S—No

the mistake by underlining with a pencil the word " them," not by striking it out, and wrote in the margin in pencil what he believed was the real meaning intended to bo attached to the word " them," •riz. —" who now come in a* pointed out in this paper." The word* " without delay" were added by some other person. The other instance given by Ministers is as follows : — " On the 16th of December, 1863, His Excellency had a draft Proclamation submitted to him " which it was intended should be issued from Ngaruawahia, whither His Excellency was about to go. " His Excellency made alterations in it with his own hand, and with his full assent it was printed and " got ready for issue. His Excellency subsequently decided not to go to Ngaruawahia, chiefly on " account of a difference of opinion aa to whether he should go alone or be accompanied by Ministers, " and this Proclamation was never issued. One of the passages inserted by His Excellency with his " own hand in that draft is in these words, "AH the lands of those who have been fighting will be for- " ' feited to the Crown. Any part of it that is restored to them will be so done from consideration to " ' the wants of themselves and their children, and it must be understood that in laying down their arms " ' they relinquish all their land.' " This passage intensifies the original draft by the Colonial Secre- " tary, which was not so strongly worded." An inspection of the papers laid before the Governor will show that what is called a Proclamation was really a letter, and that this letter as it is stated to have been altered by the Governor, was not printed, and got ready for issue, at least that is not the ease with the printed copies sent to him, and which he has seen. This letter was also addressed to Te "Wharepu and all the people of "Waikato, who wrote to Governor Grey. It was not a general Proclamation. An inspection of the papers will also show that he was dissatisfied with the letter itself, and with the alteration attributed to him by Ministers, and that at least two alterations were considered by him. The point he believes, from looking over the papers, he was particularly thinking of, was the pledge he was asked to give that he would only reserve 600,000 acres for all the Natives. The Governor has stated that he cannot find that the Proclamation as said to have been altered by him, was printed and prepared for issue. He also cannot find that ho ever approved it by signature or otherwise. The draft is in the handwriting of the Colonial Secretary. The papers also show that the Governor did not send this letter, which waß under discussion, on the 15th of December, but on the contrary, on the 16th of that month he wrote a letter with his own hand, which was slightly altered by the Colonial Secretary ; this was the letter actually sent, and which was minuted at the time in the Colonial Secretary's office, as " stating conditions on which peace will be made with the Waikato Tribes, "as finally arranged by His Excellency." A copy of this letter, as written by the Governor, is attached to this Memorandum. Ministers state that none of them, down to the date of the Governor's Memorandum of the sth of May, have any recollection of any objection being taken by the Governor to the principle of confiscation, however broadly stated. The Governor would remind his Eesponsible Advisers that on the 16th of December last the Colonial Secretary, at the time these matters were under discussion, waited on the Governor and told him that uneasiness existed here, from an opinion being entertained that he would not, in the confiscation of the lands of those Natives who had been engaged in the present war, go so far as some persons thought proper and desirable, and that the Governor, then fearing that difficulties might arise from differences of opinion between himself and his Eesponsible Advisers on the subject, wished to write to the Secretary of State for specific instructions, as to whether, in assenting to the confiscation of such lands, he was as of course to assent to any advice that his Eesponsiblo Advisers might tender to him, or whether he was to act in such manner in regard to it as Her Majesty's interests might appear to him to require. G. Gket. Gorernment House, Auckland, 25th May, 1864. Enclosure to No. 20. Government House, Auckland, 16th December, 1863. Te Wheoro having informed the Governor that the chiefs of "Waikato are afraid to give up their arms and ammunition, lest they should be made prisoners when they had done so, the Governor informs them that if they will give up their arms and ammunition they will not be made prisoners, nor will they in any way be molested in their persons for any part they may have taken in the present or former war against the Government, unless they have committed murders, for which they will be tried and punished. If the chiefs of "Waikato desire to know the line of conduct the Governor will pursue towards hem for the future, if they now submit to the authority of the Government, the Governor will receive at Auckland any deputation of chiefs that they may send to him. Such deputation shall be kindly received, and in every way well treated ; and the Governor, who always has, and still takes the greatest interest in their welfare, will fully explain to them the future intentions of the Government, and will hear any representations they may have to make ; and they shall be allowed to return in peace to the place they came from. They should quickly determine what they intend to do in this matter, as the General will continue to move to the front without any stop in his progress. G. Gtiet.

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO NATIVE AFFAIRS.