A.—No. Ba.

4

PAPERS RELATIVE TO MILITARY OPERATIONS

Heuheu confirms what Paora states. I have reason to believe he was concerned in the Opepe affair. On his arrival at Napier, the Government will be aware of this man being in Renata's charge, and will take such steps as may seem best. One portion of the force returned to camp last night, and the remainder this morning. I have ordered the whole of the Napier Natives back this morning, thanked them for service rendered, and have supplied them with meat for the road. Before closing this despatch, I beg leave to bring especially before the notice of the Government the very excellent conduct of Major Kemp ; he has been my right-hand all through, and every order has been well carried out by him, and a great proportion of the late success has been owing to his conduct, and the bravery of my old friends the Wanganuis. I hope the Government may be pleased to recognise the services of these men, by giving promotion to Major Kemp. I would also solicit promotion for Lieutenant Preece, who manages the Arawas in a masterly manner, and whom I have to thank for the great help he has been to me. I also beg to mention Sergeant-Major Thomas 11. Hackett, of No. 2 Division, and Charles Bennett, of No. 3 Division, A.C., for favourable consideration for promotion. I have known them for some time, and their conduct in every way is most excellent, and the service would gain two most excellent and trustworthy officers. Sergeant-Major Ilackctt was formerly Sergeant-Major of Colonel Whitmore's force on the West Coast. I have, &c, His Honor J. D. Ormoud. Thos. McDonnell.

Extracts from Private Letter from Colonel McDonnell. " I intend to have another try at Te Kooti, but question if I will be able to go out myself, as lam almost laid up with rheumatism at present. That Te Kooti is not at Manganui-te-ao I have now ascertained for a certainty, but he is still in the neighbourhood. It will be impossible for him to remain much longer, as he must shortly move, for there arc no potatoes in that direction.—T. McD."

No. 3. His Honor J. D. Ormond to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey. Sik, — Napier, 9th November, 1869. I have the honor to transmit copy of a Despatch received last evening from Lieut.Colonel McDonnell, from which it will be seen that operations at Taupo had been delayed by the weather, which had been unusually severe. I have another letter from Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell dated the 6th, so that no movement had taken place on that day. Disappointing as those delays are, it must be allowed that any action in a bush country, such as Te Kooti is reported to be hiding in, was out of the question in such weather as Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell describes. The supplies which were needed for the contemplated expedition after Te Kooti, no doubt arrived as soon as the weather cleared. Every exertion has been used to keep up supplies, but the state of the road and of the rivers have made regularity impossible, and I have found it difficult lately to accelerate the progress of the Transport Service, from the hindrances to the communication arising from flooded rivers. It is satisfactory to hear that Topia and Pehi Turoa were urging Kemp on in search of Te Kooti, and promising to stop him if he went their way; aud I can only express my earnest hope that the expedition which is now probably hunting Te Kooti in the bush behind Tongariro, may succeed in finding him. I purpose leaving for Taupo immediately after the arrival of Itenata from Taupo, and the handing over by him of the prisoner Tawhana to custody. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. J. D. Ohmond.

Enclosure in No. 3. Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell to His Honor J. D. Ohmond. Sib, — Camp Poutu, sth November, 1889. I beg to inform you, for the information of the Government, that I did not arrive at Tokano the evening I told you I would in my last telegram, but was out all night in the rain, and it grew so dark that the orderly and myself could not sec the track. The following day, Ist November, the rivers were all flooded, but we managed to reach Tokano, swimming everything. The weather has been very severe, and snow has been falling on the hills until yesterday. On the 2nd instant I left Tokano for Poutu. While I was at Poutu letters arrived from Wanganui for Kemp, from Topia and Pehi Turoa, urging Kemp in search of Te Kooti, and saying that in case he ran their way they would stop him. I returned to Tokano the next da,j, 3rd instant, and managed to get three days' biscuit for my force, and packed off a quantity to Poutu for Kemp's men and the troopers, intending- to leave Tokano the following day, with the Arawas and No. 2 Division, and have a fair start on the morning of the sth. I arrived at this camp yesterday evening with No. 2; the Arawas were to follow. On arrival here I found that fifty of Kemp's