ETJRTTIER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE AGENCY

A.—No. 4a,

6

Had the enemy been in the position he was reported to be —close to the Wairoa Settlement— this force ought, especially had it been joined by a small body of trained men, to have been able to have crushed him at one blow, and that was the main consideration which influenced us in massing the force I have described. The position of things, however, we now find is very different from what the report of Mr. Deighton and Captain Tuke led us to expect. The " Star of the South" after landing the forces and supplies she took up, returned here yesterday afternoon, and I regret to say that she brought no report of any kind from either Mr. Deighton or Captain Tuke. lam quite unable to explain this, and after you haye read their letters of the 18th October you will probably feel as much surprised as myself that these officers did not send frequent and full reports of the state of their district. Their neglect in not writing by the steamer I can neither understand nor explain. The only letter of any kind which came here from Wairoa by the " Star" was a short note written by Captain St. George to myself, a copy of which I enclose, and which contains the only informatiou that we have received from Wairoa since the 18th October. From that letter you will gather that the reports of Mr. Deighton and Captain Tuke exaggerated the immediate danger —that there is no reliable information at Wairoa as to the position of the enemy, and that the part of the enemy which came close to AVairoa was only a scouting party and not their main body. I have endeavoured to put together the information I have open to me, and the opinion I arrive at is, —That the ex-prisoners waited at Puketapu until they received the countenance of the Urewera and AVaikatos, which was given we learn at the meeting lately held at Te Ahikereru ; that they then moved on the AVairoa District, and that they now hold what is known as the Upper AVairoa and the confiscated or ceded land there. That they have plenty of food both in the shape of stored food and potatoes now in the ground, the property of the Friendlies who have retreated to AVairoa, and that they are in a country difficult of approach with retreat open to them to their old position at Ruaki Ture. That their murdering Karaitiana and his scouts show they intend mischief —but that they are delaying their movements with the hope of winning over more of the AVairoa Natives. I do not think they will succeed in this—there is no doubt that the AVairoa and Poverty Bay Natives were most unreliable a week or two since, but the demonstration of force we are making is having the very best effect, and now that they see Te Kooti is not likely to be the strongest side after all, they will probably keep with us. The main point to consider now is what course is best to pursue, and considering the very meagre information we have, I would recommend that no decision should be come to until you have the report of Messrs. Richmond and McLean, which will I trust be in your hands by the wires on Sunday evening next. I enclose a tracing of tho AVairoa A 7alley, Ac., which will enable you to understand the position the enemy are believed to be in, better than I could in writing describe it. AVhatoroa, where the main body is believed to be, is above Maru Maru, but not very far ; it is there that the main supply of potatoes is. Since writing the foregoing an orderly has arrived from AVairoa with a further report from Captain Tuke which I enclose —from it you will gather that the conclusions I have drawn are borne out by what is reported by Captain Tuke. I have, &c, J. D. Okmond. P.S. —Captain Tuke's report mentioned in last paragraph, not time to copy, but one sent by Major Lambert in his to you of this day's date. Edward L. Green, For J. D. Ormond.

Enclosure 1 in No. 8. Copy of a Letter from Mr. S. Deighton to the General Government Agent. Resident Magistrate's Office, Sis,— AVairoa, 18th October, 1868. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 15th instant, and of course you have by this time heard of the news of Karaitiana's death being authentic. I note your remark about conciliating the friendly natives. lam happy to say that no ill-feeling exists at present, and my utmost endeavours, in combination with those of Capt. Tuke, will be exerted towards furthering your views in this matter. Ihaka is here, and has sent for his people, who I trust will arrive to-day. Paora Rercpu has behaved as he always does. He has about thirty men doing good duty. I have, of course, supplied them with rations. I now beg to lay before you the actual condition up to the present date. AYe have, on our side, (Town) about forty Europeans, new men, under Captain Tuke, who can be partially relied upon. About 20 Volunteers under Lieut. Finlayson, and say 40 Militia under my charge, perfectly untrained, and, only that they count as forty men, are in reality of very little service, being, as I said, perfectly untrained. We have a small stockade, badly situated, but strong in itself as a place of refuge, but not commanding the township. AYe! have a large quantity of women and children, and are running short of provisions, as well'as arms and ammunition. The friendly natives are posted at Ruataniwha, Te Waihirere, Te AVhi and Matiti, and are likely to stay there in preference to coming over here. Capt. Tuke and I are trying to get 100 if possible to garrison the town in conjunction with the Europeans, and now that Ihaka has received your letter it is possible we shall be able to do so. The enemy is at present in large force at or about Scamperdown Creek. A native from Te AVh: (Renata) was out yesterday scouting, and came across Himiona and a few Hauhaus. Himiona informed him that the intentions of the rebels were as follows : —Te Kooti, Te Waru, and the Ureweras are to assemble all their forces at Scamperdown Creek. Te AVaru being at Te AVarau at the present time —they are then to advance in the direction of Te AVaihirere and to make overtures to Paora Te Apatu to stand on one side—to leave the road clear for them and the Europeans. In the event of his agreeing, hostilities are to commence at once; if he refuses, they attack him first at AVaihirere, and