A.—No. 12

38

PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS

No. 34, March 12. No. 38, March 17.

men, with the Whakatohea and Ngaitai, embarked on board the steamer " Clyde," at Te Awa-o-te-Atua for Opotiki. On the 23rd instant, Mr. G. Mair returned from Motumako, and informed me that as nothing had been seen or heard of Te Kooti up to the afternoon of the 22nd, he had sent Ngatipikiao homo by Parawai. Ngatimanawa had assembled again, and were to leave for Kai-Tiriria, on tho 23rd instant. The failure of this expedition may be attributed to the jealousy of some of the Arawa chiefs, coupled with their desire for higher pay. The behaviour of the Europeans throughout was excellent; unprepared for a long expedition, they bore the hardship of heavy marches and no commissariat better then the lightfooted Maori, and deserve praise. Tho complicity of the Uriwera generally is now placed beyond doubt. Ngatipukeko state that they recognized Te Whenuanui, Paerau, Ihakara and other leading chiefs in the attack on Eauporoa, and also Timoti Te Kaka, Te Iki, and other chiefs of the AVhakatohea. The first man killed in the attack on the mill was To AVirihana, a well-known Taupo chief, he was shot by Jean Garraud, the miller, who killed another of the attacking party before he fell himself. The Hauhaus admit a loss of thirteen killed at AVhakatane, but there is good reason to believe that they lost double that number. The unfortunate Ngatipukeko are heavy sufferers : their fine wheat crop, their highlyprized mill, their houses, tools, ploughs, and great numbers of their horses and cattle, are all gone ; they were the most thrifty tribe in the district, and now are ruined. Messrs. Simpkins and Milburn have lost everything ; they were warned by me at the same time as the late Mr. Pitcairn, but had no opportunity of removing their goods. To Kooti's object at present is to get men, and for that reason I think that his next visit will be to the Pahipoto and Patutatahi Tribes, on the Bangitaiki; with this in view I have left a small party of Arawa at Kokohinau, for the present to assist in the fortification of tho pa, which is being reduced in size. In describing tho losses of the Ngatipukiko I have omitted tlieir list of killed, including the Frenchman, Jean Garraud; they lost eight men, two of whom, Hori Tunui and Heremia Tauteri, were leading chiefs, three women and two children, making a total of thirteen. In conclusion, I must strongly urge that, to prevent further disaster, no time should be lost in following up Te Kooti, and at the same time punishing tho Uriwera. As long as Te Kooti makes Ahikereru his head-quarters he is accessible ; should he cross to tho AVaikato country, there would, I fear, be very little hope of ever catching him. In the event of an expedition being organized, I would suggest that the Arawa should not again be permitted to take the field as a tribe with their Maori mana ; the day of that system appears to me to have gone by ; formed into companies and partially drilled they will do good service, but in any other fashion I for one would not care to lead them again. I have, &c, To H. T. Clarke, Esq, W. G. Maie, Major, Civil Commissioner, Tauranga. Commanding Expeditionary Forces.

Enclosure 2 in No. 30. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Pieecy to Mr. H. T. Clabke. (Important.) Sin, — Maketu, 15th March, 18C9. 1 p.m. I have the honor to report that a Native woman has just arrived from Canaan, who states that a messenger, named Hunia, brother of Tamihana, belonging to Tapuika, arrived yesterday from Patetere, by way of Eotorua ; that the purport of his coming was to acquaint the Natives that there was a general rising to take place in the "Waikato, and it was their intention to attack Eotorua, Tauranga, and Hauraki; that Te Kooti's proceedings were the commencement of the rising, and not to discredit his report, as the blow had been already struck. I have, &c, The Civil Commissioner, Tauranga. Jas. Jno. Pieecy, Clerk, Resident Magistrate's Court.

Enclosure 3 in No. 30. iNSTEtiCTioifs to Captain St. Geoege. (G-. 279.) Civil Commissioner's Office, Sin,— Tauranga, 21st March, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your two communications to the Native Minister, of dates and numbers quoted in the margin, both of which I received late yesterday, reporting on the present position of affairs in the Taupo district, and the rumoured intention of Te Kooti to force his way into the Waikato. Prom information received from the Patetere District, from different sources, I have every reason to believe that the report is correct, and that he is acting in concert with a party in the "VVaikato district. In my opinion it is a matter of the first importance to the Colony that Te Kooti should be prevented from passing over the "Waikato with his followers, and that no effort should be spared to prevent his doing so. You will be better able to judge of Te Kooti's intentions on your return to Taupo. If you can render Major Mair (who is probably in the neighourhood of Tauaroa) assistance in his efforts to destroy Te Kooti; or, if you have a reasonable hope of being able to prevent Te Kooti and his party from crossing into the "Waikato district, you are authorized to engage the services of every available Native for either object; but you are distinctly to understand that the Government wish to avoid anything like a campaign.