A.—No. 12.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS

28

No. 23. Copy of a Letter from Colonel Whithore to the Hon. Colonel Haultain. Sic, — Head-Quarters, Norman's Flat, 10th March, 1869. In continuation of my last report, I have the honor to inform you that acting on the conclusions at which I arrived on the 7th instant, I proceeded on the Bth to explore and lay off a line by which the troops might emerge from the bush and reach Wairoa; while Major Kemp, with a strong Native column, made a last reconnaisance to the front, but inclining towards Okutuku. This movement did not result in finding the enemy in position, though his traces were found moving in a northerly direction. Meanwhile leaving Lieut.-Colonel Fraser to cut the road I had laid off, I had myself returned to Weraroa, where I made the necessary arrangements for the removal of my whole force, except the garrison (fifty) of the post, with my stores and material, to the Patea District, which from the smallness of my available transport required some consideration. Here I received from Lieut.-Colonel St. John, at Patea, a report to the effect that the enemy was in force towards Putahi and New Taranaki, which confirmed me in my opinion that he was retreating. The 9th proved to be another very wet day, and as 1 was anxious lest the Waitotara should again overflow its banks and dam up its tributaries, inundating the whole country, I sent to hasten the arrangements made the evening before, and to recall Kemp and the Native Column, which I wished to be present when its tents were removed. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, Lieut.Colonel Fraser made his way easily to Wairoa, fording a large swamp only just in time to prevent being stopped by it. Major Kemp and Captain Gundry returned to Weraroa, to which place Lieut.Colonel Lyon also brought his division and the punt, so that by night the bush posts and road were entirely evacuated, and some of the tents and stores had been forwarded to Wairoa.. The punt also had been floated down the Waitotara, and was again established at Perekama, where Lieut.-Colonel Lyon and the Arawas encamped. I myself moved to Wairoa. On the 10th I moved Nos. 1, 2, and G Divisions, Armed Constabulary, to Norman's Flat, above Oika, at daylight, and by sunset the Native Column and No. 4 Armed Constabulary, with all the tents, had come up from Weraroa. The drays had however to return and bring up stores, some from Perekama, some by the beach from Weraroa, so that Lieut.-Colonel Lyon's rear-guard could not come up this day. At 5 p.m. Lieut.-Colonel St. John, whom I had sent for, arrived at my camp, and informed me that the escort bringing up supplies for this force had been attacked at the Whenuakura ford, and that the enemy was clearly encamped on the left bank of the Patea Eiver. The escort under Lieutenant Hunter had manfully beaten back its assailants, but great delay had been experienced from the flooded state of the river, consequent upon the incessant rains of the last short time. I conceive that the enemy experiences the same difficulty, and is delayed by the same causes ; but I have sent to have such boats as are procurable dragged from Patea, and Khali, if the weather allows me and the drays return, move at dawn to-morrow to Patea, where I propose to make arrangements for getting rid of my baggage and coming to close quarters with the enemy. I cannot force him to action if he continually retreats, but in such weather as we are experiencing at present it cannot be easy for Maoris to move. He has hitherto, by burying himself deeper in the bush at each step I made towards him, succeeded in avoiding any general engagement. And as lam resolved not to force my men into unknown and densely-wooded spots without some certainty of being able to close with him after his first volley from his prepared ambuscades are fired, I regard his retreat into a better-known country, and out of a bush through which he has been persistently followed, as of great advantage to us. Ho has now not only found that he can be followed without danger to us, into the most difficult fastnesses of his district, but he has experienced the inconvenience of subsisting so large a body of people in the heart of the forest. I anxiously hope these considerations may tempt him to risk an action, for lam much more satisfied than I have ever been with the spirit of the men and their bearing when placed in the bush ; while the Native force, composed of so many different elements and tribes, appears to be equally eager to engage. I have, &C, The Hon. the Defence Minister, Wellington. Gh S. AViittmore, Colonel.

No. 24. Copy of a Letter from Colonel Whitmore to the Hon. Colonel Haultain. Sib,— Head-Quarters, Patea, 12th March, 18C9. In continuation of my last report, I have the honor to inform you that yesterday I marched from Norman's Flat with all the drays I could collect at Wairoa (8), and brought my force to the Whenuakura mouth, where, by means of the two boats I had directed Lieut.-Colonel St. John to place there, I crossed the men and horses. Happening to find four drays on the beach, I had them dragged through the stream, and with these completed the removal of my camp. The work was hard on the men, the last division not arriving till 10 or 11 o'clock at night. The transport drays, both those loaded with ammunition and other stores, and those returning to bring up the hospital, &c, having gone round by the "Waitotara Heads, were, in consequence of the heavy floods, separated from me altogether, and they had to be taken back to "Weraroa to be dragged down the hill by the men, and all their contents packed in the same way and brought across by the barrel punt at Perakama. The new road at Weraroa, which is a very heavy work, is not yet completed for dray traffic ; but, as I have left a garrison of fifty men at that post with orders to finish it, I trust that communication may soon be established for wheel transport, available in all weathers. On my arrival at this post, I received the reports of the attack on the escort of yesterday, and enclose Lieutenant Hunter's report. The men appeared to have behaved bravely, and Lieutenant Hunter deserves every credit for his soldierly conduct and arrangements. I conceive that as the enemy allowed several persons to pass without molestation, and waited for the escort, that his design