OF MR. McLEAN ON THE EAST COAST.

7

A.—No. 4a

then the Europeans. The same overtures have been made to Hamana and refused up to the present time. lam inclined to think Hamana will be staunch; if so, we cau hold our own till we get reinforcements. I need not tell you that our position at the present time is very precarious, from the fact of having so few trained Europeans, and being hampered with women and children —and with every probability of the enemy making a diversion under Te AVaru, attacking us in rear. I shall however do my best to retain as many natives as I can on this side of tho river, and, as the present redoubt is very small, Captain Tuke will most likely throw up a temporary entrenchment round the Court House — that is, of course, if we are not attacked by the enemy in the mean time, which, I am sorry to say, we hourly expect. As Capt. Tuke was unable to hold Te Kupu, I presume by this time the rebels have taken possession of that post. I have, &c, The General Government Agent, Napier. S. Deighton.

Enclosure 2 in No. 8. Copy of a Letter from Sub-Inspector A. Tuke to the General Government Agent. Sir,— Clyde, Te AVairoa, 18th October, 1868. I had the honor to forward a despatch yesterday stating that I considered the place in imminent danger, and that I had considered it necessary to order the Military Settlement to be at once abandoned. The Block House has accordingly been evacuated, and all outsettlers are collected in Clyde. I had no possible means of defence for both places, and the enemy in very large force crossed tho river at Maru Maru, just above the Block House in the heart of the settlement. They are now on this side of the Scamperdown Creek, on a hill, AVaingongoro, threatening the right bank of the River, while a large party of the Urewera, &c, under Te Waru, threaten the Township. Their exact whereabouts is not known, but they are collected for the purpose at AVaikaritaheke, and are now somewhere close in the hills. Another party, we are informed, have canoes ready to come down. Their plan is clearly to attack on both sides of the River simultaneously. They have sent to the resident Friendlies to make the way clear for them to fight the Pakeha, and we nightly expect an attack. My force is very indifferent, only a few good men. I have called out every man, and am using every means to complete defensive works. I believe we shall be assisted to a degree by the Friendlies, but can at present get none over here, as they are alarmed for their own safety, and I fear sometimes will do little more than fight their own pas —Matete, Ruataniwha, AVaihirere, and the Ngatikurupakiaka, the latter I feel inclined to trust, but shall be most cautious in giving them ammunition. Karaitiana's death has had a good effect in increasing their anger with the Hauhaus, if not their love for us. I believe I shall be justified in paying scouts for our own use at the same rate as Europeans —it would be most impolitic to do otherwise at present. Being so hampered with women and children, I cannot but feel most anxious to receive reinforcements of disciplined men. Militia here almost worthless, barely under command, unofficered, untrained —not the material to use either for defence or otherwise. If a steamer with gun could be spared, it would be most useful in case of the worst. I trust I shall not be supposed to put things in a worse attitude than they really are. I have, with the kind assistance of Mr. Deighton, Mr. Preece, and others, thoroughly sifted all information, and have no doubt whatever of the entire truth of all I report. Mr. Deighton will be able to furnish all native information, and, I must add, has been of every assistance, as also Mr. Preece, who I beg strongly to recommend for a Commission in the Militia. I will communicate as often as possible, and, situated as we are, must hold our own till reinforcements arrive. Since writing the above, I have had tho honor to receive the Despatches from Napier, but have no more to communicate at present. I have, &c, Arthur Tuke, The General Government Agent, Napier. Inspector, Commanding District. I shall endeavour to get Natives over hero, but am doubtful about it —they prefer their own pas.

Enclosure 3 in No. 8. Copy of a Letter from J. C. St. George to J. D. Ormond, Esq. Dear Sir,— Te Wairoa, 21st October, 1868. We could not land at Te AVairoa, so ran on to AVangawehe ; anchored there at 10 yesterday or 12 noon. I started overland, and arrived here at 5 p.m. All quiet. Our Native scouts have exaggerated very much as to the vicinity of the enemy. There is no doubt that parties of their scouts have been within a few miles of Clyde, but the main body were certainly never nearer than Maru Maru (12 or 14 miles from Clyde), if so near, Captain Tuke yesterday sent out a party of Pakehas under Saunders; they were accompanied by Ihaka AVhanga and 100 Natives. They went within five miles of Maru Maru, but sent scouts as far as that place. They saw nothing of the enemy. Ihaka tells me that the main body are probably either at Whataroa or Puketapu. lam inclined to think that they are at the former place, as there are plenty of potatoes there, and none at Puketapu. If Mr. McLean had come here to-day, I should have proposed my going with a small force of Pakehas and Natives, taking a week's provisions, and finding out where the beggars are ; at present, no ono knows for certain. As Mr. McLean will have written you, the Ngatikahuugunu are marching from Mahia. I expect they will be here this evening.