E.—No. 5a

LIKUTEXANT-GEXKRAL CA.MKKOX, C.8., TO GOYER>'OB SIE GEOKGE GHET, K.C.B. Head Quarters, Queen's Eedoubt, October 28th, 1863. Stß, I have the honour to acquaint Your Excellency that on the afternoon of the 23rd instant, I received information from Lieut.-Colonel Chapman, commanding at Drurv, that Lieutenant Lusk, commanding the outposts at Mauku, had reported to him that a large body of the enemy had approached within a mile of Mauku church, and that he had left the stockade with part of his detachment to endeavour to ascertain their strength. Lieutenant-Colonel Chapman stated that he had sent a reinforcement of 80 men, under Captain St. John, "Waikato Militia, to Lieut. Lusk's support. At about 10 o'clock that night, I received further intelligence that Lieut. Lusk had incautiously engaged the enemy with his small force previous to the arrival of Captain St. John's reinforcement, and being greatly out-numbered, and attacked on both flanks, had been compelled to retire with loss. I immediately ordered Lieut.-Colonel Chapman bo despatch a reinforcement of 200 men, 18th and 70th Regiments, under Major Evan, to Mauku, with orders to attack the natives and drive them from the bush, and requested him to call upon Lieut.-Colonel Nixon to co-operate with part of the Colonial Defence Corps from Papakura. I instructed Captain Rutherford, 70th Begiinent, commanding a portion of Lieutenant-Colonel Nixon's column, which was encamped at Selby's, to move as rapidly as possible by Tuakau and Cameron to Pura Pura, with the view of intercepting the enemy, who were likely to attempt to recross the river at that point. Lieutenant-Colonel Nixon and Major Byan arrived at Mauku early on the morning of the 24th, and found that the natives had decamped from the neighbom-hood. Captain Eutherford pushed on to Pura Pura as expeditiously as the difficulty of marching through the bush at night would allow, but was too late to cut off the enemy's retreat. I herewith enclose Lieutenant Lusk's report of the engagement. The force which this officer had at his disposal was too small to attack so large a body of natives, advantageously posted in the bush, with any prospect of success, but the; gallantry which Lieutenant Lusk and the detachment under his command displayed in extricating themselves from a very critical position, is deserving of the greatest praise. The conduct of the officers and men of tiie Mauku Volunteers, and Waikato Militia, on this trying occasion was admirable. i regret to say that two officers, Lieut. Perceval and Lieut. Norman, both of whom greatly distinguished themselves, and six men, were killed, and one man dangerously wounded. I have, &c., D. A. Camkeok, Lieut-General. Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.P».

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE NATIVE INSURRECTION.