27

A—No. 13,

AFFAIRS ON THE WEST COAST.

As the assistance of those Natives who are on pay will, I presume, be necessary, Major Brown bas agreed to send you instructions to allow them to accompany the other Natives, for the purpose of securing the crops for their own use. They should be instructed to have armed sentries posted in proper places, and any arms taken by the working party to be kept close at hand in case of a surprise. I have, &c, R. Paeeis, Captain Good, Commanding at Urenui. Civil Commissioner. P.S. —It is desirable, if it can possibly be done, that the quantity of each person's crops should be ascertained. —R. P.

No. 50. Copy of a Letter from Mr. G. S. Coopee to Mr. R. Paeeis. (No. 59-2.) ■ Sic,— Native Office, Wellington, 31st March, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 62, of the 19th instant, reporting the purchase from the Pukearuhe Military Settlers of their crops for the use of the Natives returned from the Chatham Islands; and in reference thereto I am directed by Mr. Richmond to beg that you will use every endeavour to employ these people on some useful work, such, for instance, as cutting bush lines behind Waitara and Urenui, in consideration of the expenditure thus incurred for their benefit. I have, &c, G. S. Coopee, The Civil Commissioner, Taranaki. Under Secretary.

No. 51. Copy of a Letter from Mr. R. Paeeis to Mr. G. S. Coopee. (No. 64.) Sic,— New Plymouth, 20th March, 1869. I have the honor to forward herewith for your office copies of correspondence as per Schedule, and to report that up to the present time nothing has been seen or heard of the Ngatimaniapotos. Fires are frequently seen along the coast from Tongaporutu to Mokau. I have, &c, R. Paeeis, The Under Native Secretary, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

Schedule. Enclosure 1. Civil Commissioner to Colonel Whitmore, No. 42, 4th March, 1869. „ 2. Civil Commissioner to Colonel Whitmore, No. 47, 11th March, 1869. „ 3. Civil Commissioner to Colonel Whitmore, No. 49, 11th March, 1869. „ 4. Civil Commissioner to Hon. Defence Minister, No. 55, 13th March, 1869. „ 5. Hon. Colonel Whitmore to Civil Commissioner, No. 46, 14th March, 1869.

Enclosure 1 in No. 51. Copy of a Letter from Mr. R. Paeeis to Colonel Whitmoee. (No. 42.) Sic,— New Plymouth, 4th March, 1869. I have the honor to report for your information, that by the arrival on the 2nd instant in the Warea District of about twenty Ngatiruanui Natives from a place called Te Ngahere, I have obtained additional information to that which I gave Colonel Haultain just as he was leaving, and which he told me he would send to you from Whanganui to the effect that there was defection in Titokowaru's camp. Yesterday information was brought to me that the above party of Natives have stated, since their arrival at Pariaka, inland of Warea, that Titokowaru's followers were leaving him in consequence of his intriguing with their women, and that he himself is expected very shortly to return to Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu. The young chief Hone Pihama is keeping a good watch for his retirement, west of Patea, which, when he knows to bo true, he will immediately report to me, when I shall send off a special messenger overland with a letter for you, as requested by the Hon. the Defence Minister. Nothing whatever has been seen or heard of the Ngatimaniapotos this side of the White Cliffs since the massacre on the 13th ultimo, and whilst some of our Natives arc of opinion that they are not likely to come away from Mokau, but wait expecting to be attacked there, others say that they believe that after waiting for some time, and finding we are not likely to go to Mokau, they will then, if in sufficient force, advance upon this district and commence offensive operations. In this they will be opposed by Hapurona, who intends to advise them to return to Mokau and confine their fighting to that quarter. The constabulary which you so promptly sent to our assistance under Sub-Inspector Gudgeon, went out yesterday to Tikorangi, and to-day part of them move on to Urenui. There are about 160 Militia on pay occupying the block-houses in the out-districts, to protect the settlers, whilst securing their crops, against a sudden surprise. I have, &c, Tho Hon. Colonel Whitmore, R. Paeeis, Commanding Colonial Forces, Patea, Whanganui. Civil Commissioner.