A.—No. 15

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE ESCAPE OF THE MAORI PRISONERS FROM THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

No. 1. Copy of a Letter from Captain Thomas to the Hon. the Defence Ministek. (No. 33.) Eesident Magistrate's Office, Sib,' — Chatham Islands, 2nd August, 1868. It is with extreme regret that I have the honor to report, for the information of the Government, that an outbreak of the Maori prisoners occurred here on Saturday, the 4th ultimo, which ended in their taking possession of the schooner " Rifleman," after having got possession of all the rifles and ammunition in the redoubt, and effecting their escape. The numbers that escaped are noted in the margin, being a total of two hundred and ninety-eight souls, leaving behind them three men and one woman. The events which happened in connection with this catastrophe are as follows: — The " Rifleman" schooner arrived here from Wellington at twelve o'clock noon on Friday, the day previous, with Government and other stores on board, there being another vessel, the ketch "Florence," from Dunodin, in the harbour at the time, ready for sea and waiting for a fair wind, with pigs and potatoes on board, having cleared for Dunedin. On this day, the 3rd ultimo, seven tons six hundred pounds of flour, out of seventeen tons forwarded, were landed and carried up to the store by the prisoners. The following morning, Saturday, being very wet, the prisoners volunteered with greater alacrity than usual their firewood fatigue for the barracks, which work they had always been in the habit of performing every Saturday morning. A large proportion of them performed this work, and as soon as it was done they assembled at the store, which is close to the redoubt outside, after some of them having carried firewood into the redoubt, another store is also situated inside the redoubt, waiting, as they alleged, for the boat which had gone off by my instructions to land some implements from the " Rifleman," it was about 2'30 p.m. at this time, and a signal appears to have been given by Te Kooti Rikirangi, one of the prisoners, when the constables in their quarters, four in number, and one civilian, Robert Hardic, who had my permission to remain in the redoubt, being one of the late guard, were simultaneously seized and bound by a number of the prisoners; one who offered resistance, Michael Hartnett, was tomahawked by Tamihana Teketeke, one of the prisoners, and others broke open the magazine. It was about this juncture that I was informed of what was occurring. I had been engaged in my office all the morning, Mr. Chudleigh, J.P., being there with me, when one of the Constabulary, G. Sellwood, rushed in and reported to me that the prisoners had got possession of the Redoubt and all in it. I at once requested Mr. Chudleigh to proceed on board the " Rifleman," to prevent her capture, by getting her taken out to sea, and I went up to the redoubt, calling on all I saw to follow me. On my presenting myself at the gate, the prisoners, about twenty in number before me, hesitated. I asked one of them —" "What does all this mean?" and then addressing myself to them all, told them to lay •down their arms ; they were then just completing rifling the magazine of its contents. I was then immediately seized by about six of them, thrown violently on the ground, and my hands bound and legs tied. I lay there about a quarter of an hour calling for help ; everyone had flown, resistance was hopeless, and I expected every minute to be tomahawked or bayonetted. I was then carried into the Constabulary quarters, and after remaining there for about half-an-hour, being assured at this time by many of the prisoners that if I kept quiet I should not be hurt, and that they wanted the vessel, I was taken down to the gaol, about one hundred yards distance, on to the beach below, —the redoubt being situated on the hill above. On my way down I observed the women and children and others of the prisoners coming down the same hill, at a distance off, and going on board the " Rifleman," which vessel other armed prisoners succeeded in taking while what I have described was going on. Another armed party of them at this time, eight in number, took possession of the " Florence," ordering the master and her crew, four in number, to take their vessel alongside of the " Rifleman," which they did, and then they were ordered to proceed ashore by the prisoners. "While in gaol, I was called out and asked what letters I had received from the Government; and one of the prisoners told mo that I was to go with them, which I refused. The keys of my safe were then demanded, —my office being immediately in front of the gaol, —and they ransacked and looted the safe, containing moneys to the amount of £397 Bs. 2d. I was then ordered back to the gaol, where other Europeans were to the number of ten, in two separate rooms, and after remaining there about half-an-hour, we forced open the door and escaped up the hill behind, amid cries of " They're coming, make haste," which turned out to be the master of the " Florence " and his crew landing, as before alluded to. During these proceedings several of the prisoners, armed with revolvers, seized money and articles from the settlers' houses around, the majority of the males, twenty-nine in number, having been bound. Mr. Chudleigh, J.P., on his getting off into the boat to proceed to the " Rifleman," as before mentioned, was nearly strangled, his life being saved by one of the prisoners whom he knew. I then proceeded, after escaping from the gaol, to my house, a short distance off, situated across the "Waitangi river, —in the pa of the Waitangi Natives had my handcuffs broken off, and proceeded to make such preparations as I considered necessary for the defence of the settlers generally and their families.

163 men, 64 women, 71 children—2oB. Lcftbehind3men, 1 woman —4.