A.—No. 4.

8

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE

No. 20. Mr. Gisborne to Mr. S. F. Prentice and others. (No. 327.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Gentlemen, — Wellington, 19th April, 1869. I have the honor, by the direction of Mr. Stafford, to acknowledge the receipt of your petition praying for tho reinstatement of Mr. Donald McLean in his former position as Government Agent in the Province of Hawke's Bay. I have, &c, Mr. S. F. Prentice and others, W. Gisborne, AVairoa, Hawke's Bay. Under Secretary.

No. 21. Mr. S. F. Peentice to the Hon. E. AY. Staffoed. Sic— Te Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, 3rd April, 1869. I have the honor to forward, for your information, copy of resolutions passed at a public meeting of the inhabitants of this district (of which I had the honour to be chairman). Ido so at the request of a large number of the gentlemen present, feeling, as they do, that in the present critical state of the Colony you should be informed of the opinions entertained by those in immediate contact with the natives. I have, &c, The Hon. E. W. Stafford. S. F. Prentice. Ist Besolution.— That in the opinion of this meeting the recent steps taken by the New Zealand Ministry in removing Mr. D. McLean from the post of Agent of the General Government in this Province is full of danger and evil augury, more particularly under the present circumstances of the North Island in connection with existing relations between the races —Maoris and Europeans. 2nd Besolution. —That in the opinion of this meeting the only advance that can be made towards the amelioration of the evils under which the Colony is labouring, is by an early meeting of the New Zealand Parliament. 3rd Besolution. —That this meeting desires to express its sense of the great obligations which this district is under to the good offices of Mr. D. McLean ; and whilst deprecating the recent action of the Ministry, begs to assure that gentleman of the entire and continued confidence placed in him by every member of this community. I have, &c, The Hon. E. W. Stafford. S. F. Prentice, Chairman.

No. 22. Mr. Gisborne to Mr. S. F. Prentice. (No. 332.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sic,— AVellington, 20th April, 1869. I have the honor, by the direction of Mr. Stafford, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd instant, forwarding copy of certain political resolutions passed at a public meeting of the inhabitants of the AVairoa District. I have, &c, W. Gisborne, Mr. S. F. Prentice, Te Wairoa, Hawke's Bay. Under Secretary.

No. 23. The Hon. R. Stokes to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. Sic, — Milbourne, Kaikora, 14th April, 1869. I have the honor to transmit to you the enclosed memorial to His Excellency the Governor from the inland settlers of AVaipukurau, AVaipawa, and adjoining districts, founded on the resolutions unanimously adopted at a late meeting held at Waipukurau, of which I was chairman. The memorial has been signed by nearly every settler in these districts, and I regret to add that the recent calamitous events at Mohaka give increased urgency and weight to the prayer of the memorial, which I have the honor to request will be presented by you to His Excellency the Governor. I have, &c, The Hon. E. W. Stafford, Colonial Secretary. Robt. Stokes. To His Excellency Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand. The Memorial of the undersigned Settlers in the Province of Hawke's Bay, respectfully sheweth: — That your Excellency's memorialists view the present critical position of the Colony and the spread of rebellion, under the conduct of affairs by the present ministry, with anxiety and alarm. That your Excellency's memorialists are of opinion that the measures taken by the Ministry to meet tho great and increasing difficulties of the Colony are not satisfactory, and that the spread of the rebellion is mainly owing to tho unwise and inefficient administration of affairs. That your Excellency's memorialists believe that the protracted war in which the Colony is engaged must entail serious additional burdens upon the people, and, as it appears to your memorialists, without any adequate or definite result. That your Excellency's memorialists see no hopes of an amelioration of the existing