A.—No. 12.

AGAINST THE REBEL NATIVES.

25

I am proceeding to form a flying column, and to discharge largely from the European portion of my force. I have, &c, The Hon. Defence Minister, Wellington. G. S. Whitmoee, Colonel.

No. 20. Copy of a Letter from Colonel Wititmoee to the Hon. Colonel Haultain. Sih,— Nukumaru, 9th February, 1869. On the 6th I returned to Nukumaru, where I was visited by Commodore Lambert, who could not, however, see in my future operations any opportunity to employ the Royal Navy under his instructions, a view with which I coincided. The weather of the 6th and 7th was unfavourable, but on the Sth I sent back Lieut.-Colonel Lyon with a force to protect the Kai Iwi in the possible event of raids being made in that direction upon the settlers. On the Sth, also, I proceeded with the Native force to reconnoitre, and entering the bush not far from Mr. Lomax's, this side of Pakaraka, made our way till we struck the main trail of Titokowaru's retreat. This we followed to the Waitotara which unfortunately proved to be flooded. We saw the enemy's horse beyond the river but no sign of his camp. This day, also, I learned that Captain Hawes (whose post at Wairoa I had strengthened, to enable him to move) had burned Putahi, and examined the country without finding any tracks, but from Patea I hear that some Natives have been seen. To-day Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell and Inspector Roberts are out prosecuting the search still more closely, and I hope that they may obtain some indication of Titokowaru's retreat. The great want now is a reliable Native force. The Arawas are too few, and Kemp's Natives are evidently cowed by the sight of the mutilated body of their comrade. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Colonial Defence, Gr. S. Whitmoke, Colonel. Wellington.

No. 21. Copy of a Letter from Colonel Whitmobe to the Hon. Colonel Hatti/taw. Sik, — Head-Quarters, Weraroa, 10th February, 1869. On the 16th instant I formed a column, consisting of the force as per margin,* and directed Major Kemp, Captain Swindler, and Captain Hawes to arrange the best direction for its operations about Okutuku and the Moinahaki, with a view of intercepting parties from Titokowaru's camp, which by that time I had ascertained to be in the broken country between Papatupu and Okutuku. On the 17th I directed Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell to move across the Waitotara, and to endeavour to gain some knowledge of the ground and the enemy's movements from the other (inland) side. Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell made his march without opposition and reported that the enemy had certainly fallen back from the Waitotara to a gorge of a stream running into the Moinahaki. On the 18th the chief Kemp returned, having examined Putahi without obtaining any trace of the enemy, and having only come upon evidences of his being in the vicinity near the old pa at Ngamotu. Here during the late rains he had had a strong party digging potatoes, doubtless that which fired on Mr. Monrad. Kemp left Sub-Inspector Swindley at Wairoa, his men having been out two consecutive nights, and returned himself to Nukumaru early in the forenoon of the 18th. Meanwhile aIL the troops were employed in making dray and pack roads for my further operations. These arc conducted on the principle of making a dray road in continuation of that which I have already made or repaired from Kai Iwi to Wairoa; but of making only pack-horse roads for any movements into the bush on my right flank, as the ground there is too broken for dray roads without much labour, and the work cannot be of any use hereafter to peaceful settlers. Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell's division is encamped at Te Karaka, and I directed him yesterday to make a pack road to Areahi. This he was engaged upon when at 3 p.m. the noise of musketry beneath him and across the Waitotara attracted his attention. He instantly turned out his division and hurried to the spot, when it turned out that a party of his men foraging on their own account for peaches had fallen into an ambuscade, and out of ten men but three escaped. I send you this officer's own report of this unfortunate occurrence. The men, I am happy to say, do not seem to have been cowed by the loss of their comrades, and indeed were desirous of pushing on at night to the rebel camp to obtain revenge. As I had neither guides nor a Native force available, I could not run the risk of any worse mishap, so I, a little unwillingly, abandoned the idea. This morning, however, I recalled the column from Wairoa and moved No. 8 A.C. (Arawas), and Kemp's Natives to Areahi, bringing my own head-quarters to Weraroa, and sending Nos. G and 7 Divisions to Te Karaka, above Areahi. I pushed on the work as fast as I could, and have almost completed a pack-horse road to Areahi, with one or two bridges, while 1 have got the material for a punt carried by the men to Te Karaka. While this was being done I directed Major Kemp and the Arawas to cross the Waitotara and select a ground for their own camp to-morrow. I directed Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell also to proceed in support, partly in the hope of obtaining some tidings of the missing men of his division. Scarcely had the Ngatihau and Arawas reached the old clearing, close to the peach grove which had proved so disastrous a temptation to our men, than the enemy opened fire. The Arawas, however, * Under Major Kemp—6o mounted Native Volunteers. Under Sub-Inspector Swindley—3o Volunteers, No. 8 A.C.; 25 Volunteers, No. 1 A.C.; 9 mounted men, No. 1 A.C.; 12, the Corps of Guides. Under Captain llawes —50 Wairoa Garrison. Total, 186. 7