A.—No. 3

26

between the 25th and 30th July, 1866. The evidence further leads me to believe that Lieut.Colonel McDonnell was anxious to push forward the surrender of tho Natives as rapidly as possible ; but that they themselves, although evidently sincere in the professed intentions, did not desire to push the matter so rapidly, and were anxious to secure the co-operation and advice of relatives and friends of the tribe living at a distance, before bringing it to a conclusion. It does not appear, however, that sufficient time was given to them for this purpose. I find that Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell followed up the negotiations, and, anxious to complete the matter, requested the chief Natanahira to meet him at Waingongora on the day following the return of the emblems of war, for the purpose of proceeding to Wellington to complete the surrender. Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, in his letter to the Defence Minister, states that Natanahira agreed to this course ; whereas the chief himself, whilst admitting that this course was urged by Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, denies that he agreed to it, and alleges that he was bound, in deference to the wishes of his people, to proceed with Te Ua (whom they iooked upon as a delegate from the Governor commissioned to urge peace) to Taranaki, to be forwarded from thence to Wellington by Mr. Parris. It appears, however, that Natanahira did agree to meet Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell at Waingongora before proceeding to New Plymouth, but that he was persuaded by influential Natives to proceed at once to Taranaki, and to send messengers to Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell to explain his reasons for his absence. Hamiora and Hukanui, the messengers referred to, both confirm the statement of Natanahira, and Hukanui states that he informed Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell that Natanahira had proceeded to New Plymouth ; but does not mention expressly that he had done so for the purpose of proceeding to Wellington with Mr. Parris. It thus appears that tho Tangahoe people were sincere in their intentions to make peace, but that they had determined that it should be done through Mr. Parris, instead of through Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell. I further find that Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, for reasons not sufficiently explained to us, immediately conceived an opinion that the Natives were deceiving him, and made up his mind to treat them still as rebels, and that he then took the steps detailed in his own letters for lulling them into a feeling of security prior to the contemplated attack. I do not find any material discrepancy between the account of that attack given in Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell's own letter and that given by the witnesses on both sides; but I think it very doubtful that the first shot fired was fired by the Natives, the whole circumstances attending tho attack leading to the contrary belief, and the evidence of the Natives themselves absolutely denies it. , After a careful consideration therefore of the evidence, both documentary and otherwise, presented to us, I am of opinion that the attack on Pokaikai was unnecessary ; was determined upon by Lieut.Colonel McDonnell hastily, and without sufficient examination of the reasons for Natanahira's absence from Waingongoro at tho appointed meeting; and that the course taken by Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell for lulling the Natives into a feeling of security whilst contemplating an attack upon them, and whilst they still retained the emblem of peace held out by himself, was improper and unjust, and calculated to lead to serious complications in our relations with the tribe in question. I have, &c., To His Excellency Sir George Bowen, G.C.M.G., Geo. Geaham. Governor of New Zealand, &c, &c.

Copy of Letter from Captain G. Dawson to Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, relative to the Natives of Pokaikai retaining the emblem of peace, and returning the emblems of war; also, reporting that " Te Ua reported that, from Otapawa downwards, the rebels wish for peace " : — My Deae McDonnell, — Waingongora, 27th July, 1866. I send you two letters, one for the Governor and one for Wilson. Te Ua and his men returned this morning with an idea of seeing you in accordance with Wiremu's message, which reached him this morning early. I told them the reason of your going away last night, and they are quite satisfied, but they wished to have seen you. I have persuaded them to leave the letter to the Governor open for your perusal, and then you are to send it on closed. Wiremu sent the bottle of rum with the other things to the rebels, and they have sent back the rum and the cartridge and cap, and retained the wipe. Te Ua tells me that from Otapawa downwards the rebels wish for peace ; but he has not yet seen the others, but they —I mean Te Ua and his people —are going to bring Mr. Parris up. Wiremu arrived here about ten minutes to twelve o'clock. He had not been out himself, as I told you, but the man named Beuben, whom I told you he would use as his messenger. I send you these letters by special orderlies, and hope they may catch you at Manawapou. I must say lam very glad you started last night as things turn out. Honi was very anxious to see you, as well as Moses. I hope you will soon be here, and, with kind regards from all here, Believe me, &c, G. Dawson. A chief from Otapawa has come in ; his name is Ngahina. If this catches you at Manawapou, I am asked to tell you to como back here to-night to see Te Ua, as ho wishes very much to see you. G. D.

Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, in a letter to the Hon. the Defence Minister, at Wellington, written from the Camp Manawapou, and dated 30th July, 1866, says : — " I have the honor to report that I arrived at Patea on tho evening of the 25th instant. The following day I proceeded to Waingongoro, and saw Wiremu, of Kauae. He informed me that Te Ua and Hone Pehama were at Otapawa, and that the rebels might make peace. After some further conversa-