DISTURBANCES AT PATEA.
7
A.—No. 8.
Enclosure in No. 7. Copy of a Letter from Mr. J. Booth to Inspector Huntee. (No. 38-2.) Besident Magistrate's Office, Sic— Carlyle, 20th April, 1868. As the Natives in tho neighbourhood of Mokoia and Whakamara are still determined to resist every attempt on the part of European settlers to occupy their land, and after consulting with Mr. Parris, Civil Commissioner, on the subject, I have the honor to request that you will, as soon as convenient, send a small body of men across the Hingahape Stream, inland from Mokoia, and so place them as to give protection to tho settlers Henderson and Luxford, who have as previously reported by mo been ejected from their land. The post to be occupied will bo on Government (or confiscated) ground, and the men composing the force are to understand that they are simply to protect settlers from insult or violence at the hands of the Natives, and if a disturbance should arise in consequence of this movement, the Natives must be allowed to take the initiative. I have, &c, Inspector Hunter, Armed Constabulary, James Booth, Patea. Besident Magistrate.
No. 8. Copy of a Letter from Mr. J. Booth to tho Hon. J. C. Bichmond. (No. 41-2.) Besident Magistrate's Office, Sic,— Carlyle, sth May, 1868. I have tho honor to report that late on Sunday evening (3rd), a man named Smith, who keeps an accommodation house at Waingongoro, came to me and complained that two horses belonging to him and one belonging to Mr. E. McDonnell, which were stolen a week or ten days ago, were known to be in possession of the Natives at Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu, that those Natives refused to give them up, and declared that they would take any horses or other property they could lay hands on. At daylight yesterday, I left Patea, and went to Waihi. I then sent a message to Waingongoro, to ask Mr. Smith to come up at once. After breakfast I started for Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu in company with Captain Boss, Sub-Inspector, A.C., in command at Waihi, Mr. Smith, and two mounted constables. To Ngutu-o-te-Manu is about ten miles inland from Waihi, the most part through dense bush ; on our way we were overtaken by some Natives from Hatepe, who tried to pursuade me to go back, as they knew the horses would not be given up, and they were afraid that I should be shot if we went on. On arriving at the village, we found that Titokowaru was very ill, and not able to see me. I went to his whare, but did not see him. Toi, a young chief, then came out of another whare, ho looked very sullen and refused to shake hands, merely saying " there is the house (the large new house recently built) I suppose you have come to look after thieves." After a short time I went into the house, a fine weather-boarded building eighty feet long. After sitting in silence for a short time, I stood up and spoke, first saluting them all, and then speaking of the new whare. I reminded them of my last visit to the place and all that had then passed between us, that they and I had each pledged the other that peace and goodwill should for tho future be between us. In confirmation of their good feeling they had presented me (Government) with a gun, and that the gun had been stamped upon by Toi and Titokowaru ; my part of the peace contract had been faithfully kept, but judging from Toi's words to me, I should say that their part of it had been broken. After a great deal of whispering together on the part of the Natives, Toi stood up and said, " We have the horses you have come in search of, I have them, and I do not intend to give them up ; one, a mare, was mine originally, the others are the property of Europeans ; I intend to take the horses and other property of Europeans whenever I can." I said, " What is the cause of this change, I have kept my word ; we Europeans have not molested you in any way. Why have you committed this great wrong, and gone about like rats to a potato pit to steal away property by night; you dare not attempt, like men, to take away anything by daylight." Toi then said, " You are doing great wrong to us, so great that you do not see it." On asking him to what he referred, he said, stamping on the ground, " You must find that out." I said, " I recollect your saying to me at the meeting to which I have referred, 'Wo have presented you with a body, it is for you to furnish this body with flesh, blood, and bones.' To which I replied, ' The flesh, blood, and bones for the Ngaruahine is tho land between Waingongoro and Kapuni.' After that explanation by mo, you stamped on the gun and then presented it to me. You knew what the terms were before you made peace." A young man, whose name I did not hear, then said, " The flesh, blood, and bones meant all the lands which you have taken on this side the Waitotara." I then said to Toi, " Give me back the horses, rifles, and other property which you have stolen." Toi said, " When you and tho rest of the Europeans go back across the Waitotara Biver, we will talk about giving them up." I repeated my demand three times, and Toi gave me the same reply, " Go back across the Waitotara." I then got up to come away ; Toi said, "Do not go in anger." I replied, " There is nothing further to say." We then returned to Waihi, and I came on to Patea. I have, &c, The Hon. the Native Minister, James Booth, Wellington. Besident Magistrate.
No. 9. Copy of a Letter from Mr. J. Booth to the Hon. J. C. Richmond. (No. 43-2.) Besident Magistrate's Office, Sic,— Carlyle, 15th May, 1868. I have the honor to report that on Sunday evening last I received a private letter from Mr. Carrington, Chief Surveyor, informing me that whilst laying off a line of road between two Native