ESCAPE OE THE CHATHAM ISLAND PRISONERS.

A. —No. 15b

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No. 5. Copy of a Letter from Inhabitants of Chatham Islands to the Hon. E. W. Staffoed. Sic,— "Waitangi, Chatham Islands, Friday, 10th July, 1868. At a meeting of the inhabitants of the Chatham Islands held at Waitangi this day, to consider the late outbreak of the Hauhau prisoners, and their forcibly taking possession of a vessel called the " Rifleman," for the purpose of going to New Zealand, we, as loyal British subjects, resolved to lay before the Government our indignant but respectful protest as to the way our lives and property have been endangered by the carelessness of the New Zealand Government, in sending down Hauhau prisoners to the Chatham Islands with a miserably insufficient guard, and thereby encouraging them to break out; in which outbreak Private Hartnett of the Armed Constabulary, lost his life in the attack on the redoubt, and the lives of the people were in imminent peril —many owing their lives to interference of personal friends amongst the Hauhaus. Also, to state that since the last Government Agent came down, the guard having been reduced, and the Hauhaus not worked so hard, by his orders ; it is the opinion of the inhabitants that the carrying out of these orders has been, to a great extent, the cause of the late unfortunate occurrence. We would also strongly remonstrate against any more prisoners being sent down here without a sufficiently strong guard to protect us. (Signed) G. Beamish, .T. Atjkland, The Hon. E. W. Stafford, T. Eitchie, J.P., Colonial Secretary, Wellington. and 27 others.

No. 6. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Gisboene to Inhabitants of the Chatham Islands. (No. G3S.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Gentlemen, — Wellington, 25th August, 180 S. I have the honor, by direction of Mr. Stafford, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th ultimo, on the subject of the recent escape of the Hauhau prisoners from the Chatham Islands. I have, &c, Messrs Gr. Beamish, .1. Auldand, and others, W. Gisborne, Waitangi, Chatham Islands. Under Secretary.