A.—No. 8,

PAPERS RELATIVE TO NATIVE

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apprehended of any disturbance of the peace of the Patea District, and I am to instruct you, therefore, to strike off pay and duty the whole of the Volunteer Militia immediately on the receipt of this, unless, in the meantime, any fresh contingency should have arisen which would lead the Resident Magistrate to consider it absolutely necessary that they should still be retained on duty. I have, &c, Inspector Hunter, J. Holt, No. 3 Division, Armed Constabulary, Patea. Under Secretary.

No. 26. Copy of a Letter from Inspector Huntee to Captain Holt. (No. 264-1.) Sic,— Patea, 13th April, 1868. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 184-2, dated 9th instant, and, in reply, to inform you that I addressed a letter to the Besident Magistrate, Mr. Booth, asking if he considered it necessary to retain the Volunteer Militia on pay. I beg to enclose copy of his reply, and in compliance with his wishes have retained them. At his suggestion, a party of fourteen men and two constables have been stationed at the village of Mokoia. I have, Ac, Captain Holt, Wm. Huntee, Inspector, A.C, Under Secretary, Defence Office. Commanding Patea District.

Enclosure in No. 26. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Booth to Inspector Huntee. (No. 32-2.) Besident Magistrate's Court, Sic— " Carlyle, 13th April, 1868. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of No. and date as per margin, and, in reply, to state that I consider the services of the Volunteer Militia, at the present time stationed at Mokoia, to be absolutely necessary for the protection of settlers, who have in vain attempted to occupy their land situated at the edge of the bush, not far from Whakamara. Two men, named Henderson and Luxford, were turned back no less than threo times by Natives of Whakamara. The last occasion was on Friday last, when the Natives came out as far as the village at Mokoia, waylaid the two men above-mentioned, pulled them about a good deal, and forced them back. I have, &c, James Booth, 8.M., Inspector Hunter, No. 3 Division, Patea. Carlyle, Patea.

258-1, Patea, April 12,1868

No. 27. Copy of a Letter from Captain Holt to the Offices Commanding Militia Disteict, Patea. (No. 151-2.) Colonial Defence Office, Sic,— Wellington, 20th April, 1866. In reply to your letter No. 264-1, of the 13th instant, covering copy of a communication from Mr. Booth, 8.M., stating that he considered it absolutely necessary to retain on pay a detachment of Volunteer Militia at Mokoia, I am directed to inform you that the Defence Minister has approved the steps you have taken (as reported in your letter now under reply) in consequence of Mr. Booth's suggestion. I have, &c, J. Holt, The Officer Commanding Militia District, Batea. Under Secretary.

No. 28. Copy of a Letter from Inspector Huntee to Captain Holt. (No. 268-1.) Sic,— Patea, 14th April, 1868. With reference to my letter No. 264-1 of the 13th instant, and to yours No. 184-2 of the 9th instant, I have the honor to inform you that at the request of Mr. Booth, Besident Magistrate, I accompanied him this day to Mokoia, to ascertain whether it would be expedient to withdraw the Volunteer Militia from that post, with a view to their being disbanded. Upon our arrival there we learnt that, agreeably with his instructions, the two men, Henderson and Luxford, had again tried to go upon their land, but were stopped by a party of from seven to nine Natives, who ordered them off, at the same time using very offensive language and threatening gestures. The men therefore returned, and have stated that they are afraid to make another attempt, as they are apprehensive that if the Natives became excited by their repeating tho attempt, the case would become a more serious one. The number of men under arms in the district would of itself preclude any endeavour to compel these Natives to permit tho settlers to go upon their land without molestation; and of course, without fresh instructions from tho Hon. the Defence Minister, I have not increased their number. I have, &c, Wm. Huntee, Inspector, A.C, The Under Secretary Defence Office, Wellington. Commanding Patea District.