E.—No. 4,

In April, 1861, the Government appointed the Resident Magistrate and two Northern Chiefs (Cain and Ahipene) to value the land at the Kawau, for the purpose, I presume, of endeavouring to purchase it; but the Native owners say they were never consulted, from the fact, I suppose, of the question not having been followed up. If it is the intention of the Government to close the matter by the above valuation, the sooner it is done the better. But there is one question which I feel it my duty to bring under the notice of the Government—namely, that this Section of the Ngamotu Tribe, by surrounding the Kawau, will be deprived of all their sea frontage, and the landing-place for their Canoes for fiishing—a deprivation which will be severely felt by them. This could be met, if the Government thought proper, by alloting them a small place next the Beach, near the mouth of the Henui River. I have, &c, Robert Paeeis, Assistant Native Secretary. The Honorable the Native Minister, Auckland.

No. 19. THE HONORABLE THE NATIVE MINISTER TO ASSISTANT NATIVE SECRETARY, TARANAKI. Native Secretary's Office, Auckland, May 9th, 1862. Sik, — I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 16th ultimo. . I am directed by the Government to state that the arrangements which have been entered into for the purchase of the Kawau, will be completed as soon as possible, and that your suggestion to secure for the owners of the Pa a piece of land at the mouth of the Henui river will be forthwith adopted. I have, &c, H. Halse, Acting Native Secretaiy. The Assistant Native Secretary, Taranaki.

No. 20. ASSISTANT NATIVE SECRETARY, TAEANAKI, TO THE HONORABLE THE NATIVE MINISTER. New Plymouth, April 17th, 1862. Sir — I have the honor to communicate the following particulars of a very extraordinary message which I have received from the old Pukerangiora Chief Whatitiri, and his brother Te Wata, in reference to Hapurona, who, according to their representation, is bent upon mischief, which communication I deem it advisable to send as a private document. On the 9th instant, Mary Pokomui, of Whatitiri, came to my office, and represented that she had been sent by Whatitiri and Te Waka, to inform me that they had good reason to believe that Hapurona would be guilty of some foul crime towards Europeans, which would bring trouble upon them ; that he had fired on his rifle three times : the first time he pronounced to be for the Governor, the second and third for those in his service. That as Europeans were in the habit of going to Te Arei (Pukerangiora), they were in constant dread of some of them being murdered, as he (Hapurona) was never without his loaded rifle in his hand. They suggested that he should be made prisoner, and offered to point out the way it could be done with comparative ease, which they said would be the means of preventing blood-shedding, and that they were prepared to offer their land to the Government, making certain allusions to William King, that he had better confine his plans north of the Waitara river. I told Mary Poka that I considered their proposals to be exceedingly dangerous for themselves if Hapurona discovered them, or any of his friends ; I therefore recommended them to be very careful not to mention it to any one, and promised to report the particulars to His Excellency the Governor, who ■would no doubt be pleased with them for the information they had supplied, in warning us to be careful of Hapurona. Mary Poka is a woman of rank, and respected by the tribe; and although the natives are great alarmists, it is not likely she would have brought such a report without some foundation for it. I therefore deemed it to be my duty to bring Colonel Warre, C.B,, acquainted with it, in order that (if he thought proper) he may instruct his people not to visit Te Arei, requesting him at the same time to keep the particulars strictly secret, until I had reported it to the Government. I have, <fec, Robert Parris, Assistant Native Secretaiy. The Honorable the Native Minister, Auckland.

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NATIVE AFFAIRS.