A.—No. 20.

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO

Eeply to my letter, let the reply come quickly. From your friend. To George Grey, Governor. Wi Tamihana Te Waharoa.

No. 34. Copy of a Letter from His Excellency the Governor to Wihemu Tamiiiana Tarapipipi. [translation.] My friend Willtam Thompson. Government House, Wellington, 22ud October, 1866. I have seen your letter to Mr. Clarke, and also to the surveyors, about the extension of tho survey across the Wairoa at Tauranga. 1 have ordered an inquiry to be made into this matter, that it may appear whether wrong has been done or not; but in the meantime my direction is that tho Pirirakau must give up the surveyors' instruments which they have taken. Now, I look to you, as my friend, to make this matter plain, as you have taken part in it. If wrong has been done by the surveyors I will see that the wrong be redressed, when fair inquiry has been made, but the taking away of the surveyors' instruments is an act which is not right. 1 wish you, therefore, to write and tell the Pirirakau to give them up. In this way a quiet solution of the difficulty will be effected. From your friend. G. Gret, To William Thompson, Tamahere, Waikato. Governor.

No. 35. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Clarke to the Hon. J. C. Bichmond. (D. 2G7.) Civil Commissioner's Office, Sir,— Tauranga, 25th October, 1866. In obedience to the request contained in the latter part of your letter of the 6th instant, No. 727, I have the honor to report for the information of His Excellency's Government the present state of the Bay of Plenty District, as far as I have been able to gather from different sources. Various rumours have been in circulation, which, for the most part, I have treated as idle reports, but when I find that those reports have been confirmed by recent events at Napier, I am led to look upon them in a more serious light. About a month ago I hoard that the Natives were on the move for Napier, and that the destruction of the town was intended. You will doubtless have heard that some of the Arawa, in an attempt to go overland to Cambridge for the purpose of advancing claims to land about to be investigated in the Native Lands Court, were prevented from crossing the king's boundary line. They were threatened first by letter and afterwards in person. A second attempt was made by a different route, with a like result. The Arawa were unarmed. The " Kati " spoken of has not been established specially to prevent the Arawa from being present at the Land Court, but is a part of the policy established by the disaffected Natives to prevent information being brought out of their district. Harawira, a young chief of some note, came to me last week aud warned me not to allow any surveyor to go to the north side of Te Wairoa, as they would certainly be murdered. He informs me that he had held personal communication with a party of Natives headed by a Native named liopata, of the Ngatiporou (East Cape). He states that liopata abruptly addressed him to the following effect : —" Keep your ears listening and don't be startled if you hear great news." This led Harawira to question him closely. Ropata stated that five of his companions were from Taranaki; that they had been sent to murder any surveyors they could find at work on any confiscated land. In consequence of this information, the Natives engaged in the surveying pai-ties left their work. This report has been comfirmed by Hori Tupaea. Some time since the old chief promised me that if he heard anything of importance which ho believed, he would himself come and tell me. Two days ago he informed me that he and the Natives on the north side of Tauranga had received a letter from the Ngatiporou who reside on the coast a little to the north of this district, requesting them to collect in one body and move out of the way as " it was near." That since the receipt of that letter a deputation of Ngatiporou and Taranaki Natives had visited Moananui's (of Tauranga) kainga to inquire whether any surveyors wore at work. Hori Tupaea begged me not to allow surveyors to go anywhere on the north and west side of To Wairoa. Yesterday a Native named Te Kupu Matu, living in the ranges near Katikati, called upon me to ask for a certificate to the effect that he had made a declaration of allegiance to the Queen twelve months before. When I asked him why he wanted the certificate he replied, "I do not properly belong to this district; lam a Ngatiwhatua (near Auckland), and lam not going to be put again in the same position as I was at the breaking out of the war at Waikato. I went to Waikato to fetch my wife and children, when I got there I could not get back again." 1 asked him whether he apprehended anything here, and from his replies J could see he knew more than he would reveal. This is t|ie position of matters in these districts. It is hard to tell what amount of truth is mixed up in these rumours ; but without wishing to be an alarmist, I believe there is some important movement in contemplation. In what shape it will develop itself or where it will burst forth it is at present impossible to conjecture. The greatest vigilance will be required. It has been stated that there are designs on foot against the Arawa, on account of the assistance they have rendered us. The Arawa are on the watch, and will guard against surprise. They will not take any offensive steps to force the " Kati " without the sanction of the Government. The Ngatiporou between this and the Thames District are a constant source of annoyance to this district, and the party under the immediate influence of the notorious Ilakaraia cause the Arawa some anxiety. From the close proximity (only six miles) to Maketu on the coast, a hostile force might