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relatives proposed to sell me for money. I said, Ido not approve of my being sold like a pig, let me go back again to my husband when Mr. Clendon and Duncan arrive. I waited, but Duncan did not come, but my husband came and fetched me ; when my husband came, he urged Henare to give up me and my daughter. He said had you come with money in your hand, I would have given them both up, as it is, the woman only will be given up. On the following morning we came away and left the gill behind. I have heard this statement (read over) and it is correct. Pane Taia, her x mark.

No. 9. MR. BARSTOW, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Russell, Bth November, 1861. My Dear Sir, — I wish to mention to you an incident which has unpleasantly affected the susceplibilities of the Government Officers at the Bay: Mr. Carleton received a note from Mr. Dillon Bell stating "that the Government would lie obliged by any information he could procure for them in the case of the recent abduction of a woman and child from the KeriKeri" (I am not certain of the precise words,though Mr. Carleton produced the note to me). Mr. Clendon, Mr. H. Kemp, and myself alike feel an implied want of confidence either in our ability to procure, or trustwonhyness in our communicating the required information. We do not for a moment presume to assert that the Government has not every right to employ any person or means whatever in order to procure such reports as it may wish to obtain, but after your conversation with myself on the subject of the remarkable influence Air. Fenton acquired in the VVaikato, and how desirable it is that Government officers should possess such influence. I feel that it is right to state that it is our opinion that in no other way can such influence be more effectively uudermined and destroyed than by such unofficial proceedings; and in this case the unpleasantness is increased by the fact that Mr. Carleton, in his place in the House of Representatives, brought this affair forward in a manner calculated to throw discredit on Mr. Clendon's performance of his duties. I have to assure you that neither Mr. Clendon, Mr. Kemp nor myself believe that any intention existed on the part of the Government to impute neglect ot incapacity to any of us, and we do not wish even to insinuate that the least blame attaches to either Mr. Bell or Mr. Carleton, but simply that an accidental injudiciousness occurred which has caused an unexpected and I trust undeserved diminishing of our respective bumps of self esteem. I have &c, R. C. Barstow. The Hon. W. Fox.

No. 10. MR. DILLON BELL TO THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE, KORORAREKA. November 27th, 1861. Sir,— I am desired by Mr. Fox to acknowledge the receipt of your letter to him of the Bth instant, on the subject of the request made to Mr. Carleton to furnish the Government with any information he might obtain respecting the case of of Holden's wife and child. Mr. Fox regrets that you and the other Officers to whom you refer should have had your " susceptibilities unpleasantly affected" in consequence of Mr. Carleton being requested to communicate to the Government, such information respecting that case as he might obtain at the Bay. The Members of the General Assembly have, on the one hand, a peculiar right to communicate with Government on matters affecting the districts they represent, and on the other, the Government will always be prepared to avail itself of any information which Members may be able to procure. I am to observe, however, that neither from yourself nor from Mr. Kemp was any information received upon a very serious case of breach of the peace which had occurred in your neighbourhood. With regard to Mr. Clendon there was a special reason for endeavouring to obtain other information than he had supplied. The material point with regard to any unusual interference by the Executive for the recovery of Holdeu's child, was whether Fanny Paia was married to Holden. Mr. Clendon had reported that he was informed they were not married: but there is reason for believing that Mr. Clendon ascertained from the Registrar-General's Office (during his visit to Auckland some time ago) that the marriage had taken place at Wellington in 1857, which circumstance Mr. Clendon did not communicate to the Government. The facts in the meanwhile remain, that the abduction of the woman and child took place last April, that the woman was given up, not to the !\'agistrates, but to Holden himself, and that up to this time (so far as the Government is aware) the child is still detained by those who carried her off. Mr. Fox considers that the local officers of Government having exhibited so little alacrity in this matter, have not the smallest ground for complaining that information has been sought through another channel, such as that afforded by a Member of the House of Representatives who represented the

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ABDUCTION OF THE WIFE AND CHILD