IN NATIVE DISTRICTS

21

A.—No. 10.

Xo. 18. . Copy of a Letter from Mr. H. T. Claeke to Mr. Coopee. (D. 223.) Civil Commissioner's Office, Sie, — Tauranga, 30th March, 1869. 8 p.m. I have the honor to report that information has just been received from the Lake District, to the effect that Te Kooti has attacked Kaiteriria, an Arawa settlement on the borders of the Rotokakahi Lake, about six miles from Eotorua. I herewith enclose a letter from the Native Assessor, Te "Waata, announcing the fact; also a copy of a private letter from Dr. Nesbitt. I shall detain the " Clyde," at present under orders for Auckland, until to-morrow morning, with the hope of getting more certain information. I have, &c, Henet T. Claeke, The Under Secretary, Native Department. Civil Commissioner.

Enclosure in Xo. 18. Copy of a Letter from Mr. W. K. Nesbitt to Mr. H. T. Claeke. My deae Claeke, — Maketu, 30th March, 1869. The enclosed came in from Wata this morning. I can hardly believe that Te Kooti is there in force, but he may have sent a party to look for ammunition. Henare Pukuatua has started for the purpose of ascertaining the truth. All the men here with arms are about starting for Rotorua. In the meanwhile, would it not be advisable to send the steamer with what arms you have, in case they might be required ? Should I have left for llotorua, I shall leave some one to take charge of them. Fox desires me to say he would be glad to see you; he wiil remain here to-day on the chance of your coming. Ido not know what he wants ; I have requested him to send on all his men. Tours, &c, H. T. Clarke, Esq. W. K. Nesbitt.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in Xo. 18. Ki A te Nihipeta,— Te Taheke, Maehe 29 o nga ra 1869. E hoa kua huki aTe Kooti ki nga wahi ote Arawa ki Kaiteriria; kua puhi taua ope me te tangata whenua, kua riri. No te 28 o nga ra ka timata te pupuhi. He ki atu tena ki a koe kia tere to tuku ki Tauranga ki a Henare Karaka. Ko te tangata i tae mai ki te ltotoiti ko te Hira Taiwhanga. Kia tere te haere kai heino. No te 12 o nga haora otepo ka tae mai te mera o Kaiteriria ki te Taheke nei. Heoi ano. Na Te Wata Taeaxui.

[translation.] To Dr. Nesbitt, — Te Taheke, 29th March, 1869. Friend. Te Kooti has appeared within the boundaries of the Arawa ; fighting has commenced between him arid the people at Kaiteriria. The firing began on the 28th (?) This is a word of mine to you. Make haste to send this letter on to Mr. Clai-ke, lest he (Te Kooti) escapes. This news was brought from Kaiteriria by Te Hira Taiwhanga; he arrived here at 12 o'clock in the night. This is all. From Te Wata Taeanui.

No. 19. Copy of a Letter from Mr. H. T. Clabke to Mr. G-. S. Cooper. Civil Commissioner's Office, Sib,— Tauranga, 11th April, 1869. In continuation of my communication of date and number quoted in the margin, I have the honor to report that the information conveyed in my letter of the 30th March, D. 223, proved a false alarm. The information given by the three young men who made their escape from Ahikereru, as to the D. movements and intentions of Te Kooti, have been confirmed. On the 26th ult. two Natives —Taimona, a,n Urcwera, and Kawhena, a Ngaiterangi, for a long time resident with the Warahoe hapu on the Kangitaiki, both nearly related to some of Tukehu's people —were discovered by some of Tukehu's scouts on the eastern bank of the llangitaiki. They expressed a desire to be allowed to cross the river and visit Tukehu and Tiopira, as they had important information to communicate. They were allowed to cross the river. They stated that Te Kooti was not aware that they had come away, but that their love for the Kokohinau people was so great that they could not rest satisfied until they had been made aware of the intention of Te Kooti to attack them shortly. They stated that Te Kooti had been strongly reinforced by ex-prisoners from the Chatham Islands and a large body of Urewera (WaikareMoana) and Turanga Natives, on the same day that Pani and his companions made their escape ; that Te Kooti had twice met all the Urewera, and that on both occasions he had told them that it was his intention to attack Kokohinau, but that he hoped to gain the Kokohinau people without resistance ; that if they resisted he would destroy them ; that the Arawa settlements were all in his hands ; that he would, after establishing himself on the Kangitaiki, attack Te Awa-o-te-Atua, and all other Arawa settlements in detail, and last of all Tauranga; that the Euatahuna Ureweras had supplied a considerable quantity of ammunition, and had promised assistance. The two men —Taimona and Kawhena —expressed their intention of returning immediately to Tc Kooti, but some of the Arawa who were assisting Tukehu did not think it right that they should. They were detained and handed over to the Native police, who conveyed them to Tauranga. Colonel Harington and myself have carefully examined these men separately, and the above is the substance of what they stated. I have since ascertained that they made precisely the same statement to Tukehu and people. I have handed them over to the keeping of the military for the 6

222, Mar. 30.