ISSUED TO FRIENDLY NATIVES.

31

D.—No. 21

The Natives that have been armed have been, and still aro, in the field fighting against the Hauhaus. No arms have been issued to the Natives of Ahuriri, and very few to the friendly Natives of Poverty Bay, as their professions of friendship, except in a very few instances, were considered exceedingly doubtful. The arms have been chiefly distributed in Morgan's districts, where the Natives have given ample and repeated proof of their fidelity. I have, &c., The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Donald McLean.

lI.—No. 75. Copy of a Letter from His Honor D. McLean to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. Sir, — Napier, 27th December, 1865. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th instant, asking for a return of arms and accoutrements, &c, the property of the Government, which have been issued by my order to the Natives. I herewith enclose the return called for. I should state, for the information of the Government, that the arms and ammunition have been supplied chiefly to the Ngatiporou, or Morgan's tribe, at tho East Cape, and delivered to the chiefs at the following settlements: —Hicks' Bay, Waiapu, Tuparoa, Te Mawae. I expected to have been able to register the name of each Native to whom arms were supplied, but I found that it was difficult to do so. The heavy surf rendered it impossible at times to land some of the cases, which had to be opened, arms taken out, and landed a few at a time. This was more particularly the case at Waiapu and Tuparoa, where the greatest quantity was landed. About 500 stand have been delivered to the chiefs on this part of the coast, including Hicks' Bay and Te Mawae. The rest of the arms have been supplied to the chiefs at Table Cape, Te Wairoa, Mohaka, Poverty Bay, and a few at Taupo. With the exception of one chief, Te Matenga of Nuhaka, who became a Hauhau after receiving ten stand of arms, all the rest have displayed the utmost fidelity and loyalty to the European cause. Te Matenga was deprived of his arms when he became a Hauhau. I enclose the copy of a letter from Mr. Deighton, who was intrusted with the distribution of arms at the Wairoa and Waiapu. I have, Ac, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Donald McLean.

H. —Enclosure in No. 75. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Deighton to His Honor D. McLean. Sir, — Napier, 15th December, 1865. In reference to a letter from the Defence Office, asking for a return of arms distributed to the friendly Natives on the East Coast, I have the honor to state that about 200 muskets were handed over to Kopu Pitiera, at the Wairoa, and about 250 to Mokena, at the Waiapu. The former can be accounted for more minutely on my return to the Wairoa, and the latter upon reference to a nominal roll of the friendly Natives at the Waiapu. I am, &.C., His Honor the Superintendent, Hawke's Bay. S. Deighton, R.M.

lI.—No. 76. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. E. W. Stafford to His Honor D. McLean. (No. 25.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir, — Wellington, loth January, 1566. I havo to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, enclosing a return of arms, accoutrements, <&o, belonging to the Government, which have been issued by your orders to the Natives. There is an apparent conflict in tho statements conveyed in your letter and its enclosures with the information supplied by Lieut.-Colonel Whitmore, commanding the Napier District. The return signed by Captain and Adjutant Withers, on the 6th instant, gives a total of 340 stand of arms issued to you from Ist July to 31st December, 1865. In your letter you refer to an issue of 500 stand to the chiefs on the coast about Hawke's Bay, including Hicks' Bay and Te Mawae, and to the rest of the arms having been supplied to Natives in other districts. Mr. Deighton in his letter, which you enclose, speaks of about 450 issued to Natives at the Wairoa and Waiapu. Lieut.-Colonel Whitmore, in a return dated the 6th instant, a copy of which I enclose, shows a total of 1,016 stand of arms, besides 59 revolvers, issued on your requisition. The Government would be obliged by an explanation as to those discrepancies, and a statement of the mode in which the arms specified in Colonel Whitmore's return, and any others which you may have received, have been disposed of. I have, &c, His Honor D. McLean, E. W. Stafford. Government Agent, Hawke's Bay.