A.—No. 3f.

4

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY

Enclosure 3 in No 1. Memorandum for the consideration of His Honor the Superintendent and Mr. Commissioner Pareis. In compliance with the letter of Colonel Whitmore, copy herewith, it is proposed to move the Bushrangers, now on their way thither, Armed Constabulary, Militia, Volunteers, and Dismounted Cavalry, to the track at the back of the mountain. This will give a force of about 250 officers and men, to which I recommend that 50 friendly Natives be added. To effect this it will be necessary to place on pay and duty—Dismounted Cavalry, say, 30 ; men to garrison redoubts and block-houses, 50 ; friendly Natives,"so—in all, 130. The object will be to cross the Patea River, and between that river and the Mangawhu (which runs from Te Ngaere into the Waingongoro), to get in rear of Te Ngaere, to intercept as far aa possible the inland communication from it, and to co-operate with Colonel Whitmore as far as practicable. Militia Office, New Plymouth, C. Brown, Major, 26th March, 1869. Commanding Militia and Volunteers. Approved—H. R. Richmond, Superintendent. R. Parris, Civil Commissioner.

No. 2. Copy of a Letter from Major Brown to Colonel Wititmore. Sir,— Militia Office, New Plymouth, 20th March, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 24-th instant, and I now enclose, for your information, copy of a memorandum approved by His Honor the Superintendent and Mr. Commissioner Parris, without whose permission I have no authority to put an extra man on pay. Mr. Parris is as yet uncertain if he can obtain the friendly Natives I require. If ho cannot, the force will proceed without them. I hope to be in rear of Te Ngaere by Monday next, or Tuesday at furthest. I have travelled the mountain track oftener than any other European here, and anticipate no natural obstacles to effecting what I propose. I have, &c, C. Brown, Major, Colonel G. S. "Whitmore, Commanding Taranaki Militia and Volunteers. Commanding Local Force, Te Ngaere.

Enclosure in No. 2. Memorandum for Officer Commanding as to Movement of a Force along the Mountain Road. As the question as to whether a force should at this time be moved from New Plymouth to intercept the escape of Titokowaru along the mountain road is one of grave importance to this settlement, and possibly in its ultimate results to the Colony, I think it best to put in writing my chief reasons for advising that such a step should not be taken without previous communication with Colonel Whitmore:— 1. In consequence of a threatened attack from Ngatimaniapoto it has been thought necessary to add 150 men to the force previously in the settlement to guard against that danger. 2. From information received from Mahau, Iliaia, and Teira, there appears great reason to believe that the proposed movement of 250 men from New Plymouth will disturb the present neutral attitude of the Taranaki Natives to the South, and of a portion of the Ngatiawa Tribe inland of this settlement, and cause them to join with Ngatiinaniapoto in an attack on the settlement. 3. The Government of New Zealand not being in a position at the present time to enforce the full submission of all neutral and disaffected tribes throughout the Island, it is of necessity their policy to confine actual hostilites to limited districts, in which they may hope, with the force at their disposal, to gain a decided advantage over the enemy. I therefore fully believe that if Colonel AVhitmorc were aware of the risk which would be involved by the proposed movement of drawing in tribes now inclined for peace into actual hostilities, and of the small chance which there appears to be that Titokowaru will attempt to escape along the mountain road, he would not desire that his suggestion (which although strongly ui-ged is by no means peremptory) should be carried into eifect. For these reasons I recommend that no force should be moved along the mountain lino without another communication with Colonel Whitmore. AVhile strongly advising this as a measure of prudence, having regard to the great loss of property which must ensue from an inroad of the Taranaki, Ngatiawa, and Ngatimaniapoto Tribes, without better provision for meeting them, I am deeply sensible of the humiliating position in which a Government is placed which has to consult the humours of savage tribes as to the nature of their movements against a declared rebel. But it appears to me folly to ignore that such is our present position, and to act as if it were otherwise until we are better prepared. That such better preparation should be made with the least possible delay, it is the duty of every settler in this Province to urge upon the Government. H. R. Richmond, 27th March, 1869. (Superintendent.