D—No. 16

and return in a short time, I asked him, if any letter had come to him from Marsh Brown; he said, no; I told him there had been word given to Marsh Brown, about five weeks, ago and he said he had sent a letter on by Buler? He said, it has not yet arrived, nor the party that has it; he belongs here. I left and went towards home, I went on to Whangaruru, there I heard from a Native Assessor that he had with two others received word from the Resident Magistrate to go and try to bring my wife and child back; I went on to Russell where I saw Mr. Barstow, I spoke to him about my case, he told me he had seen several letters given to different Native Assessors to proceed in bringing my wife back. I went home to where my two children was, I immediately went to the Kerikeri to see Mr. Clendon; he was away from home, gone to Whangaroa; 1 went to Mr. Duncan's, I told him what I had heard from the natives; he said you must not listen to natives tales, he did not care what they said about him, I have done too much in that woman's case in trying to have her brought back, this is the thanks I get, I will do no more in it, no not if I lose my place iv Government; I said it is better to let you hear it than keep it in the dark, I can tell you the authors; he said I do not want to know. I then went down home with the wife of one of the Native Assessors, after having words with Mr. Duncan, for doing as he liked on the place where I resided when my wife was taken away by cutting and pulling up anything that was growing there; with this woman, I went down the river to where her husband was; his name is Erueri. He told me after hearing how I succeeded that he was waiting until Mr. Clendon returned, then he believed he and some others were going to see what they could do in my wife's case, I then returned to my children, where I staid until a canoe of King William's, a son of Tareha, came for to take us to his pa; he said the children should be well looked after and I would be able to run about to see into things and they would not trouble me. I was laid up a time from a cold I caught by my journey; on the 15th July I sent a note to Mr. Clendon, again on the 18th, I sent another, I then reported to him my intentions of going to see my wife and child, to which I received his answer the same day, requesting me to come and see him before I went. On Monday, the 21st, I went to the Kerikeri; I saw Mr. Clendon, he said I had better wait a little as there was a meeting of all the Assessors going to be held in about two weeks and then I might be able to hear some news: I will see that everything in my power is done for you; if I cannot succed, then Government must take it in hand. I said I will let you know by the evening, whether Igo or not; he said if you are determined to go I will get letters written to some natives on the coast; I went to Mr. E. G. Norris, where I heard that reports had been that I was not a married man, the woman belonged to another person, she went away of her own accord, stepped into the boat and told the native to fetch her child, she would not return to me any more if she had the chance; I then went back again to Mr. Clendon; I told him that I would wait until the meeting of the native chiefs and Assessors was over before I went; he said it will be about a fortnight before it is held, I will let you know when it is over; I will let you know the result. I then told Mr. Clendon, I thought Mr. Duncan was in the blame, for that he was raising false reports of different sorts about the case; I knew that they were all false, which would be proved some day or the other, for as long as I have a drop of blood in my body, I will strive to see into the case. He, Mr. Duncan, has told me that he would not do anything more in the case; Mr. Clendon replied, he must do his duty; I do not know why Mr. Duncan should say so, for while you went to Whananaki, he tried to get somebody to take care of your children; I told him I thought that he was in the wrong there, why did he not mention that to me, in my presence, not speak to parties to take away my children from where I had left them with somebody to look after them. lam led to believe he has had a hand in this affair by all the natives and by the conversation he holds about it; if any of them question him what is going to be done in the case, he says,—nothing, they are not married, those children do not belong to him; I then said to Mr. Clendon, if this is true, and he has had a hind in the affair, I know not the reason, for anything that I had, he was always welcome to, and I never came to his place empty-handed. I might have been comfortable this next year, had this not occurred, now my place is broke up and I am made miserable; he was vexed with me because he did not get my potatoes. I then left Mr. Clendon and went to the Ti where I remained for about a week, when I heard from the natives, that the meeting would not be held for about two months. I then left the Ti with the intention of going to Auckland. On my reaching Kororareka, I heard from a native that there was a report raised that my wife's brother had come from Whanganui and paid Henry Ngakapa a certain sum of money, for taking her from me, and was greatly pleased that he was able to cake her back with him. I then changed my mind and determined to go to Henry Ngakapa, wherever he might be and hear the truth of all these reports. I started and went on to the Rawiti, where I heard more tales, that the woman was a slave of the party that had taken her away from me; I went on to Whangaruru where reports was the same; I went on to Moku, where I saw a native Assessor, whose name was William Te Tete, he told me that he had got orders to go and see about my wife, but he had been too busy to go, he therefore, would give me a letter to Henry Ngakapa, about her; he gave me a letter and I went on until i came to Kawati, where I met the chief, the head of the Runanga, at Wananaki, the person that had wished me on my former visit visit to stay and wait until Henry Ngakapa and his party returned from Whanaarei. He was rejoiced to see me, and wanted to know the reason I had not come sooner. He said, I have conversed with Henry, and he said he should have liked to have been here when you came. He then left his work, for I found him planting potatoes. He said, I will go with you to Whananaki, and leave you to go on to Matapouri :in the morning you will get y-our wife. We went on to Whananaki. I slept at his house I then heard his name ;it is Hori Te Neri, owner of the Kauri cutter employed by Government. He told me to go on and say very little to Ngakapa. for he might get in a passion, for he was a very bad person to speak to. If he wants to say anything, teli him to come to me. I will wait until Monday morning; if you are.not back by then, I shall think things are right, and will return to my

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ABDUCTION OF THE WIFE AND CHILD