A.—No. 16,

REPORTS FROM OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

Note. —Several letters and reports from Officers of the Native Department, referring principally to military matters, will appear in the papers printed by the Defence Department relating to the military operations against the Natives.

KAIPARA. No. 1. Mr. Rogan, R.M., to the Under-Secretary, Native Department. Resident Magistrate's Court, Sir,— Kaipara, 27th September, 1869. I have the honor to request that you will inform the Hon. the Native Minister that I returned from an expedition to the Wairoa district, where I visited the chiefs Parore and Tirarau, and found the Natives busily engaged in their cultivations, having left off gum-digging for a period for that purpose. Before proceeding to the Wairoa I paid a visit to Te Keene's settlement, as he had been very ill for some time past. I reverted to the circumstances reported in my letter dated the 2nd September. Te Keene, who appears to be recovering, said in reply that whatever the people of the East Coast might be guilty of, those on the Kaipara waters should not suffer, as there was no sympathy there with the King or the war. His people were quiet; they were not hunted in the woods like Pawhara, starved or shot down as the Hauhaus, who brought this down upon themselves. They wished to remain as they were, in quiet. The only circumstance which may be worthy of remark occurred to me while at Te "Wairoa; while speaking to To Tirarau in the evening on some unimportant matter, Harriet (his wife) asked me seriously if it was really true that the Hauhaus had abandoned the ordinary Maori food, and were living constantly on the flesh of the Pakeha, and that the Ngapuhi would be served in the same manner after the foreigners should be disposed of, if they would not join in exterminating the Europeans. The King's people have gone a little too far here, as it is held out as a threat, and looked upon in that light by Te Tirarau at least, who considers they have committed murder sufficient to warrant the Government in sweeping them away These were his sentiments expressed to myself. Tour circular letter, dated 2nd September, 1869, was received at Tirarau's settlement, which gave me a favorable opportunity of interpreting its meaning, as nothing so appropriate occurred to me to reply to Harriet's interrogation at the time. In acknowledging the receipt of the above letter I may state, for the first time, that I have considered it one of my first duties for years past to travel throughout this district frequently to contradict false reports from the King and the Hauhau party in this island, and in which I beg to coincide entirely with the Hon. Mr. McLean, that reports of such a nature cannot but be productive of the worst effects if not contradicted. I have, &c., G. S. Cooper, Esq., John Rogan, R.M. Under-Secretary, Wellington.

No. 2. Mr. Rogan, R.M., to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir,— Kaipara, 29th Octoher, 1869. As the recent visit of His Excellency the Governor to this district, accompanied by yourself in the capacity of Native and Defence Minister, is the greatest epoch which has occurred in the history of Kaipara. I beg leave very respectfully to express my own opinion that as regards the Native population of the district, the favorable impression produced on the minds of these people by the presence of the Governor and the Native Minister in Kaipara will not easily be forgotten by the Natives of Kaipara. I have, &c, The Hon. Donald McLean, J. Rogan, R.M. Native and Defence Minister, Auckland.