E—No. 3c

THE NATIVE INSURRECTION.

No. 31. MAJOR-GENERAL PRATT, C.8., TO GOVERNOR GORE BROWNE, C.B. Head Quarters, New Plymouth, Taranaki, Bth September, 1860. Sik,— In continuation of my Letter of the 30th ultimo, I have the honor to state for Your Excellency's information and that of the General Government, that H.M.S. S. " Fawn" having arrived in this Port, Commodore Loring was kind enough to send her to Wellington to bring up two heavy guns which were required. Finding from a report made to me by friendly Natives that the " Pukutotarei" Pah on the " Waerakaiho" was evacuated and that they were in it, I sent out a. party of soldiers on the 2nd inst. and destroyed it; it wa9 from this Pah that the marauding parties of the enemy used to issue. On the same date two Pahs between the Bell Block and the Waitara named " Te Puki" and "Te Turia" were destroyed by the 12th Regiment stationed at the Hua. On the 3rd instant two Pahs named " Kirihi" and " Tikiringi" on the north bank of the Waitara belonging to W. Kingi were destroyed by Major Nelson; all three Pahs had been deserted by the enemy. At midnight of the 4th instant I proceeded to Burton's farm, about 6 miles from this, on the Omata Road, with a force of 700 men divided into three columns, in the hope of surprising a considerable party of the rebels who were observed there; but though the right column, with which I was, reached the position an hour before daylight, '.re found that the enemy, either from information obtained, or from some ether cause, had left the place shortly before. I withdrew the detachment stationed at the Waireka on the 7th inst., with a view of concentrating the Forces preparatory to further operations. In communication with Mr. McLean, Chief Commissioner, whose services are most valuable to me, I thought it advisable to complete the survey of the block of land purchased by Her Majesty's Government at the Waitara, and a surveying party proceeded to do so on the sth inst. I enclose a copy of a document from Mr. McLean, and beg to add that the recommendation was at once complied with. I have, &c, T. S. Pratt, Major-General Commanding. To Hie Excellency, Colonel Gore Browne, C.8., Governor and Commander-in-Chief, New Zealand.

No. 32. MAJOR-GENERAL PRATT, C.8., TO GOVERNOR GORE BROWNE, C.B. Head Quarters, New Plymouth, Taranaki, 12th September, 1860. Sir,— I have the honor to state, for the information of your Excellency aiid the Government, that having received information through the Native Department that three large Fahs, named " Ngatiparirua," " Kairau," and " Huirangi" were occupied by the rebel Maories. I determined to retain them if possible in their Pahs, and to attack them. With this object I moved from New Plymouth on the 10th instant, with a force of all arms of about 750 men, and encamped at Mahoetahi Pah; from thence I directed a division of my force, under Lieut.-Colonel Leslie. 40th Kegt., accompanied by Mr. Parris and some friendly natives, to proceed so as to arrive before daylight on the 1 lth instant and take up a position to the right and rear of the Pahs, or to prevent reinforcements reaching them from " Munutahi;" simultaneously, and with the same object, 1 directed another division under Major Nelson, 40th Regt., accompanied by the Naval Brigade under Commodore Loring, C. 8,, and Captain Beauchamp Seymour, to proceed along the banks of the Waitara and take up a position to the left and rear of the Pahs also before daylight both these divisions carried out their instructions most fully. The centre division, under Major Hutchins, 12th Regt., with myself and Staff, the Artillery, &c, moved along the Devon Road to the "L" Pah, about two miles from the Waitara Camp, where being joined by some heavy guns and rockets which I had ordered to meet me there, I proceeded in the direction of the Pahs, through high fern, and arrived before " Ngatiparirua" about 8 o'clock ; it appeared evacuated ; and having fired a few shells, and the advanced skirmishers having marched cautiously up, found it empty. It was not so stroug as I had been led to believe, and it was destroyed and burnt. The whole neighbourhood of this Pah, and in deep ditches round it, were filled with dead sheep, killed evidently fer the mere sake of destroying European property. On hearing our fire the right and left divisions closed upon us, and they advanced upon " Kairau" Pah, which was about 900 yards from Ngatiparirua ; that also was found undefended, and was entered

(No. 276.)

(No. 279.)

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