E—No. 4,

No. 6. E. ORMSBY TO THE HONORABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Kopua, Upper Waipa, 15th April, 1862. Sir,— I have the honor to inform you that the Natives have swept off all my horses under colour of decisions of the Eunangas. They have now, or ought to have, eight or more head belonging to me; the last was taken on Saturday last, the 12th instant, for damage done in a garden of maize. Some short time ago six head of cattle—three belonging to me, and three to Natives—did the damage referred to. I offered ample compensation, or if they were not satisfied with that, to leave the matter to arbitration, or if they would begin with the Natives to pay as they should pay ; but the cowardly wretches have taken my last horse in payment for the whole damage done. I have been advised by Natives to ask the Governor to have these offenders arrested should they venture down the River. I have applied to the Eesident Magistrate for a Summons for them, so that if they allowed judgment to go by default, as they probably would, a Warrant might issue to take their bodies if they appeared in Loyal Districts, but he does not see his way to accede to my request. The Resident Magistrate is doing everything he can for me, but I am satisfied he will effect nothing ; he might as well attempt to reason with a wild beast or a highwayman as with these people. I venture to hope His Excellency the Governor will be pleased to inform me as soon as possible what I am to do under these circumstances. Can I proceed against the offenders in the manner I have indicated 1 Am I to pay the iniquitous demands of the Runangas, or let them retain possession of my horses 1 I have, &.c, E. Ormsby. The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Auckland.

No. 7. R. ORMSBY TO THE HONORABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Waipa, 14th May, 1862. Sir,— On or about the 15th ultimo, I wrote to you to inform you that all my horses had been seized by Natives under colour of decisions of the Runanga ; as I have received no reply to that letter, I again address you. In the difficulty in which I found myself, I thought that as the Government had sent Magistrates to the District, the best thing I could do would be to leave the matters in dispute to be settled by them. I am most unwilling to submit to the demands of the Eunangas, so long as there is any prospect of redress. I am now anxious to take the wisest course under the circumstances ; what that course is depends altogether on the intentions of the Government. May I then request you to inform me, can I take action against Natives who have robbed me 1 or am I to allow them to retain possession of my horses ? I have, <fcc, E. Ormsby. The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Auckland.

R. Ormsby.

No. 8. ACTING NATIVE 8ECKETAEY TO EOBT. OEMSBY, ESQ. Native Secretary's Office, Auckland, May 22nd, 1862. Sir,— In reply to your letters of the 15th April and 14th instant, acquainting the Government that certain Natives of the Waipa District had seized your horses under colour of decisions of the Runanga, I am directed by Mr. Fox to state to you that the Government is fully alive to the wrongful character of the transactions to which your letter refers, and to assure you of their anxiety to assist you in obtaining redress by all means in their power. At the same time I need not point out to you the difficulties which exist at the present time in enforcing the ordinary course of law in the district of Upper Waikato.

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NATIVE AFFAIRS.