A.—No. 8,

10

PAPERS RELATIVE TO NATIVE

they should bo rationed by the Government and charged Is. 6d. per diem. They stated to mo that they enlisted under the conditions that they Avere to find themselves, and when placed in such a position that they could not do so, Government Avould provide rations and charge for the same. Up to the present time their rations, &c, consisting of bread, meat, potatoes, salt, sugar, tea or coffee, pepper, fircAvood, candles, &c, have cost them from 11-|-d. to Is. 2d. per day, but that under the new system they are charged Is. 6d. a day, Avithout candles or vegetables; that in addition they have to find fatigue or covering parties for the contractors in procuring these rations. The men as a bocly r have likewise requested me to bring before your notice their objection to serve in the Armed Constabulary if they are compelled to forfeit pay on being put into hospital, or unless forage for the horses belonging to the mounted men is found for them at the least at a reduced rate. Again, they state that they consider they have a claim to their discharge unless they receive 4s. a day and find themselves, Avithout any deductions for being received into hospital or otherwise. I beg to bring to your notice the very respectful manner in which these claims were made on the part of the men. I endeavoured to explain to them that tho conditions under Avhich they aro serving were being carried out in their entirety, and that they had all heard them read before being sworn in. I also informed them that I should forward the substance of their complaints to you, and that, pending cither your reply or your seeing them in person, the orders as issued on the Ist instant Avould be enforced. They appeared satisfied to await your reply, but I fear a feeling of dissatisfaction has been engendered in consequence of the order. I have, &c, Wm. Huntee, Inspector, A.C, Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, &c, Patea. Commanding Camp AVaihi.

No. 72. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. Colonel Haultain to Colonel McDonnell. (No. 399-2.) Colonial Defence Office, Sic,— Wellington, 18th July, 186 S. Beferring to your letter, No. 355-1, and its enclosures, of the 10th instant, relative to the pay of the various corps under your command, in which you represent that you are placed in an awkward position by their different rates of pay and allowances, and recommend that one uniform rato should be adopted, I must point out to you that the several corps have been raised under such different circumstances, that it would not be just to assimilate their pay and allowances. The Militia of the district are called out for the defence of their own homes, and are bound to give their services at the minimum rate of pay authorised by tho Legislature; they are, however, entitled to 6s. a month in lieu of clothing during the time they are on duty. The Constabulary are a permanent force, enrolled for general service, and cannot fairly claim the same pay as men who are enlisted out of the district to serve for a few weeks for a special object, and who will be summarily discharged when that object has been gained. You will explain this to the men under your command; but as it appears that a full ration of everything they require is not issued by the Government, you will inform the Constabulary and local Militia that during tho present active operations in tho Batea District, where the cost of provisions is very high, Is. a day only will be deducted for rations, and further, that no stoppages will be made from the pay of men whilst in hospital. No additional allowance can, however, be granted to mounted men for forage, nor can forage be issued in kind by the Government, and you must therefore keep them only where they may reasonably be expected to find food for their horses. Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, I have, &c., Commanding Colonial Forces, Patea. T. M. Haultain.

No. 73. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Baeeis to the Hon. J. C Bichmond. (No. 195.) Sic, — New Plymouth, 18th September, 1866. Enclosed herewith I have tho honor to forward a supplement to the Taranaki Herald of Saturday last, containing an article which, by its heading, appears to have been written at Major McDonnell's camp, Hawera, in all probability by some one holding a commission in the New Zealand Militia or in the employment of the Government. The article in question was copied from the Wanganui Chronicle, the proprietor of which paper should, I think, in justice to myself, be called upon to give up the name of the individual, who wrote it. In consequence of certain reports received by the Government relative to the proceedings of Major McDonnell, I was sent to the district to communicate if possible with the disaffected tribes. The results of my mission I have already reported to the Government, which must be aware that such services cannot be performed effectually without considerable personal, risk to tho individual who undertakes them. I had to place myself entirely in the hands of the Natives by going among them, away many miles from any protection whatever, entirely at the mercy of the tribe which took advantage of poor Broughton and others on a similar service. I had no " sugar and flour policy " to tempt the Natives with, but, on the contrary, had to demand of them their unconditional surrender, and to explain to them that by going into rebellion they had forfeited their land, and must rely on the Government for a portion of the land for themselves in future. This unpleasant part I had to perform in opposition to a document signed by Major McDonnell, agreeing to give them back all their land and to stop fighting; and in the face of this there is a flourish of trumpets from the Hawera camp, proclaiming to the public that Mr. Parris has failed to patch up a