AND NATIVE MATTERS AT THE THAMES.

15

A.—No. 19,

were to be demanded to be given up to Moananui, and a rehearing of claims to Owharo to be requested. As I felt after a time that I Avas in the way, and as the political part of the meeting was over, I left. On the folloAving morning the Court opened at the usual hour; but Mr. Mackay having desired an adjournment for half an hour, the Court adjourned for the required time, Avhen half an hour more was asked for; this also Avas granted. At the expiration of this time, and as it appeared from the intimidation of Avitncsses, and the contemptuous manner of speaking of the decision of the Court, as well as the likelihood of the judgment being resisted, and the peace of the district being in considerable danger, extremely desirable that no further sitting of the Court should take place for the present at Ohinemuri, the Court adjourned. I have, &c, E. W. Pucket, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Native Agent, Thames.

No. 15. Mr. E. Pucket to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sir— Shortland, 20th January, 1870. I have the honor to report that I have just returned from Ohinemuri, to which place 1 proceeded yesterday morning for the purpose of obtaining reliable information as to tho movements of Te Kooti. I found that Timoti, to whom Topi Te Kahuwhara made allusion in a letter which I forwarded to you on Tuesday last, had left for Te Kooti's camp accompanied by two Natives; all were on horseback, and heavily laden. One of the Natives, PitaTe Heihci, was sent by Ropata to endeavour to ascertain what Te Kooti's intentions with regard to Ohinemuri really were; and ho is to return immediately in case of any hostile movement in that direction being made. On my way to see Ropata, Avho was at work in his cultivation, I had to pass close by Te Hira's house. When he (Te Hira) heard who it Avas, ho sent and invited me to go in. and see him. Ho expressed himself as being very "pouri" at the accusation made against him, viz., that he had invited Te Kooti to visit that part of the country. I told him that that expression of opinion had no doubt originated from the discovery of a letter addressed to Te Kooti, and purporting to have been Avritten by Hoani Mahako To Uru o te Rangi at his instance; and, in the second place, from the frequent comings and goings of Timoti and others to Ohinemuri, and his intercourse through them with Te Kooti. Ho emphatically denied ever having had anything to do with the letter in question, and said that although he countenanced the comings and goings of Timoti and the others, they did not come to visit him, but to visit their friends resident at Ohinemuri, Mataora, and Whangamata. It must be borne in mind that Tarapipipi Te Kopara, a few days ago, admitted to me that To Hira had Avritten to Te Kooti; also that he encouraged the visits of Timoti in order to obtain information as to the movements of Te Kooti. Mere Kuru was also present, and she told mo candidly that they could not but sympathise with people of their own race and colour; that the King party would not alloAV Tc Kooti to be molested Avithin certain limits ; that if he was attacked by us, the King party Avould not discern whether it was simply fighting between the Pakeha and Te Kooti, but would think wo meant to carry the war into their country, and that they would resist it. She expressed a hope that no force would be sent to Ohinemuri; also, that if Te Kooti should bo attacked, that the force go round some other Avay, and not go through their country. I assured her that the Government had no intention whatever of either taking a force through Ohinemuri, or of making it a military position; and that, unless extremely urgent circumstances rendered it necessary, unless the whole country were up in arms, they need not be under the slightest apprehension that the words of another day should be trampled upon. She also remarked that the diggers had said a force was coming up to protect them ; I told her it was not so. Te Hira assured me Te Kooti would never visit Ohinemuri, and thought it was most probable he had gone back to the place set apart for his use by Tawhiao. Te Hira, and most of tho Hauhau party, are going to attend at a meeting, called by Ngatihaua, to assemble at Ohineroa on the 10th proximo, in order to use jointly the influence possessed by both parties, for the purpose of persuading Te Kooti to keep Avithin the bounds prescribed for him by tho King party, and to send him away from Tapapa. Te Hira is most anxious to do this, to convince those Avho have suspected him, that he, at least, never invited Te Kooti to come to Ohinemuri. Ropata is doubtful as to tho probable success of persuasion on Te Kooti, as he thinks, and not without reason, that if " To Kooti's god" tells him to go to Ohinemuri, nothing will induce him to keep away; and he is not quite sure that " To Kooti's god" might not do so—tho more so as To Kooti is said to have asked Timoti hoAvlong it would take him to get to Ohinemuri on horseback from Tapapa, and that he expressed satisfaction on being told it could be done in one day. Ropata is extremely anxious that a few stand of arms and some ammunition should be sent to him at once, if it should please the Government to do so, as a good opportunity now offers of taking them to his place unknown to any one, in the absence of the Hauhaus. His party are in a very defenceless state. My own opinion is that Te Kooti will not visit Ohinemuri; that he is desirous of, if possible, dwelling under the protecting shade of the Maori King, and will not do anything to compromise that party, as would most likely be the case did ho visit Ohinemuri. Maihi Tc Pohepohe was, I Avas told, at Ohinemuri yesterday; I did not see him. I have, &c, E. W. Pucket, The Hon. tho Native Minister, Auckland. Agent Native Affairs, Hauraki District.

No. 16. The Hon. tho Defence Minister to His Honor T. B. Gillies. Sir, — General Government Offices, Auckland, Bth February, 1870. In prosecuting the negotiations with the Native owners at Ohinemuri for the opening of the district as a gold field, it has been found that the large number AA'ho are disposed to give up their lands desire at once to receive a money payment as an advance on account of the future receipts of fees on miners' rights, and that the sum required will be about £5,000.