PAPERS RELATIVE TO HOROWHENUA.

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F.—No. 8,

Enclosure in No. 54. Wieemu Pomabe to Mitai Penetani. To Mitai Penetani,— Otaki, 9th July, 1871. Father, —Salutations to you. Hearken you; I have been to Otaki, to Ngatiraukawa. I have made known my thoughts in the midst of Ngatiraukawa about Horowhenua, and to request them to allow me to go alone and see Muaupoko. Ngatiraukawa consented to this request of mine. On the 25th of June, I reached Horowhenua, to see Muaupoko, and talk amicably; that is to say, to arrange the boundary already made by Watanui, namely, Tauateruru. I made known to them that boundary when I rose to address them : they did not consent; they wished Mahoenui to be the boundary, and that the spirits (descendants) of Watanui and Muaupoko should unite on their land. I said to them it would not be right, because Watanui had plenty of descendants. I again said to them, —Friends, this is mine (boundary); let it be at the other side of Keepe, so that you may have within your boundary your ancestor. They did not agree to this ; their word to me was, if they alone had the disposing of the land, they would have handed over their portion to me. Kemp and Hunia were absent. Parent Mitai, I have decided on the boundary line to be on the other side of Kupe. This is my regard or love to the spirits (descendants) of Watanui and Muaupoko. Parent Mitai, this is a word to you. It is for you to consider the contents of that letter, and you can also tell Kemp the contents of my letter, that he may know my arrangements with our tribe. Friend, come, that you may assist me in this trouble (confusion.) Sufficient. From your loving son, Wieemu Pomaee.

No. 55. Major Edwaeds to the Hon. D. McLean. Sir— Wellington, 10th July, 1871. I have the honor to make the following report relative to the land dispute at Horowhenua:— On my arrival at the Muaupoko Eunanga House I met the disputants, and after listening to their complaints, I proposed the matter should be referred to the Native Land Court. Against this course I found a strong feeling, which I was unable to dispel. Finally, both parties agreed to submit the matter to a runanga, to be presided over by two Europeans to be appointed by the Government, and to be held at Otaki or Horowhenua. I would suggest this meeting should be held as soon as may be, that the European members of it should be men in whom the Maoris have faith, and who have knowledge of Maori tenure. Tho burning of the house can only be settled by an appeal to the law, and the case will probably be brought before the Eesident Magistrate in Wellington; the idea of the plaintiff being, that there will be less chance of collision between the adverse parties there than if the case were heard in the Native district. That Ngatiapa is much better armed than Ngatiraukawa, added to the wish of the latter to keep the peace and trust to tho law alone for protection, has been the cause of their remaining passive under the great provocation they have received. Prior to leaving the district the opposing parties promised me they would neither occupy the disputed block nor take any action with regard to it until the matter had been referred to the runanga, as proposed above. In conclusion, I would respectfully suggest that if the Hon. Mr. McLean were to see the disputing Natives and give them his views as to the merits of the case, a final solution of the difficulty would be rapidly and peacefully arrived at. I have, Ac., The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. J. T. Edwaeds, E.M.

No. 56. Te Watene to Ohau and others. Horowhenua, 10th July, 1871. To OnAU, to Waikawa, to Pukekaraka, to the Town of Otaki, to Katihiku, to Waikanae, indeed to all the Eunangas. Hearken ; this is new information for you. On the 10th of this month Bawiri Te Hutukawa came to see us and told us what they (Kemp and Hunia) had decided. In the first place, they requested Major Edwards to tell us to go away; next, they spoke to Wiremu Pukeko ; and next to Hector McDonald, requesting that we should be told to leave. To-morrow Euta Hunia will come. This will bo the last message ; when she returns, then the muzzle of the gun will be used. This is what Kemp and Hunia have decided to do, because they state the law will not be able to condemn them should they stay those with whom they are disputing—the dispute being about a main boundary line. This is the ground upon which they work. Sufficient on that point. This is a word of ours, what are you going to do ? I think that the time for trying to arrange the matter has gone by. I now request you to send us some men, this very night. Send them quickly, and send them to-night. Sufficient. Te Watene Te Kahaeunga.

No. 57. Eameea Te Iho and others to the Hon. W. Fox. To Me. Fox,— - Masterton, 10th July, 1871. Salutations. We have received a letter from Huru Te Hiaro, telling us of the troubles between Muaupoko, Ngatiapa, and Whanganui; it also tells us of the pa built to fight Ngatiraukawa. We are very sad (dark) about this truth, arising in these good times. 5