A.—No. 15a

6

INSTRUCTIONS AND AUTHORITIES UNDER WHICH

allowance shall be made; but I must request that when the wishes of the Government are clearly indicated, there may be no unnecessary departure from them. I have therefore again to call your attention to the instructions and accompanying papers with which you were furnished at Wellington, which were intended to convey to you not only directions for your guidance in a particular instance, but with the general views of the Government in sending prisoners to the Chatham Islands. 11. This trip of the " St. Kilda" will complete the number of prisoners intended to be sent at present. Tou will, upon their disembarkation, cause the captain to take her direct to Wellington, where she is anxiously expected by the lion, the Defence Minister, to whom he will rejiort his arrival. Yon will transmit by her to the Under Secretary, Native Office, a return showing the name and age of the prisoners who have been landed at the Chatham Islands from the beginning, with the names, sex, and ages of those who have accompanied them. 12. There will be no special vessel sent to you for three months, but advantage will be taken of all casual opportunities to communicate with you. 13. I must again impress upon you the necessity for constant vigilance, for leaving neither tools nor implements of any kind in possession of the prisoners at night, and for keeping one-half of the guard always in the stockade and on the alert. Mr. Tuke is understood to have applied with your concurrence for leave of absence. I cannot however approve of the guard being left without an officer. I have, &c, The Eesidcnt Magistrate, Chatham Islands. 11. E. Ef/ssell.

No. 0. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Eolleston to Captain Thomas. (No. 522.) Native Secretary's Office, Sib,— Wellington, 25th June, 1866. I have the honor, by direction of the Hon. Colonel Haultain, to inform you that the Government have decided to withdraw the military guard from the Chatham Islands, with the exception of four men of the Napier Military Settlers, one corporal and three privates, who will remain for the present under your orders. Toenga and other Natives from the Chatham Islands now in Wellington have signified their willingness to take charge of the prisoners ; and you will be good enough to make arrangements to carry out this proposal, and to issue the usual provisions till such time as they are able to supply themselves. Your requisition for the September quarter will therefore be approved for the payment of one corporal and three privates, and for supplies according to the usual scale to prisoners. The remainder of the the guard is to return to Napier by the " St. Kilda." I have, &(■., W. Eollestox, The Resident Magistrate, Chatham Islands. Under Secretary.

No. 7. Copy of a Letter from Captain Holt to Captain Thomas. (No. 137-3.) Colonial Defence Office, Slß,— Wellington, 27th September, 18GG. I have the honor to inform you that the schooner " Flying Cloud " lias been chartered by the Government to proceed to the Chatham Islands and back to Wellington. By her a sum of £300 is being sent to you for payment of departmental expenses, pay of the guard (one corporal and three privates), and for the rations of Native prisoners ; a further sum of £22G 10s. will be placed to your public account in the Bank of New Zealand here. There is an item of £22 17s. 6d. in reference to the disposal of which I refer you to my letter of this day's date, No. 436-3. The Government are also sending by this opportunity one breech-loading carbine with 300 rounds of ammunition, and twenty rifles with 2,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as six suits of clothing for the guard. The breech-loading carbine is for your own use, in place of the one you returned by the " St. Kilda ;" the remainder (viz., the rifles) I am directed by the Defence Minister to instruct you are to be issued to such adult Europeans as wish to receive them, but only on the condition that they will meet for inspection at such times and places as you may direct. Tou should appoint a place of rendezvous for them in case of alarm, and a day once in each month for the inspection of their arms. I am also to request you to send a full report respecting the Native prisoners, showing how they are distributed through the island, and what is their present principal occupation. I have, &c, J. Holt, Captain Thomas, E.M., Chatham Islands. Under Secretary.

No. 8. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Stevens to Captain Thomas. Sib — Colonel Haultain lias instructed me again to remind you of the instructions conveyed in Defence Office letter No. 98-5, of the 4th April, and previous communications, and to state that you are held responsible that sufficient food for the whole of the prisoners is raised by themselves. I have, &c, Ekas. Stevens (in the absence of the Under Secretary).