A.—No. 16.

CORRESPONDENCE RELATING

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MISCELLANEOUS. No. 35. Mr. Ormond to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. •Sir,— Napier, November 11th, 1869. I have the honor to transmit for your information a report made by Capt. E. Tuke, the officer who at one time had charge of the Chatham Island prisoners. Captain Tuke's report gives what may be accepted as accurate information regarding the Chatham Island prisoners still alive, and he appends to his report a list of their names. I have, &c., The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, J. D. Ormond. Wellington.

Enclosure in No. 35. Report by Captain Tuke. Sir,— Napier, November 10th, 1869. I have the honor to enclose, for the information of the Hon. the Defence Minister, a list of the Chatham Island prisoners still surviving, and who were with Te Kooti after the last engagement under Lieut -Colonel McDonnell when the pa Tama Haukena was taken, and twenty-seven of the enemy killed. There were three Chatham Island prisoners killed there, and one at the previous engagement ■at Tokano. The names of those killed are :—Hame Taiuku, Hohepa Takurua, Teratini, Wi Pere. I was informed by Heu Heu that the native Wi Pere had been to Hauraki and had purchased ten boxes of caps there for Te Kooti, and also that Te Kooti had at one time in his possession one hundred rifles and thirty breach-loaders. His thumb and the middle finger of his left hand were cut off when in the act of taking caps from his pocket; he was also slightly wounded in the side in the last engagement. The leading men at present amongst the prisoners are Maika and Tahau, of Tangoio, both having been at the murder of Major Biggs ; Karanama Maiuku and Karanama Ngerengere, Petera, Napier Tokitahi, and the half-caste Baker ; Tamihana Teketeke, who killed Hartnett, one of the Chatham Island guard, is sheltering himself in the Urewera country, and also Meihana ; a lad named Peneha, who was Captain Thomas's servant at the Chathams, is in the bush at Poverty Bay. I was informed by Anne, wife of Nikora, who was killed at Ngatapa, that she was present at Mohaka when Te Kooti made a raid on that place, and that Kooti was the man fired at by Heta in Paora Rerepu's pa, the ball passing through his clothes. There was no half-caste killed there to their knowledge. Paerau, the Urewera chief, was not killed as was reported, and is now with Kooti. The Natives, on arriving at Putere, were in such a helpless state of drunkenness that there is no doubt if the force under Lieut.-Colonel Lambert had pushed on instead of forming a camp at Petane, that many of the enemy would have been destroyed. The information respecting the Chatham Island prisoners still alive and with Te Kooti I received from Heni, wife of Hami Taiuku and one of Kooti's wives, Mary, an Urewera woman, from the wife of Wi Pere and Paora Tu. Three of these women were from the Chathams, and were prisoners in the ■camp at Poutou. I had a roll of the prisoners with me. The names of those alive I got firstly from Mary and Wi Pere's wife; secondly, from Heni and Paora Tu's wife, both accounts agreeing. Heni, Mary, and Paora's wife escaped from Tokano, when in charge of Tareha's people. I hope that this information, which I believe to be true, may be of some use to the Government. So many reports were in circulation as to the number of the escapees still living, and feeling more than a common interest in these people, having had charge of them so long and knowing most of them personally, I determined to go to the front and to ascertain the truth. I have, Ac., Edmund Tuke, J.P. P.S. —-The Urewera Chiefs with Te Kooti are —Te Waru, Paerau, Hapurona Kohi, Makarini, Kereru, Himiona, Rakuraku, Whenuanui, and Rehana; the two last named are at Waikaremoana.

List of Chatham Island Prisoners Still Alive with Te Kooti. Landed at Chatham Lslands March 1866.—-Hohepa Waikore, Te Hira te Whetuku, Rapana Nohotapu, Rutene Ahuroa, Raukena, Matenga, Taihuka, Rawiri Taua, Winiata Takitimu, Hori Puru, Hataraka Matuanui, Tamihana Aotata, Hone Told, Tamehana Tekeke, with Ureweras, Tamati Petera. Prisoners Landed April, 1866. —Mehana Tohaetui, Paora Wiari, Pirihi Tutekohi, Ihikiera Patutahi, Hohepa Tahataha, Teopira Koreke, Hone te Auhi, Hipirini, Hone Waihope, Te Pirihi Tongataipuru, Henri Waipu, Paora Tv, Arapeta Tamuha, Wi Akurangi, Hoera Taka, Peruha (in bush at Turanga), Hemi, Turi, Wiremu Wera, Paora, Rewi te Nahu, Iraia Tarakau, John Jones, half-caste. June, 1866.—Hakopa Kapaki, Tamati Ruhuruhu, Hirini Patu, Rehimana Waipa, Aperahama te Rangituatahi, Teoti Kaikapa, Edward Baker (half-caste), Hemi Te Ihoriki, Hakopa Te Ari, Karanama Ngerengere, * Herewitere te Whakamate, Hone Waiari. October, 1866.— * Maika, *Nepia Tokitahi, * Karanama Mauku (PMoepuku), * Petera, Nikora Herevvhitau, Perenara, Rera Kotuku, Matena, *Tahau, Te Whare, Hemi, Te Kape, Panapa, Herewini te Atiraua, Wi Wehikore, Wi Heretaunga, Rapana, Terei, Whiro, Karahana, Kuare, Tahana. Total 71 with Kooti, 3 with the Urewera. Mem.—T have put an * against the names of the greatest scoundrels of the lot. Tahau is believed to be the actual murderer of Major Biggs. J. D. Ormond.