A.—No. 4

the rest of the men, while the Maoris were singing war and Pai Marire hymns, and dancing the war dance, in a vain endeavour to get up courage enough to charge us. By half-past 9, a.m., I withdrew with the last five men from our position in front of the bush ; we had charged into the clearing at half-past 6 a.m. I estimated the Maori force from sixty to eighty men, though there was accommodation for many more in the temporary huts. At the time of our withdrawal I estimated that the Maoris had from six to eight men hit, and if it had not been for the frightful road to carry home wounded men, I would have persevered in completing our chances of a complete victory. Some officers and men advised me of a better route home for the transport of the wounded than the one we had come. This route, however, after cutting it through a dense bush, ended in a precipice of 150 feet. We returned to our old route, and found that some Maoris had taken possession of some strong whares before which we unavoidably had to pass. Three of these Maoris were seen by my advanced guard and shot, the first by Sergt. Ross, No. 2 Company Forest Rangers, the other two by some other men later. Not wishing to have any more wounded to carry, I sent Captain George and some men to explore the heading of the precipitous gully in our rear. He came back, and reported favorably. We then retreated unmolested through successive forest gorges; the bush was of the densest, and the ascents and descents of the steepest. Private Macbean died on this road. After gaining the fern ridges, we entered camp at 4 p.m. In conclusion, I have to bring specially to your notice the gallant conduct of Ensign Whitfield and Captain George, also the soldierly management of Lieut. Wetneys, and the usefulness of Ensign Irwin, as well as Lieut. Malone, in command of the reserve ; but above all I have to praise the steady bearing of all non-commissioned officers and men, who underwent without a murmur the most trying fatigues for fifteen hours, and performed their bush cutting, road making, and bush fighting, with equal equanimity and courage. My thanks are also due to Lieut. Doughton, 50th Regiment, who with twenty men went to our assistance over a road unknown to him and hardly passable, the variety of tracks leading him astray. I have, Ac, G. F. Yon Tempsky, Major Forest Rangers. Brigadier-General Waddy, commanding Field Force, Wanganui. P.S.—One man lost his way in the bush yesterday, Private Best, of No. 1 Company Forest Rangers. I have sent out a volunteer party to look for him to-day ; they have not returned yet. The party has just returned and found no trace of Private Best; the natives have gone, to all appearances. No. 155. Lieut.-General Sir D. A. Cameeon to His Excellency the Goveenoe. Sic, — Head Quarters, Auckland, 27th June, 1865. I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I have received from Colonel Warre a copy of a letter written by him in reply to one from your Private Secretary, forwarding to him copies of a correspondence which had taken place between your Excellency and myself. Your Excellency's proceedings being calculated to undermine the discipline of the force under my command, for which I am responsible, it will be my duty to report them to the Secretary of State for War, and His Royal Highness the Field-Marshal Commanding in Chief, and to solicit their protection against your Excellency. In the meantime I have directed Colonel Warre to abstain from replying to any official communications he may receive from your Excellency on which it may not be necessary for the public service that immediate action should be taken, until he has submitted them for my consideration and instructions. I have, Ac, D. A. Cameeon, His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B. Lieut.-General. No. 156. Lieut.-General Sir D. A. Camebon to His Excellency the Goveenoe. Sic, — Head Quarters, Auckland, 30th June, 1865. I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I have received letters from BrigadierGeneral Waddy, C.8., commanding at Wanganui, from which it appears that Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Logan has been for some time acting at that station as Agent to the Colonial Government. Lieut.-Colonel Logan has been performing that duty without my sanction, and I have received no application for his services from your Excellency; I have therefore directed him to restrict himself to his military duties. Lieut.-Colonel Logan is not the senior officer on the station, and it would be improper for him to report on military matters to the Government. But there are reasons for which I consider it objectionable that any officer should hold the appointment of Agent to the Colonial Government, —and there is in my opinion no necessity for it. I have always impressed upon officers commanding at out-stations, that it is their duty to report direct to your Excellency whenever inconvenience to the public service might be occasioned by their doing so through me, and to furnish your Excellency with all the information you may require. ' I have pointed this out to Brigadier-General Waddy.

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COEEESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE