ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

A.—No. 1,

23

the two boundaries, which contained the least land; that furthermore, the lands of all Natives who had adhered to the Queen were assured to them, and that even those Natives who had been in rebellion were assured that portions of their lands would be returned to themselves and their families. 8. General Cameron's semi-official letter to me of the sth January, of which he sent a copy to Earl de Grey on the 7th, I regarded as having been petulantly Avritten ; with my knowledge of what had taken place here this cannot be wondered at. I thought that my letter to him of the 7th January, sent home at the same time to Earl de Grey, which informed General Cameron that the Colonial Ministers would raise a Colonial Eorce, and would, as soon as the state of the country admitted, dispense with the services of the troops, and undertake their own defence, had quite answered the questions he had raised in that semi-official letter. Certainly this arrangement on the part of the Colonial Ministers quite satisfied my own mind. 9. I trust this explanation will satisfy you that the measures of confiscation you have alluded to were General Cameron's, at least as much as mine, and that I could have had no idea that such a difference of opinion existed between us on this subject, as it was necessary for me to bring under your review. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, M.P. G. GREY.

No. 17. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir George Grey, X.C.8., to the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, M.P. (No. 165.) Government House, Wellington, Sir, — 30th December, 1865. I have the honor to transmit for your information the copy of a Report which has been received by the Government of an interview held with the Pai Marire Natives of the Waikato District upon the 13th instant, at which you will see that they distinctly stated that they had no intention of harrassing or molesting the Europeans in that district; that they were totally unarmed, and that if Europeans came to then* settlements they would not be molested. 2. These statements on their part, viewed in connection with the letters from their Chief William Thompson, which I transmitted in my Despatch No. 154, of the sth instant, satisfy me that their present intentions are peaceable. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, M.P. G. GREY.

Mr. Searancke, 13th Dec, 1865,

Enclosure in No. 17. Mr. Searancke, E.M., to Mr. Mackat. Sir, — Ngaruawahia, 13th December, 1865. I have the honor to inform you for your information that a large number of Pai Marire Natives from the Piako, principally of the Ngatihaua, Ngatiruru, and Ngatikoura Tribes, assembled yesterday at Hukanui, at the head of the Komokorau Creek, E.S.E. from Ngaruawahia, about ten miles distant, to the number of two hundred men, women, and children, and sent a messenger to Hohaia, at Hopuhopu, to pay them a visit there. Hohaia at once informed me of it, and I instructed him to proceed there at once and ascertain their intentions, which, if of a friendly character, I desired him to invite the leading men of the party to Ngaruawahia, or that I would proceed there on the following day (this day). Hohaia returned from his visit this morning, and reports to me as follows: —" On my " arriving near tho place where the Hau Haus were encamped they sent mo word that I must not be " frightened, but I must be received with honors, dancing round me and my little party in a circle. " This I declined, saying if they persisted in this I should at once go back. I then proceeded on, and "we all had a great crying over one another. The principal Chiefs were Eeihana, Iroia, and Henare ; " the first is of the Ngatihaua Tribe, and equal in rank to Wiremu Tamehana. All the speeches on " their side in answer to mine were of one tendency: to express their regard and love to me, and to say " good-bye to the lands of the Waikato. They then all stood up in a circle, men, women, and children, " and went through their form of prayer, uttering a gibberish which I could not understand, one arm " stretched upwards. In the evening we again assembled, and I made a long speech, explained the " Governor's Peace Proclamation to them, asked them again what their intentions were, and invited " them to come on with me to Hopuhopu, that we were all anxious for peace alike. To all this ■' Eeihana and Iroia answered that they had no intention of harming or disturbing the Europeans ; 6