A—No. U,

PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST THE REBEL NATIVES.

No. 1. The Civil Commissioner, Tauranga, to the Under Secretary, Native Department. (D. 57-2) Civil Commissioner's Office, Sir,— Tauranga, 16th August, 1869. I have the honor to transmit for the information of the Government the enclosed copy of a Native letter (with translation) addressed by the Pirirakau hapu to the Ngaiterangi generally, requesting them to go to their village in the ranges, and take with them their arms. I have also received an invitation, in precisely the same terms, requesting me to accompany the Ngaiterangi. To these letters I have replied in friendly terms, declining to sanction the going out of the Ngaiterangi, and suggesting that if they really fear a visit from Te Kooti it would be far better for them to come in and join the bulk of their people; that such a demonstration as they proposed would only be misconstrued by the Colony, and likely to produce unnecessary alarm. I can scarcely understand the object of the Pirirakau, a hapu always hostile to the Government, in making this application ; and from the fact that I have constantly watched their proceedings with distrust, I am afraid lest I should be led from past experience to impute wrong motives, and view with suspicion what may be a genuine desire to make common cause against any attempted aggression by Te Kooti. I am informed by a Native clergyman residing in this district that on the 13th instant one of Te Kooti's men was in this town for several hours. The object of his visit is not known. I was not made aware of the circumstance till four and twenty hours after he took his departure. He is a Ngatiporou, younger brother of Te Munu, was with Te Kooti at Whakatane, Mohaka, and Opepe, and after Te Kooti's arrival in the Waikato was sent with Te Popata to Mataora, a place about ten miles to the north of this district, where a considerable party of Ngatiporou have established themselves, with a view to induce those people to join Te Kooti in the Waikato district. The commission under the Tauranga District Lands Act is progressing favourably, and will, I hope, settle once for all the troublesome land question of this district. I have, &c, H. T. Clarke, The Under Secretary, Native Department, Civil Commissioner. Wellington. Enclosure in No. 1. Te Whakamarama, 13th Akuhata, 1869. Xi Opuhi, ki Opureora, Id Opounui, ki Eangiwaea, Id Whareroa, Id te Matapihi, Id Maungatapu, ki Hairini; otera ki on rolie katoa. Ehoa ma. Tenei ra koutou katoa. He kupu tenei ki a koutou nacre mai koutou kite Whakamarama me te koutou tokotoko hei mohio noa ma tatou katoa, me haere mai koutou i te 17th Akuhata. Ko Kooti kei te ngaro, kua oti tepe eTe Kingi mo tana mahi kino. Tetahi whare hold mo koutou. Heoi. Na te Pooti katoa.

[translation.] Te Whakamarama, 13th August, 1869. To Opuhi, to Opureora, to Opounui, to Eangiwaea, to Whareroa, to Te Matapihi, to Maungatapu, to Hairini*—that is to say, to all your boundaries. Friends. Salutations to you all. This is a word to you. Come you to Whakamarama with your walking sticks (arms) as a simple precaution on our part. Do you come on the 17th August. Kooti has disappeared (vanished) ; he has been expelled by the King for his evil doings. Bring tents with you. Prom all the " Pooti." * Names of Native villages in Tauranga.