A.—No. Ba.

No. 24. Copy of a Letter from Major St. John to Captain Holt. (No. 43.) Sir,— Opotiki, 12th February, 1868. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter No. 79-3, and dated 7th February, 1868. On the very day of the receipt I had returned from a march undertaken in accordance with the authority given me in Captain Holt's letter of 17th January (copy annexed), the reasons for which march and the results I have reported to you in my letter No. 41, of the 11th February. I am instructed that, unless I am attacked, I am to remain on the defensive and lower down. Should the rebels, however, have committed any actual outrages, and are still threatening violence, I may send the steamer to Tauranga for reinforcements. The Natives have not actually attacked or committed any outrage, simply because it has been out of their power to do so on account of the precautions taken. We have full information that the party which came down the Waiotahi the other day came under the false impression that fourteen men were there at work building a blockhouse, with the intention of cutting them off. We also know that by the letters taken in the Waimana a large number of Uriweras have been banded together for some time for an attack, so that there is no doubt they are still threatening violence. Considering these two paragraphs, neither Major Mair nor myself thought we could take the responsibility of calling down Arawas without further consultation, so we both ran up in the " Sturt " yesterday and held a meeting at Mr. Clarke's house, Colonel Harington being also present. Mr. Clarke's information is even more positive than ours, and he agreed entirely with us, that it was no use to wait to send for Arawas until the actual danger was at hand, because, there being no communication between the two places, by the time they arrived all mischief the enemy could do would be done. He said, therefore, he would send down the Arawas in a fortnight, and told me that even with them he thought I should have enough to do to defend myself. There I disagreed with him ;my opinion being that as long as the enemy finds we are in a state of preparation he will not attack, but continue to hover about, waiting for a chance. This state of things might go on for a long time, costing the Government a great deal of money for the mere safety of the place. If the efficiency is not preserved, the Hauhaus will come down soon enough; but until then, I think not. However, Mr. Clarke is of a different opinion. One thing is certain to me, that it would be cheaper to anticipate them, and treat these rebels as the Perakaus were treated last year. This year I understand the latter are nearly starving, and so have no stomach for war. On this subject, whether with the Arawas lam still to remain on the defensive or attack, I beg for further instructions. You mention the small amount of transport at my disposal: it consists of two cart-horses, one of them broken down, and two pack-saddles. I could not carry much with these, and men cannot in this country carry more than four days' rations, so without some more transport it will of course be impossible to move far. Every care has been taken that no mistakes shall occur in the muster-rolls, and Captain Bower is performing the duties of Adjutant and Quartermaster without extra pay. I have taken over from Captain Fairchild twelve tents for the use of the Arawas. The letters alluded to as having been found were handed over to Mr. Clarke, who will forward them to the Native Office. I have, <&c, The Under Secretary, J. H. St. John, Major, Colonial Defence Office, Wellington. Commanding Opotiki District.

No. 25. Copy of a Letter from Captain Holt to Major St. John. (No. 105-3.) Colonial Defence Office, Sib,— Wellington, 19th February, 1868. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters (numbers and dates as per margin), and am directed to inform you that the Hon. the Defence Minister is proceeding to Opotiki to determine whether further operations are to be undertaken against the TJriweras, and will give you definite instructions on the spot. I have, &c, Major St. John, J. Holt, Commanding Militia District, Opotiki. Under Secretary.

No. 35, Feb. 5, 1868. No. 38, Feb. 8, 1868. No. 43, Feb. 12, 1868.

No. 26. Instructions for Offices Commanding- Opotiki District. The Constabulary, Engineer Company, and Arawa Contingent are to be posted on the Whakatane River under command of Major Fraser, who may traverse any part of the confiscated district, but is riot to proceed beyond it unless attacked or threatened by any large body of Natives assembling in his vicinity with avowed or evident hostile intentions. In this event Major St. John is to use the whole of the means at his disposal to attack and disperse the rebels. In the meantime, however, he is to reduce the Militiamen on pay at Opotiki to a number sufficient to occupy the two blockhouses and the Church Redoubt, and to furnish a patrol or small picket. The Constabulary and Engineer Corps will proceed to Pukcti as soon as arrangements can be made for the transport of provisions from Whakatane, and they will build a redoubt at any convenient position on the right bank of the Waimana at its junction with the Whakatane Eiver. It is intended that a stockade should form part of the redoubt, and an expense of not more than £100 may be expended in its erection. Should all remain quiet in the district for one fortnight from this date, the Arawas are to return to Maketu, and the Engineer Corps to Tauranga.

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