A.—No. Ib.

" Titokowaru and Te Kooti, he Avill perhaps come to the conclusion that their " atrocities are happily as exceptional as the course adopted with a view to their " punishment. But the offers in question are not without precedent, in the history " of the Mutiny in India, and even of the Eenian outrages within the heart of the " United Kingdom. Every atrocity of the Sepoy Rebellion has been parallelled " and outdone in the raids, burnings, violations, tortures, murders, and cannibal- " ism of the last nine months in NeAV Zealand, and with less provocation or " excuse." 5. It aaIH be further recollected that, so far back as on the sth September ultimo, I transmitted a Memorandum from Colonel Haultain, then the Minister for Colonial Defence, shoAAdng that every effort was made in the due course of IaAV " to bring to justice TitokoAvaru and his gang of murderers War- " rants were issued against them after the coroner's inquest held on the bodies of " some of the settlers, whom they have treacherously killed and savagely "mutilated Any prisoners that may be taken Avill be tried before the " Supreme Court of the Colony, as were the Maoris who in 1865 murdered " Messrs. Volkner and Eulloon at Opotiki, on the East Coast of this Island." In my previous Despatch No. 78, of the Bth August, 1868, I had forwarded a copy of Titokowaru's proclamation to his tribe (dated 25th June, 1868), in which he boasted of bis cannibalism—of " eating an European trooper like a piece of beef. "He Avas cooked in a pot; the Avomen and children partook of the food. I have " begun to eat human flesh; and my throat is constantly open for the flesh of " man." Again, with my Despatch No. 14, of the 31st January ultimo, I forwarded Colonel McDonnell's account of his Adsit to TitokoAvaru's abandoned pa at Te Ngutu-o-te-manu ("the HaAvk's Beak"), to ascertain the fate of the officers and men of the Colonial forces who were killed and Avounded in the action of the 7th September, 1868, and Avhose bodies unfortunately fell into the hands of the rebels. Colonel McDonnell Avrote : " I regret to say that the report which reached "me about the burning of tho bodies of those left in. the field is too correct; and " a more horribly revolting spectacle could not have been witnessed. We found " the remains of two large fires or altars outside the pa, and of a small one inside, at " the foot of a rata tree. The charred remains of human bones and skulls at each " of these fires, with other signs horrible to think of, told a sickening and aAvful " tale. I fear the story related of poor Corporal Russell, relative to his having " been burnt aliAre, is true ; and this most likely took place at the foot of the rata " tree mentioned above. There is no doubt that the dead Avere partly eaten and " partly offered as a sacrifice by the infamous TitokoAvaru and his band." In your Despatch No. 45, of 23rd April ultimo, your Lordship acknoAvledged the receipt of my Despatch " enclosing a report from Colonel McDonnell of a successful expe- " dition under him to the pa of the rebel chief Titokowaru," and added, " I am " greatly shocked to hear, from Colonel McDonnell's report, of the barbarous " manner in which the remains of some of the Colonial troops were treated; and " I can hardly express the feeling of horror with which I learn that there is reason " to fear that one of them was burnt alive." 6. Your Lordship has required from me explanations of the conduct of the Colonial Government with regard to Titokowaru. The above-mentioned facts alone, taken in connection with the opinion of the Attorney-General, seem to justify, according to the law of nations, the decision of the Ministers to treat Titokowaru and also Te Kooti (\vhose cruelties have been hardly less atrocious) in an exceptional manner, so as to make a clear and broad distinction betvveen them and those insurgents who, like the Waikato tribes, have waged a comparatively honourable warfare. Moreover, it has been asked here, " Why should the " Ministry of New Zealand be blamed for adopting, against Maori murderers and " cannibals, measures far less stringent than those for which Lord Seaton, Sir " Henry Ward, Lord Torrington, Lord Canning, and other Governors, have been " applauded for adopting in the suppression of the rebellions in Canada, Cepha- " lonia, Ceylon, India, and Ireland ?" It is Avell known that, in all the rebellions alluded to, reAvards were offered for the persons of the rebel leaders, in some cases "dead or alive" toticlem verbis; that "martial law" was proclaimed, the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended; numerous prisoners were executed for being 6

21

AND THE GOVERNOR OE NEW ZEALAND.