D—No. 16

No. 1. THE NATIVE SECRETARY, TO THE RE3IDENT MAGISTRATE, KERI KEIII. Native Secretary's Office, Auckland, May 28th, 18G1. Sib,— I have the honor, by direction by His Excellency the Governor, to enclose copy of " Southern Cross" of this day's date, containing an account of an outrage alleged to have been committed at the Keri Keri, and to request that you will report upon the same for the information of the Government. I have &c , Donald McLean, Resident Magistrate, Native Secretary. Keri Keri, Bay of Islands.

No. 2. THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE, KERI K.ERI, TO THE NATIVE SECRETARY. Keri Keri, June Bth, 1861, Sir — I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of 28th May, No 2] 5, with copy of " Southern Cross," of same date, and to report as follows :— About the loth of April last, Henare Motatu, of Wangarei, but lately living at Matapouri on Government land, came to Keri Keri and called at the Interpreter's house (I was absent at Hokiacga at the time, and stated that a man known by the name of " Dirty Jim" has stolen a green stone and a pair of trousers from him and had sold them to a Native at Wairaro, which articles he (Henare) had been obliged to redeem at a great price. The Interpreter sent his son with Henare to the man's residence and likewise wrote him a note requesting him to come to some arrangement with the Native (Henare). The native appeared very much affected with drink, and according to information afterwards received, had a large quantity of spirits in his boat. It being late in the evening, the Interpreter's son did not return until the following morning, when he informed his father that Henare had taken away the man's wife and one of her children. About two days after the Interpreter saw the man (Jim) and informed him that the Resident Magistrate was from home and requested him to proceed to Russell, where he would find a full Bench of Magistrates there sitting, and lav his case before them. He replied that he did not wish to bring the matter into court as it might involve him for stealing the stone and trousers. On my return to Keri Keri, T wrote to Maihi Paraone Kawiti, the leading chief of Ilenare's tribe requesting he would have the woman returned, and the man, Jim, volunteered to take the letter. About a week afterwards he came to Keri Keri and stated that he had not delivered the letter to Kawiti, nor did he intend doing so. The Interpreter was immediately despatched with it to Kawiti who promised to attend to the matter. Subsequently, I wrote to Hoterene Tawatawa and Wi Te Te, of Whangaruru, on the subject, Tawatawa promised to go at once to Matapouri or even to Whangarei, should Henare have gone there and have the woman returned ; the result I have not yet heard. I have also to inform you that I was told by the chief Wi Te Pahi, that the woman was not married to the man. The man Henare is a connection of the woman's and used no force in taking her ; •he went willingly to his boat. When seated in the boat, she sent Henare back to her house for her little girl, saying that Jim might keep the male children but the girl she claimed. The man Jim had the child in his arms at the time the Native pushed him back and touk the child from him.

PAPERS AND CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THE ABDUCTION OF THE WIFE AND CHILD OF JAMES HOLDEN.