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•offer to sell to the Government the piece, containing about 300 acres, lying be. tween the inland boundary of the Bell block and the Mangoraka ri/er. Of this offer I have as yet taken no not ce, nor shall I do so until I am favoured with your instructions upon the point, as it appears to me intended merely as a peaceoffering, in the hope that its acceptance by the Government might be looked upon as an atonement for the blood he has shed. I have, &c., (Signed) G. S. Cooper, District Commissioner. Mr. Commissioner M'Lean, &c., &c.. See., Auckland.

See Sketch, enelo sure No. i.

ENCLOSURES TO MESSAGE No. 2. Taranaki, 19th August, 1854. My dear Sir, — ■ I arrived here on Sunday last, having been twice off Taranaki since we left Manukau, and obliged, from heavy weather, to put into Kawhia. 1 should have come overland from Kawia, but I found I could not get the Waikato Chief's (some of them unable to travel) to accompany me; and their presence here being most important, it I were to leave them to come by sea, the most of them would decline coming. Te Waru and Paroa, with some others, joined me at Kawia; and, together with the Rev. J. Whitely, we set sail for this place, and having to put back again those chiefs left me at Kawia, and the Rev. Mr. Whitely, with some influential chiefs on the Coast are coming overlaud. The delay has been productive of some good, the natives having agreed to postpone hostilities until my arrival here ; and the first burst of excitement having subsided, together with the apprehension of the intervention of the Waikatos, has induced some chiefs to take part with the friendly natives that were previously neutral • and some of those who agreed to join Katatore and his band, seem doubtful as to which side they will take ; but I still find that he has a very strong party, and both sides are making decided preparations for a fresh contest. I find that it requires more than ordinary prudence to act in the present emergency, as the followers of Rawiri Waiana look for aid to the Government for the loss they have sustained ; and the other party are collecting all the disaffected and reckless characters that they can enlist in their cause. Yesterday there was a large meeting of several tribes from Waitara and other places, preparatory to their dividing under their respective leaders. I deem it prudent to delay meeting either party for several days, when I propose to assemble the principal chiefs to discuss the subject with them ; in the mean time Mr. Turton keeps me fully advised of every proceeding, and the chiefs correspond with me, and you may assure his Excellency that I shall use every endeavour, if I cannot arrest further bloodshed among the natives themselves, to keep the Europeans and the Government free of any implication in whatever ma) take place. I remain, &c., (Signed) Donald M Lean. The Honorable The Colonial Secretary.