A.—No. 20.

upon receiving this invitation sixty had gone over to the Thames; that the people who were now at Mataora were only Eopata's people, who have always remained peaceable. We returned to Tauranga last evening. I have, &c, H. T. Claeke, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

No. 52.

Copy of a Letter from Mr. Claeke tD the Hon. J. 0. Eichmond. (D. 315.) Civil Commissioner's Office, Sir, — Tauranga, 28th February, 18G7. In continuation of my report, date and number as quoted in the margin, I have the honor to acquaint you, from information received from good sources, it was ascertained that the Hauhaus were collecting in some force at Tc Irehanga and Wakainaratna. Fires had been seen burning daily for a week past, which were said to be challenges to our force to fight. It was determined to attack them as soon as a sufficient force could be collected. Some delay was experienced in doing this, on account of the very heavy floods with which the district has been visited. On the evening of the 14th every arrangement was completed for starting for Te Irihanga on the following morning. At two o'clock a.m. our forces marched from the mouth of the Euangarara Stream. The Militia, under Captain Stack, being in advance, closely followed by the whole of the Arawa Contingent, under Captain Walter and Mr. Mair, the remainder of the Militia bringing \ij> the rear. The whole under the direction of Colonel Harrington. The Honorable the Minister for Colonial Defence accompanied the expedition, and was personally cognizant of ail that took place. The direct road to Irihanga was found to be impracticable from the lato heavy rains, but by making a considerable detour, under the able guidance of Mr. Jordan, surveyor, the whole force were at the foot of the hill upon which To Irihanga is situated, shortly after sunrise. It had been arranged that in the event of the Hauhaus making a stand on the top of the hill to attack in three columns, the Arawa taking the right and left and the Militia the centre ; but it was clear from the first fire of the enemy that his intention was to draw our force into the wood, where they hoped to make a good stand. The enemy did not fire a shot till our men got into the open ground, near the top of the hill. This gave our large force a great advantage, by allowing them to spread. The top of the hill is about 150 yards from the wood ; the fern on each side of the road eight or ten feet high. The enemy had cleared a space, of about ten yards wide between the hill and the wood by treading the fern down, and with the artful device of turning the 'heads of the fern in the direction of the approach of our men. This was done to enable the enemy to fire destructive volleys while our men were passing over the intervening space between the top of the hill and the wood, which could only be done at a very slow pace on account of the manner in which the fern had been laid. As our men approached the top of the hill the enemy opened fire. The Arawas here, under Mr. Mair, took the lead, they waited until the enemy had delivered a heavy volley, and then, before they had sufficient time to reload, the Arawas rushed down and followed them into the wood, here the enemy were not suffered to rest a moment, they were driven from tree to tree through to the next village in an incredibly short time, they were then driven through their cultivations at To Whakamaraina to the wood on the other side. The dashing manner in which the Arawas accomplished this work, under the direction of Mr. Mair, is described by every one who witnessed it as being very praise worthy. Mr. Charles Pitt, of the Ist Waikato Eegiment, with three or four men of the Militia were the only Europeans (excepting Mr. Mair) who could keep pace with them. In this affair three Arawas, named iv the margin, were severely wounded, one of the enemy was killed, and fell into our hands. As soon as the Militia came up sentries were posted, and the men allowed to take rest. The Arawas, thinking that the fighting was over, returned in a body to Irihanga to carry out their wounded, and to make arrangements for sending them to town. In the meantime the enemy crept up, under cover of the wood, and wounded one of our sentries through the arm. Our European force, without waiting for the Arawas, at once pursued the enemy. They found them in strong force ; a hot fight ensued, the enemy, although possessing every advantage from their knowledge of the country and from the peculiar nature of the fight, could not hold their ground anywhere, they were driven about two miles through a dense wood to another village, where they broke and fled in different directions, and never fired another shot. I regret to say that our loss was comparatively heavy. Two brave and valuable men were killed on our side, Mr. T. Jordan, of the Volunteers, and Private Jeffs, of the Ist Waikato, and three men wounded. The Hauhaus left another man dead in our hands, and from appearances there is no doubt many of their number were at least severely wounded. Our men displayed very great bravery in this affair. I need hardly say that every attention is paid to the Arawa wounded. It has been discovered since that the Hauhaus fled in the direction of the Thames. The two men who were killed were both members of Pene Taka's hapu, and both took part ia the outrages upon the surveyors. Three days were employed by the whole of our force, both European and Native, in destroying the extensive cultivations in this neighbourhood. On the 19th the Arawas moved again in the direction of Paengaroa and Kaimai; they found the village of Kaimai deserted. Having received letters from certain Natives on the coast to the north of Tauranga, stating that the}' were in a state of great terror on account of a rumour which had reached them that it was the intention of the Arawas to visit their different villages and destroy them. I suggested to the Honorable the Colonial Defence Minister that I should visit the Natives of Otahu and Tairua, to assure them that the Government would not in any way interfere with them

D. 311, Feb. 2.

Hiirrti, "Ugatipiliino," through the aide, severe. Kitua, Ngatiwhukane, cap of kr or, severe, JWoriki, Ngaterangitihi, through 1 lie thigh, Berere j second time wounded in our service. AJI doing well.

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PAPEES EELATIVE TO