E—No. 1 Sec. 11.

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No. 9. COPT OF A DESPATCH FROM GOVERNOR SIR GEORGE GRET TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. Auckland, New Zealand, 23rd November, 1861. My Lord Duke, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Grace's Despatch No. 67 of 26th June last, informing me that Her Majesty's Government had learnt with much satisfaction of the acceptance by Wiremu Kiugi's partisans of the terms which Governor Browne had dictated, the third of which was to the following effect: —" all the laud in possession of Her Majesty's Forces belonging to those who have borne arms against Her Majesty, to be disposed of by me as I may think fit." And the 7th: — " As I did not use force for the acquisition of laud, but for the vindication of the law and for the protection of Her Majesty's Native subjects in the exercise of their just rights, I shall divide the land, which I have stated my intention to dispose of, amongst its former owners; but I shall reserve the sites of the block-houses and redoubts, and a small piece of land round each for the public use; and shall exercise the right of making roads through the Waikato district. In conformity with the declaration made on the 29th November, 1859, the rights of those who may prove their title to any part of the piece of land at Waitara will be respected." t 2. It does not appear, however, from the records here, that Your Grace has been made aware , that upon a Commissioner (Mr. Rogan) being sent down to Taranaki to adjust this question, in accordance with the terms you have approved, the Natives informed him that all the redoubts 1 excepting Puketakauere, together with the entrenchments, were theirs, and that they had no intention of giving them up to the Governor in the way proposed; but on the contrary, they would have no interference with the property on the part of the Government; adding that if the Commissioner should return with his chain to measure the land, he would enter upon a path which leads to death. > 3. The enclosed copies of Reports from Mr. Rogan, dated respectively 28th June and 15th ! July last, will afford Your Grace full information of the circumstances which then took place. I have, &c, His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, k.g. G. Grey. &c, &c, &c.

warrant of .ppnintmem of Mr. Ro*an, 27th May, n^litKiT'' '" S"' "*''

Enclosure.—Mr.Rogan to Mr. McLean, „th June nndl.thJuly.lB...

Enclosure 1 in No. 9. MR. RoGAN TO THE NATIVE SECRETARY. Tarauaki, 28th June, 1861. Sir,— As it is probable His Excellency is desirous of being made acquainted with the disposition of the Natives generally in this district, regarding the subdivision of the land at Waitara among its former owners in accordance with the terms of peace offered to Hapurona and the Ngatiawa, I have the honor to forward the following statement of my proceedings with the Natives concerned, for the information of the Government, from the period of my arrival in Taranaki to the present time. After conferring with Mr. Parris, I took an early opportunity of seeing Poharama of Moturoa, and told him that the "word" was the subdivision of Waitara. He replied, "Go to Hapurona, who is the principal; if he consents it will be well." Mahau, Ihaia, and other leading men of the district, were also made acquainted with the intention of the Governor, as regards the boundaries of the piece of land which is to be dealt with agreeably to the terms of peace. In consequence of Hapurona's severe illness, I was compelled to defer visiting him until last week; when I proceeded to Matarikoriko, accompanied by Mr. Parris, and found him quite prostrate and wholly unfit to enter into a conversation on important business. After a short time I said that I merely came to see him, and should return from New Plymouth the following week, when, if he should be sufficiently recovered, I would explain fully the Governor's views in connection with the Waitara land question. Accordingly, on Tuesday last, I called at Matarikoriko and found him comparatively well. I explained fully the instructions I had received at Auckland, and described the boundaries of the land which would come within the operation of my duty. He listened with great attention to all I had to say, and complimented me on the clear manner of my description of what was to be done. I then said I was anxious to write to Auckland, and was desirous to know what his opinion was regarding the subdivision of the land, and that I expected his co-operation in carrying out hereafter the Governor's directions. He said, in reply, "It rests with the people; go and see Arapeta and the people at Matataitawa. My peace is made with the Governor, as I ceded Onukukaitara, and am now under the Queen's protection. The subdivision of the land rests with the people; the Governor's object in having the land divided is good, but there are foolish blind people who do not know what is for their benefit, who will cause it to be confused." He then said, in a complaining tone, that the Governor was as a child in precipitating this matter at the present time, before the wounds of the people were healed, exhibiting at the same time his own. He also referred to the withdrawal of the troops to Auckland, the arrival of reinforcements, and the gathering of large tribes together at Waikato, holding meetings which, in his opinion, will end in war: and under these circumstances he could not see how the Waitara question could be settled, at least for the present. In reply, I said that as he was considered one of the principal people concerned, I commenced by giving him notice first; that there were many

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DESPATCHES OF GOVERNOR SIR G. GREY