. PARRIS MAY BE SENT TO HIM. Adverting to the Ministerial Minute of yesterday's date, on the subject of the land at the Waitara, and to the following passage therein, " But the Native Minister declares that, with the exception of the tribal occupation of the pas, nothing has occurred to shake his conviction that the proprietary right of the sellers to the greater part of the block would be proved by any investigation to be valid ;" the Governor would state that his own views on this subject differ somewhat from those of the Native Minister, and as he is very anxious to make no mistake on this subject, he begs that the Evidence or the Notes of the evidence taken by Mr. Parris, when he investigated the claims to the land at the Waitara, may be forwarded for his perusal, with as little delay as possible, as he is most anxious to settle this question. G. Grey. Taranaki, May Ist, 1863.

Vide page 14.

No. 3a. MEMORANDUM addressed to his excellency by the native minister, forwarding mr. PARRIS' REPORTS. The Native Minister, in reference to His Excellency's minute of this date, begs leave to state that he has been informed by Mr. Parris, that the only evidence which exists in writing of his investigation of the Waitara purchase is to be found in his letters and reports published in the " Reports of the Land Purchase Department," a copy of which is herewith enclosed. F. D. Bell. Taranaki, May Ist, 1863.

No. 4. MINUTE ADDEESSED TO HIS EXCELLENCY RECORDING THE STEPS PROPOSED FOR ABANDONING WAITARA AND IN KEGAKD TO REINFORCEMENTS. At a consultation between the Governor and Ministers last night, the following proposals made by His Excellency were agreed to :— Ist. That the troops should be withdrawn from the posts at Waitara, and that the frontier should be defended on the North by a force of Natives to be immediately organised. 2nd. That the territory between Omata and Tataraimaka belonging to Parenga Kingi and the Natives engaged in the murders yesterday should be declared to be forfeited to Her Majesty, and a Military Settlement formed there ; the portion of the block belonging to Ropata Ngarongomate and the other loyal natives having been placed at the Governor's disposal by that Chief. 3rd. That application should be made by the Governor to the Indian Government to send one European Regiment and two Regiments of Sikhs to New Zealand ; the Colony undertaking to increase the pay of Sikhs to double that which they receive in India. Ministers now tender advice to the Governor on the following points :— Ist. As regards the Waitara. Ministers advise that a general meeting of the Ngatiawa people at Waitara should be held immediately; at which the following declaration should be made as the decision to which the Government will adhere, viz. :—That circumstances connecte 1 with the purchase of Waitara having come to light which made it, in the opinion of Government, unadvisable to complete the purchase, the Government are willing and ready to restore the Waitara to its former owners, and to publish a general amnesty for all former offences; on the condition that those engaged in the late insurrection should absolutely separate themselves from the Southern tribes and leave the punishment of the late murders entirely in the hands of the Governor. Further, the declaration should be made.

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PAPERS EELATIVE TO