A.—No. 13

18

PAPERS RELATIVE TO NATIVE

No. 287, of the 10th current, transmitting two letters from Titokowaru, and one from his brother Reihana Te Wharehuia. I have, &c, H. Halse, The Civil Commissioner, Taranaki. Assistant Under Secretary.

No. 20. Copy of a Letter from Mr. R. Paeeis to Mr. G. S. Coopee. (No. 294.) Sic,— New Plymouth, 27th October, IS6B. I have the honor to report, for the information of His Excellency's Government, that to-day I received a letter from Hone Pihama, copy herewith enclosed, a sort of passport for five Waikato Natives, who are anxious to return to their own district, having had a disagreement about a woman with the Taranaki Natives, with whom they have been living for some time past. They applied to Hone Pihama for advice as to what road they had better take, and he sent his man Karira from Oeo to Warea to tell them to come this way. As Ropata Ngarongomate was returning yesterday from Opunake, he fell in with them near Warea, and brought them in with him to-da} r. They were at my office for about two hours, and I gave them some food, and sent for Te Whakainu, a Waikato woman, the wife of Pirika Mahutu, who was at the hospital. To Whakainu is a woman of tho Potatau family, consequently related to all the leading men of the King party. She knew the five Natives, who are also related to the leading chiefs of the Ngatiporou tribe. I gave them a pass to go along tho coast to the White Cliffs, on their way to Mokau and Tokangamutu. Their names are :—Males, Titoko Puhirawau, Kipa te Kanawa, a boy ; females, Topaea, Mata. The fact of these Natives of rank coming through our district at this particular time, is, I think, of itself proof that there is no concerted plan for a general rising this month, or even at any time. I have, &c, R. Paeeis, The Under Native Secretary, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

Enclosure in No. 26. , Copy of a Letter from Hone Pihama te Rei Hanataua to Mr. Paeeis. Xi a Paeete,— Oeo, 26th Oketopa, 1868. He whakaatu tenei ki a koe, mo nga tangata o Waikato kei te haere atu ma te Taonc. Na kei rapurapu koe, c hold ana ki to ratou kainga, ko te take he pouri ki ta ratou wahine i puremutia c nga tangata o Taranaki. Katahi ka tukua mai te tangata ki au kite kimi ritenga mo to ratou ara, ka mea atu me tika koutou i te Taonc ma to koutou matua ma Parete koutou c tuku atu kia hold ki to koutou kainga. Heoi ano. Na to tamaiti aroha, Na Hone Pihama te Rei Hanataua.

[Teanslation.] Me. Paeeis,— Oeo, 26th October, IS6B. This is an introduction to you of some Waikato people who are passing through tho town. Do not be uneasy, they are going to their own homes ; the reason is, they are angry about one of their womei), with whom the Taranaki people committed adultery. So they sent a man to ask my advice as to which road they should take, and I said go through the town, and your father Parris will pass you on to your own place. That is all. From your loving child, Hone Pihama te Rei Hanataua.

No. 27. Copy of a Letter from Mr. G. S. Coopee to Mr. E. Paeeis. (No. 391-2.) Sic,— Native Office, Wellington, sth November, 1868. I have tho honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 294, 27th October, 1868, enclosing the copy of a letter from Hone Pihama, respecting a party of Waikato people returning home from Taranaki. Mr. Richmond remarks that your letter and tho proceedings it details are satisfactory, and directs me to inform you of a promise which he made to Hone Pihama to the effect that after peace is restored his land shall be restored to him as far as possible. I have, &c, G. S. Coopee, The Civil Commissioner, Taranaki. Under Secretary.