AGENCY OE MR. McLEAN.

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A.—No. 4

No. 11. The Hon. E. AY. Stafford to His Honor D. McLean, Esq. (No. 233.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— Wellington, ISth March, 1869. In a Memorandum addressed by you to the Government at the close of last Session, tendering your services as General Government Agent on the East Coast, your Honor founded your offer on the opinion that it was the " duty of every Colonist to assist, and to induce the co-operation of the friendly Natives." The Government, in accepting your services, were therefore justified in expecting your loyal support. The part your Honor has thought fit to take, notwithstanding the earnest and repeated remonstrances of the Government, in advising the chief Ropata Wahawaha and a party of Natives who had joined the Armed Constabulary to break their engagement after they had been sworn in and had actually sailed in the Colonial steamer "St. Kilda" to join the force under Colonel AVhitmore, is, however, so vicious an example in itself, and exhibits such an irreconcilable difference between yourself and the Government as to the import of such terms as assistance and co-operation, and as to tho proper mode of dealing with tho Maori population, that the Government are compelled to cancel Mr. Richmond's Memorandum of the 12th October last, and to withdraw the authority you have hitherto held as their Agent. I have, &c, His Honor D. McLean, Esq., Napier. E. AY. Stafford.

No. 12. Hj_kae3_ Potae to the Hon. Mr. Richmond. To Mr. Richmond,— Te Mawhai, 21st March, 1869. Friend, &c. Here are Ropata and his people ; they have come back to this place. I did not look favourably on him and his words. I am much pleased at Hotene and Wiki having gone on thither to give effect to the word of tho Government. Here am I still here with my soldiers, anxious to go on to Patea. Had the " St. Kilda " come here I and my people had gone by her. As it is, friend, send a steamer here to fetch us. Let it be done at once ;do not let it be long. Also write a letter inviting us. Tour friend, Henare Potae.

No. 13. The Hon. R. Stokes to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. Sir,— Milbourne, Kaikora, 26th March, 1869. I have the honor to transmit to you the enclosed resolutions, which were unanimously adopted at a large and influential meeting of settlers of the AVaipawa, AVaipukurau, aud adjoining districts (of which I was chairman), and, in doing so, I feel it my duty to inform you, that a general feeling of alarm and insecurity has been caused in those districts by the proceeding of the General Government in withdrawing from His Honor the Superintendent of Hawke's Bay the powers which ho exercised as Agent of tho Government in suppressing the rebellion on the East Coast. From His Honor's great influence with tho loyal Natives, which has been so beneficially exerted for the protection of this Province during the recent disturbances, an amount of confidence was felt by the inland settlers, which, I regret to say, has been greatly impaired, if not altogether destroyed, by the course pursued by the General Government; and they greatly fear that the irritation which it has produced among the loyal Natives is calculated to weaken their respect for the authority of the Government. I have, &c, Hon. E. W. Stafford, Coloni.al Secretary. Roet. Stokes. Ist Besolution. —This meeting has heard with alarm and regret that Ministers have withdrawn from His Honor Donald McLean the General Government Agency on the East Coast, but, looking at the services His Honor has rendered, added to the influence he possesses over the East Coast and Taupo tribes, and further to the confidence reposed in him by people of both races of this Province and upon the East Coast, this meeting is of opinion that the withdrawal from His Honor of the powers he has for so many years successfully exorcised to the general benefit of the Colony, is, at the present critical conjuncture, a great public calamity, is calculated to destroy confidence, and seriously to weaken the friendly relations with the East Coast, Hawke's Bay, and Taupo tribes, which His Honor has laboured so successfully to develop and maintain. 2nd Besolution. —That in the opinion of this meeting it is extremely desirable that an humble but urgent appeal should be made to His Excellency the Governor, to forthwith convene the General Assembly for tho despatch of public business, inasmuch as this meeting considers that the present critical position of the Colony, the serious additional burthens necessarily entailed by protracted warfare, together with the spread of the rebellion under the conduct of affairs by the present Ministry, are matters of serious import requiring that the advice and assistance of the j Legislature should be taken without delaj-, and that a memorial embracing such opinion should be transmitted to His Excellency as soon as it may be corroborated by the signatures of the settlers of this Province. 3rd Besolution. —That all practical means should be adopted of communicating with other Provinces, with the view of obtaining their co-operation in this matter. Robt. Stokes, Chairman.