A.—No. 5.

They returned to their respective stations on the 10th instant. The distance between Opunake and the Waingongoro, is reported to be 24 miles, and not 15, as supposed by your Excellency. I have, &c, 11 D. A. Caheboh, His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B. Lieut.-General. Enclosure 2 to No. 54. Assistant Native Secbetaey of Taranaki to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sin,— "Wellington, 21st June, 1865. For the information of His Excellency's Government, I have the honor to forward the following report of the expedition under the command of Colonel Warre, C.8., from New Plymouth, for the purpose of effecting a passage through the Taranaki and Ngatiruanui Districts, which expedition I accompanied. Eepoet. 1. On Monday, the sth instant, Colonel Warre, C.8., myself, and a company of Bushrangers embarked on board the s.s. " Ahuriri" and landed at Opunake the same evening. Captain Mace with about thirty of the Mounted Corps and four mounted Natives went overland, and met us at Opunake. The s.s. " Ahuriri" was sent off from Opunake the morning of the Gth instant, (after landing the Commissariat Stores brought from New Plymouth) to signal to the forces at Waingongoro, under the command of Colonel Weare, of the 50th Regiment, to advance northward. On the 7th instant a force composed of two companies of the 43rd Regiment, one company of the 70th Regiment, a company of Bushrangers, and thirty of the Mounted Force, commanded by Colonel Warre, C.8., left Opunake and marched as far as a river called Taungatara, which we found a heavy fresh in, and were not able to get the transport cart and the gun over; consequently we encamped on the north side that night, and started the next morning without any camp equipage or carts, taking only seven pack horses with us, with supplies for three days. About 3 o'clock p.m. on the Bth instant, wo met the advanced guard of the force under Colonel "Weare, 50th Regiment, at a place called Taikata, where both forces were halted, and after a communication with Colonel "Weare, which was effected by Colonel "Warre riding on to meet him, the two forces were ordered to encamp for the night about a mile apart, Colonel "Warre's at Taikata, and Colonel Weare's at Kumupuia. On the 9th instant Colonel "Warre, Deputy-Assistant-Quartermaster-General Clark, myself, and about twenty of the Mounted Force rode on to "Waingongoro, leaving the troops where they were encamped. Before starting from Waingongoro, I sent a Native whom I had brought with me from New Plymouth with a few lines to the young Ngatiruanui Chief, telling him that if he really wished to see me, I should be at Waingongoro that day to which place Colonel Warre had consented for him to come, cautioning him at the same time to come with a white flag. As we rode very fast from Taikata to Waingongoro, where Colonel Warre remained only about three hours, there was not time enough for Hone Pihamo to get in; and as Colonel Warre decided to return at once, after consulting with him, I deemed it advisable for the public service that I should remain in the District for a few days in order to give the insurgents an opportunity of communicating with me, as they had previously expressed a wish to do so. 2. Colonel Warre left Waingongoro for the return march to New Plymouth about 3 o'clock p.m. the 9th instant, and as they were passing through the Waimate District, one of the mounted^men (Richard Peed) accidentally fell from his horse, and his comrades left him (not intentionally I presume) when his horse ran inland and he followed it, and whilst doing so was captured by the insurgents near a place called Te Kauae, where the Native I had sent to them fortunately was stopping, and the next day 10th instant he came into Waingongoro to report the capture of the European, who was armed with a sword and revolver. I sent him back with a request that they would send in the European and all his accoutrements so that when we met our talk might be marama (clear, unrestrained). The following day the 11th instant, (Sunday) R. Peed was sent into me together with his horse and accoutrements, and also a pocket handkerchief with five shillings in it, which Peed insisted upon giving them for their kindness to him, but they refused to keep it, stating that it might be said they had liberated him for money. Colonel Wear's force returned from the north Saturday evening, and encamped at Waingongoro for the night. The following morning, Sunday 11th instant, resumed the return marched to Patea. 3. On Monday the 12th instant the young Chief Hone Pihama and Rapata, a young man of the Ngatimaniapoto Chiefs Tikaokao's, together with four others, came in with a letter signed by Te TJa Tito Hanatawa, Tamati Hone Oraukawa and Tauhana, (Tikaokao) which I herewith enclose, requesting me to go to Te Kauae, to meet the Natives of the district there. At first I had an objection to go there, in consequence of a recent occurrence at Watino, not more than ten miles therefrom, when some of the mounted men stationed at Opunake, who went out with Lieut.-Colonel Colville on the Ist instant, about five miles in advance of that post whilst in the act of riding after some cattle inland of the village of Watino (where they had left Lieut.-Colonel Colville and three mounted men) fell in with five natives, and engaged with them, when one of the mounted men was severely wounded, and died the following morning in camp. They left three of the Natives on the ground for dead, after taking their .arms and a mere and tomahawk ; and lest more Natives should come upon them, it was deemed advisable to return to camp at once, which they did, and then returned again with fifty men to where they left the Natives, but on their arrival there were only two Natives, the third having, as they supposed then, been taken away; but from information which I have obtained from the Natives, it appears he got away of his own accord after the mounted men retired, with six bullet wounds, and a severe battering on the back part of his head (inflicted by R. Peed, who was made prisoner). The names of the two men who were killed were Totaea and Honiana, and the one that got away was a chief called Rewa Pura, all Taranaki Natives (that section of the tribe called Titais). After a consultation with Lieut.-Colonel Butler, who was commanding at Waingongoro, I decided to go and meet the Natives at Te Kauae, and accordingly left the same day, accompanied by Captain Sir

55

ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OE STATE.