E.—No. 1.

were Te Kihirini and Tipene ; they pressed me to stay, and hear what was said. Tipene said to me, where are you going ? I said, lam going to Ngaruawahia. What to do ? To take the Governor's letters They said again, letters to whom ? I said, to Te Paea, to Patara, to Tuta, and to Taati Te Waru. I then questioned them as to where their party was going ; they replied, that the party was going to Te Kohekohe, to send Wiremu Te Wheoro's timber back to Mangatawhiri. They said, now that you have come, we will cease to talk about the men we were to send to ascertain whether or not Wiremu Te Wheoro would yield. This party will remain, and if Wi Te Wheoro is hard, we shall go and send the timber back to Maungatawhiri, because this piece of land does not belong to the pakeha ; it belongs to the Maoris only. Mangatawhiri is the pakeha boundary. It is the intention of this party (ope) to proceed to the Kohekohe, seize the timber, and convey it to Mangatawhiri; and on our return we will take Wiremu Te AVheoro, and take him back with us. Enough, I said to them. Wiremu Te Wheoro has gone to the Town (to Auckland). The party expressed disappointment at this, and spoke thus —It is well, Wiremu Te Wheoro heard that the party was coming down, and yet he goes to Town. This was all that was said by the party in regard to Wiremu Te Wheoro's timber. They spoke on another subject about some waipiro (spirits) belonging to some pakeha, which this party had seized. Tlie quantity taken was fifteen gallons ;it was still lying there. I asked them what they intended to do with the waipiro. Tipene replied, send it back to Maungatawhiri, or to the TownThis was all the talk we had. ~,.,, , -n .. ■tr I started from Rangiriri at five o'clock, and reached Heta Tarawhiti s place, above Taetai. .He told me what opinions (or advice) he had given to the party ; for on the first day, when Heta went to them they told him that it was their intention to burn the timber. Heta, therefore, said to them, do not waste the timber ; but if you approve, let it be, and wait for the Governor: but they would not listen The Rev. Mr. Ashwell arrived during the night, and our conversation was about this. I started from there on the morning of the 19th, aud went right on to Ngaruawahia, and delivered the letters to Patara and Te Paea. I heard no "korero" there—only what Patara and Te Paea had said in their letter to the Governor. It was this:—There is trouble since you left, on account ot Wiremu Te Wheoro's timber. This was all. On the 20th I left Ngaruawahia. When I reached Rangiriri, I found that the party had left and gone to Horahora ; and when I reached Meremere, the canoes of the party had landed at Te Kohekohe, and the timber had been put into the water. I came on as far as Mr. Selby's, and slept there, and on the following day continued my journey. I came away on the 21st. On the road I overtook some men, and asked them where they had come from They replied, from Waikato ;wo slept at Mangatawhiri. I asked, did you see the party that came down to the Kohekohe. They said, we did. They have brought away Wiremu Te Wheoro s timber to Mangatawhiri; it was floated down this morning. I asked if Wiremu Te Wheoro had arrived (at his place). They said, yes, last night. I then asked them what his thoughts were, lhey said, Oh ! nothing (i.e., he does not know what to think.) ' b Mitai Pene Taua. No. 53. I started for Waikato on the 23rd March at 6 a.m., and arrived at Papakura at 11, where I procured another horse to enable me to pursue my journey. I reached Mr. Selby's at 1 o'clock, and dined and fed my horse there. Mr. Selby told me that the timber would not be brought down to the Ia that day I said, never mind, I shall go on and see whether it has been brought down or not. I then went on and found that it had been landed; two hundred and seventy Waikatos were engaged in throwing the timber on shore. As soon as they saw me they called me, and I went and stood m the midst of them. Takerei Te Rau called out and said It is good that you should come and see your property lying here. This was all that was said by Takerei. I then told them the Governor's words, that the Waikatos were not to suppose that he had gone to make war at Taranaki, he had merely gone to make the road, and that was the cause of my being sent back to communicate with the Waikatos. As soon as I arrived in Auckland, news came of the disturbance you had created on account of the timber, and I was sent on to talk with you Had^l found you at the Kohekohe, I should have advised you to let the timber remain quietly at the Kohekohe until tlie arrival of the Governor, who would decide with respect to it. As it is, I have nothing to say to you or to the army, for I have myself seen the timber brought to the la. This was all I said—after a time they replied, and Hetaraka Muru stood up and said : welcome, Hobbs—come and see your property lying here. Hearken. The Governor and you say that Tataraimaka is your boundary, and I say that the la here is my boundary ; this belongs to the Queen, and therefore it is that I have sent back your property to the la, on to the Queen's land. Listen. On this we are determined. If any other Maori chief attempts to take this timber back to the Kohekohe, 1 shall go and brino- it down again to the la. If your pakeha friends attempt to take back this timber, 1 shall send it back again to the la. This is the fixed resolve of Waikato, and of the whole tribe, throughout all its boundaries. Let the termination be at the Ia; cease to disturb us. When this is finished, I shall erect a post as my boundary. John Hobbs : Where is it to stand. Hetaraka : On the bank of this river. John Hobbs : Let it stand in the middle of the river. Hetaraka: No! but on shore. John Hobbs : This side of the river is mine, and that side is yours ; let the post stand in the middle. Hetaraka : Let us go across to the old chiefs and hear what is said. John Hobbs : I have nothing to say to the colonels, majors, and officers of your army. Had 1 found you at the Kohekohe, I should have gone and talked to the chiefs of the army. I intend now to return', and to-morrow I am going back to Taranaki. They said : It is right. I started to return at 2 p.m., and arrived in Auckland at 11 p.m. John . obbs. F

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COURT HOUSE AT KOIIEKOHE.