E.—No. 1.

It has always been the anxious desire of Ministers to pay the greatest deference to His Excellency's opinions on all occasions, and, as far a.s possible, to comply with his wishes. They regret the difference that has arisen in the present instance ; but they feel so strongly what appears to them the imprudence of releasing the prisoners at present, and they so much fear the dangerous consequences which might result from if. that they are not prepared to take the responsibility of such a step. Feed. Wiiitaker. Auckland, 2nd May, 1564.

No. 11. MEMORANDUM of His Excellexcv, in reply to Ministers' Memorandum of 2nd May. The Governor lias duly considered the Memorandum of his Responsible Advisers, of yesterday* date. He would only remark that he has not requested his Advisers to advise the release of all i lie prisoners at present. What he requested was that an announcement should be made by the Government as to what their ultimate fate should be ; and as it appears that Ministers are under the impression that the prisoners and their friends have for sometime past understood that in the event of t Ik; misconduct of their friends, the prisoners are still liable to personal punishment, and will not in such case be permitted to go back to "Waikato when peace is established. The Governor would add, that he has never led any of their friends, in interviews he has had with them, to believe that any decision had been come to regarding their fate. Letters from Mr. Mair. which he has this day seen, satisfy him that the ignorance prevailing regarding the fate of the prisoners has exercised, and is exercising, a very prejudicial effect upon the country. May 3rd, 1864. G. Grey.

Enclosure 1 to No. 11. Silt, — Camp Te Awamutu, April 28, 186-1. I hare the honor to transmit herewith, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, a letter addressed to me by Mr. Mair, Interpreter, embodying a statement made to him by Hone Te One, Native Magistrate from Kawhia, relative to the result of a visit recently made by some of Ins people to the place where the Ngatimaniapoto Chief Rewi is at present residing. In reference to my letter of the 21st instant, relative to certain Natives from the neighbourhood of Reid's Mission Station, I beg to state that the old chief Kingi is very desirous to know the Governor's pleasure regarding him and his people, who are how anxious to join the remainder of their 11'ibe at Kawhia. I have &c, The Private Secretary to His Excellency Geohoe J. Caret, The Governor, Ac, Ac. Brigadier-General.

Sin,— Te Awamutu, April 28th, 1864. 1 have the honor to inform you that the native, Pumipi Moko, who was sent by Hone te One to the Hangatiki country, returned lust evening, and reports as follows : —■ He was not permitted to see Bewi or any of the Ngatimaniapoto chiefs, the road being guarded by n number of the Ngatihau tribe, from Whanganui, who had orders to shoot any one who attempted to pass : but ho was allowed to send messages to Rewi, urging him to follow the example of Kingi and liis people, and accept the terms offered by the Governor and the General. Bewi answered that " he and all his people were very anxious to make peace, and live quietly by the side of the while people, but he was afraid that he would place himself too much at the General's mercy by giving up his arms :" that the natives captured at Rangiriri " had been dealt treacherously with, they having been led to believe that upon giving up their arms they would be permitted to go free, and live within the lines of the troops;" he did not believe " that they (the prisoners) were so well treated, or that their lives were to be spared;" but if some of them, Te Oriori or Takcrei for instance, "were allowed to come and see them, they would attach great importance to anything they proposed." He also added, that if " the Governor would write to him, as he had done to Thompson and his people, and be a little more lenient in his offers, he would be inclined to listen ;" but in the mean time "if any of his people accepted the terms offered, and attempted to pass out of his country, 1 hey would, if arrested, be put to death." The allies with him at present arc the Ngatihau from Whanganui, and a section of the Ngatiporou. They have built a pa, the name of which I have not been able to ascertain, on rising ground at the brad of the Hangatiki valley ; it is, 1 believe, about six miles from Lewis' place (Oi-ahiri), and perhaps T\vent,y-six or thirty miles from this camp. Pumipi informs me that there are no natives living on the river below Lewis', and that above that place the road is jealously watched by a strong guard of Ngatihau natives, who being Southerners, would have less compunction in killing any friendly native who attempted to pass without Rewi's permission. 1 have, &c, "William G. Maik, The Brigadier-Genera] Commanding. Interpreter to the Forces. Sin. Te Awamutu, April 29th, 1864. 1 have the honor to inform you that on the return of Hone Te One from Hangatiki, of which I gave an account in my last communication, his brother, Pumipi Moko, went to the same place to use his influence with portions of the Ngatihikairo and Ngatihinitu, whom he expected to find there. He returned on the 27th instant, and reports as follows: —

13

RELATIVE TO MAOltl PRISONERS.