TO NATIVE AEEAIES.

7

A.—No. 16.

Eriends, let your thoughts and proceedings be right; bring back peace and life to this Island, —in my opinion it is you Avho are delaying it. If we could have devised some plan upon which we could both agree, Aye should have had peace long ago. Clarke.

No. 5. Mr. W. G. Mair, R.M., Tauranga, to Ciyil Commissioner, Auckland. Civil Commissioner's Office, Sir,— Tauranga, May 6th, 1870. I have the honor to report on Native matters in the Bay of Plenty District. A great portion of the Queenite Natives are in the neighbourhood of Katikati, gum-digging. It is said that the Hauhau party, incited by Tana, have endeavoured to frighten them away, but, so far, without success. Heta, of Ngatihaua, was here to-day, and in a very insolent manner, informed me that the Telegraph must not cross the Wairoa River, or he would cut down the posts, and if Government persisted there would be fighting; that he objected firstly on the ground that Ngatihaua had never been paid for that land, and, secondly, that the King's mana was over it. He said too of the Mangareuta road that the King party considered that it was also their land. I told Heta that Government would not recognise his right to interfere in either case, and that they would not be guided by him. He told me afterwards that he had said more than he intended, and that he merely protested against the extension of the line in that direction. Tauhau is still at Ohineroa or Okauia, and is, I am inclined to think gaining ground. The Arawa, at Maketu, are still quarrelling about the flax swamps, and at Tarawera they have almost come to blows over their totara woods, which owing to the demand for telegraph poles they are beginning to value highly. Eox's party are getting on well with the Maketu and Rotoiti road. Mita Manuaki, a Ngatiraukawa chief, with a few followers, is now at Ohinemutu ; his mission is a peaceful one. A very sad accident occurred at Rotorua on the 13th ult. Two canoes crossing from Mokoia to Te Awahou upset, and Takurua, a chief of Rangiteaorere, and a very good man, with two other men and fifteen women and children were drowned. Two women were all that escaped. There is no previous record of so serious an accident in the history of the Lakes. I returned on the 2nd instant from Opotiki. I found the Natives of that district settling down calmly after the late excitement, with a fair prospect of a friendly understanding being brought about •with the Urewera ; but Colonel St. John's injudicious raid upon Tamaikowha at Whakarae has again unsettled them, and in addition has called forth the strongest expressions of disapproval from one end of the district to the other. With my approval a number of Chiefs of Ngatiawa and Ngatipukeko, connected with the Urewera, wrote to them that this action was not in accordance with the views held by the Government Natives, and urged them not to take the matter up (me takahi taua mate). Erom a man, however, of Tamaikowha's well known ferocity, I fear that the least that can be expected in the way of retaliation will be a murder or two on the beach. A few more of the Whakatohea have come in; they had been wandering in the mountains for some time. Te Kooti is not, I think, within the bounds of the Urewera, but will be in hiding at the sources of the Waioeka, or he may have joined Te Waru at Waikaremoana. I have, &c., W. G. Mair, The Civil Commissioner, Auckland. Resident Magistrate.

No. 6. Mr. W. G. Maie, R.M., to the Ciyie Commissioner, Auckland. Civil Commissioner's Office, Sic,— _ Tauranga, May 16, 1870. I have the honor to inform you that on the 11th inst. Manuera and Wiremu Parata of the Pirirakau, came to this office as a deputation from the Hauhau and King party, to say that there were three things that they would not permit to encroach upon what they considered the " King's country," viz : the " road, the chain, and the wire," and that if the telegraph was extended across the Wairoa river the posts would be cut down. They talked in an easy satisfied manner and said they had not come to argue the matter, but merely to state their intentions, that it might not be said hereafter that they had been underhand. Eires have been seen during the last few days about Paengaroa, Te Taumata, and Te Akeake. I imagine that the late inhabitants of those villages have returned to re-occupy them. Pomare of Haerini has promised to go out to-morrow to ascertain. I am not in possession of any news from the Eastward, more than that as soon as the rivers went down (after the late rains) an expedition was to start from Opotiki for the mountains. I have, &c., W. Mair, The Civil Commissioner, Auckland. Resident Magistrate.