A.—No. 8a

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST THE REBEL NATIVES.

No. 1. The Hon. the Native Minister to Native Chiefs. Feiends, — Auckland, 27th October, 1869. Salutations to you. I have received a letter from Mr. Ormond and Colonel McDonnell. I have seen their word, pointing out your great services, and your bravery, and the battle gained by you at Pourere. Friends, the Government give you great praise for your good work. I also bear in mind that all that wc are seeking is that peace should return to this Island, and therefore we are earnest in exterminating these men who continue to commit murder and to do us evil. Be strong in our unity of action and of thought, that peace may be within our Island. Donalu McLean. Circular to Major Kemp and his companions of Wanganui, To Henare Tomoana, to Tuwharetoa, Paora Hapi and Hohepa Tamamutu, To Arawa, Te Kecpa Eangipuawha.

No. 2. His Honor J. D. Oemond to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey. Sib,— Napier, 30th October, 1869. I have the honor to enclose the copy of a despatch received last evening from Lieut.Colonel McDonnell, containing an account of the steps recently taken to find Te Kooti. I regret that the expedition was unsuccessful, but as will be seen from the despatch, and extract from private letter to myself, another attempt was about to be made, which I trust may have a more fortunate issue. I have so fully informed Ministers by telegraph of everything connected with the Taupo operations, that I need not add more in this communication. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. J. D. Oemond.

Enclosure in No. 2. Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell to His Honor J. D. Oemond. Sic,— Taupo, 29th October, 1869. I have the honor to state, for the information of the Government, that on Wednesday, the 20th instant, I sent orders to Major Kemp and Sub-Inspector McDonnell to leave Tokano on the 21st, with the Wanganuis, Arawas, and No. 2 Division A.C., for Papakai. On that date I left this post with a few Wanganuis and seventeen dismounted troopers under Sergeant MeHugh, and proceeded to Papakai. On the way I met the Napier Natives returning, under Henare Tomoana, from an expedition I had previously sent them on, in search of Te Kooti. I desired Henare Tomoana, after his arrival at Poutu, to dismount his men and return and join us at Papakai on foot, these instructions were most cheerfully complied with, and in the afternoon the force camped at Papakai, and the Natives went out in foraging parties to collect such potatoes as they might find, as food for the road. On the 22nd, Friday, it poured the whole day, one continued fall of rain, and to march was out of the question. On Saturday it rained the early part of the day, but towards the evening it cleared up, and about 6 p.m. the men fell in, and we started on a night march to get round and into the bush before daylight. Our line of march lay at the base of Tongariro and Ruapelm, over numerous swamps and deep gullies running from the mountains. We marched till daylight, when a thick fog closed round us, but fortunately wc had reached the bush. Here I halted the forces for half an hour. It now commenced to rain, and continued all day; we pushed into the bush, and described half a circle, but could find no signs of any body of men, only a few traces of single men here and there, and these were some days old. We camped for the night in the bush, the force having marched eighteen hours almost without a halt, and were completely soaked through. The next morning, the 25th, I moved on, and emerged into the plain, but could not see any signs more than I had seen the day before; and the force being almost without food, and exposed to the rain, that now fell in torrents, I could not do anything but move home to camp. On our way we surprised a Hauhau, who turns out to be a son of B.angihiroa, who was killed at Omanmui; this man's name was Tawhana, and he is one of the Chatham Island prisoners, and doubtless concerned in the Poverty Bay murders. Paul Kaiwhata has handed him over to Itenata, who is going to take him to Napier. Tawhana, when questioned by me, said he did not know anything of Te Kooti; that he had just arrived from Pipiriki, and had seen two steamers there. This was, of course, a falsehood; even Paora says he was at the fight at Pore.re, and Te