E.—No. Ia

No. 5. MEMORANDUM by Masters. Ministers beg to acknowledge His Excellency's second Memorandum of yesterday's date, relative to the escaped prisoners. Ministers beg mis rupejtfully to repeat that the oral statement made, by Mr. Whito to them differed very materially from that contained in Hta Excellency's Memoranda. Mr. Waifce did not state to Ministers that Hii Et relljney offered to provide food for the prisoners—nor to send a person with them for tho purposes sated by His Excellency—nor that they aakod that canoes and boats might be provided for their crowing tiie Ma;iuk;iu. Ministers never understood Mr. White to say that His Excellency proposed tint roue to them, and are certain that tiie only allusion to boats or canoes was in reply to a quo^io;i put by the Coo lial Secretary to Mr. White vvaether the " Sandfly" could take them all up the Tliames, w leu Mr. Wuite replied that they seemed to prefer the idea of going in boats and canoes ; but tas iiad no reference to Mauukau. In addition to these matters which Mr. Whito did not tell them, he did tell them several other things which are not stated in either of His Excellency's Memoranda. For ins'an^e, Mr. White informed Ministers that the prisoners said they would not go back to Waikato if when they there they were to bo driven to the hills —-that they were aware that they had by rebellion forfei ed all their lands, and that soldiers were living where they lived before ; they would not cons ;nt lo <xo I ill they had land allotted to them fit for cultivation, and not on the mountains. Mr. White also said that they sjemxl very suspicious of His Excellency's plans, and afraid that he meant to entrap them ; and that, they said ihey would not go unless they had written pledges that 1 hey should not be so dealt with. Ho asked them in reply if he (Mr. White) had ever deceived them. Tuey admitted he had not, but said they must have " a writing." T.iay also said they would like Mr. White to a;o with them. He said in reply, that after their breach of faith on so many occasions, he would not like to trust himself with them ; that if he did, it would only be because he believed prisoners would no^ let them hurt one wiio had been so kind to them. Tapihana replied that neither Mr. Wiiite nor Mr. Fox need fear to trust himself with them ; that they remembered their kindness to them on board the hulk, and that none of them would hurt either of them. Mr. White said that he made them no promise on the subject. These s a!emeu's, which are not in either of His Excellency's Memoranda, led Ministers to believe that but, little progress had been made by His Excellency in his attempt to induce the na'ives to re'urn peaceably to Waikato, and that they were asking for conditions preliminary to the'r go:ng which Ministers did not understand that His Excellency was prepared to grant. In reply to His Excellency's expression of regret that " Ministers will not send Mr. AVhite and the ' Sandfly' in tho manner proposed, and that he fears very serious embarrassments may arise in consequence," M'mVors thought they had met His Excellency's wishes when they placed Mr. White's services and the " Sandfly" a f His Excellency's d sposal to enable him to carry out whatever plans he mitjht have devised. T icy have no objection, however, to send Mr. White in the " Sandlly," in the distinct undcrs'anding that lie goes as His Excellency's agent, and to carry out His Excellency's plans, and that Minis ers do no 1 hold themselves in any way responsible for the result of his mission. Tao " Sandl! y," however, Ministers regret to state, cannot be lefr at Mr. White's disposal while at Mahuraiv', as she has already been placed at the d sposal of the Registrar-General, for the purpose of carrying Itv> census enumerators along the North-.East Coast, —a service which could not be delayed ; but ahn shall convoy Mr. White there on Monday and leave him there. What em'wrrassmen s Hs Excellency Jludes to as likely to ensue if Mr. White is not immediately senf, however, Mm's ers are a* a loss to understand, since His Excellency appears to have made no promise that either Mr. White or the " Sandfly" should go to Mahurangi; and he has stated to Minis'ers that before any further movement is to be made by the prisoners, To Hemara is communica'e ;n person or by letter with His Excellency. November 19th, 1864. W. Fox.

2

FURTHER PAPERS ON NATIVE PRISONERS.