Enclosure 13 in Despatch No. 1. New Plymouth, April 28th, 1863. Sir, — With reference to the statement of To Teira respecting a reserve of 200 acres having been promised to them, in the block offered by them to the Government, I have the honor to report that I am not aware that the quantity was ever fixed at 200 acres. But they were promised by the Government allotments to be held under Crown Grants, some of which said allotments were to have water frontage in the intended township, for the accommodation of their canoes, and storeage for their produce ; and other allotments for cultivating, on some other part of the block. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, PiOBERT PARRIS, District Commissioner. The Honorable the Native Minister.

Note.—This Enclosure was added after the Despatch was written. No. 2. COPY OP A DESPATCH FROM HIS EXCELLENCY SIR GEORGE GREY TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. Tarauaki, May 5, 1863. My Lord Duke, — Upon the 24th ultimo, despatch No. 39,1 transmitted to Your Grace the copy of a minute I had addressed to my responsible advisers recommending the issue of a notice to the natives, that the Government had abandoned the intention of completing the purchase of a block of land on the Waitara river. In that despatch, and in its enclosures, I explained the reasons on which I justified that recommendation ; and in my despatch I expressed my hope that my responsible advisers might adopt my opinion, and act speedily upon it, —for I knew that all depended upon rapidity of movement in this matter. I had, well knowing this, pressed the subject on Ministers in conversation, and I laid it before them, in writing, on the 10th of April,—for 1 thought that the natives had encouraged our peaceable occupation of the Omata and Tataraimaka blocks, in the hopes that, having taken these without opposition, we would relinquish the purchase at the Waitara ; and I thought that no very lengthened time might be left for our determination, it being my belief, as I reported to Your Grace, that the natives were anxious to bring on a general war before we were prepared for it. 2. On the evening of Thursday, the 30th of April, I received from Ministers the minute, a copy of which I have the honor to enclose, in reply to mine of the 22nd of April, giving it as their ojrinion, in as far as I understand the minute, that they only thought that the intention of purchasing a part of the block of land should be abandoned by the Government, —and leaving the decision regarding the mode of dealing with the remainder of the block to me, undertaking however to aid me in carrying out my decision, whatever it might be. I enclose also, for Your Grace's information, a copy of my reply to the Ministerial Minute. 3. The question of abandoning the purchase at the Waitara was mixed up with the question of a general amnesty, excepting therefrom only certain persons accused of committing murder. I enclose a copy of my minute on this subject, and of the reply of my responsible advisers, which I did not receive until Sunday, the 3rd instant. 4. Upon the morning of the 4th instant, I regret to say that what was in truth a most terrible and shocking murder was committed by the natives, on the land between Omata and the Tataraimaka block, the details of which I will transmit in another despatch. This sad event has much complicated affairs. 5. A small party of men were coming along the beach about nine in the morning, bringing into New Plymouth a military prisoner for trial: they were accompanied for the sake of the protection numbers gave, by two young Officers, Lieutenant Tragett, and Assistant-Surgeon Hope, of the 57th Regiment, coming into town on private business. This party was fired on by a body of natives lying in ambush, and—at a single volley—all of them, but one or two, were killed or mortally wounded. The wounded were brutally cut about the head with tomahawks. Two officers, two sergeants, and four men were thus murdered, on the very day month we took possession of Tataraimaka block. I enclose to Your Grace a letter I only received this morning, although written on the 29th of April, in which a gentleman, who has a thorough knowledge of the native race, foretold that some such terrible event was likely to take place: he informing me as follows :—"They (the natives) argue that these places (Omata and Tataraimaka) are theirs by conquest, and that they had a right to hold them, and that they were determined to do so, so long as we hold Waitara. We propose to decide Waitara by arbitration; but to this they object, and contend that, so long as we hold Waitara, they will hold the other places or fight for them, —and that if they fight, they have a right to fight in their own way, even as we fight in our own way."

No. 42

See Enclosure No. 2, to Despatch 39. Vide page 3.

Enclosure 1. Vid(Tpagel3.

Enclosure 2. ~~Vide~pagels.

Enclosures 3 and 4. VideppTlU et seq.

Enclosure 5. Not printed.

14

PAPERS RELATIVE TO

E.—No. 2.