OP REBEL NATIVES, ETC.

F.—No. 1

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No. 17. Lieut.-Colonel Moule to the Hon. the Defence Minister. Sir, — District Office, Tauranga, 26th January, 1871. I have the honor to enclose herewith a letter from Captain Mair, reporting his movements to 20th instant. I have, &e, W. Moule, Lieut.-Colonel, The Hon. D. McLean, Auckland. Commanding Tauranga District.

Enclosure in No. 17. Captain Mair to Lieut.-Colonel Moule. Sir,— Te Teko, 20th January 1871. I have the honor to report for your information, that after joining Captain Gundry at Galatea, I started on the 15th instant with forty-five men for Ahikereru, arriving there on the following morning; I found a small party of the Ngatiware and Warahoe, about sixteen, including women and children. They all professed loyalty, but desired to bo allowed to remain for the present at Ahikereru, as they have planted a large quantity of potatoes, &c. Further they have heard that there is a scarcity of provisions for those of their tribe who have already come out. Another reason they gave for remaining behind was that they had lately received an ensign from Napier —a token of their having become Queenite Natives. I did not consider it necessary to force them to come out; and as they have no guns or ammunition, I consented to their remaining till I reported the matter to you. No fresh news of Te Kooti; when they last heard of him he was at Waioeka, at Te Wera, with about twenty men. He wrote a letter to the Urewera saying that there would be one great cloud more arise, after which there would be peace. This is supposed to imply that he will shortly assume the offensive. They state that Ropata is expected with a large force in Ruatahuna, and that fighting will ensue unless the object of his journey is very clear. I returned from Ahikereru to Galatea on the 18th, bringing Hapurona, Ihaia, Himiona, Tikitu, another, and a woman. I have, &c, Lieut.-Colonel Moule, Gilbert Mair, Captain, Commanding District, Tauranga. Commanding Arawa Flying Column

No. 18. The Hon. the Defence Minister to Lieut.-Colonel Moule. Sir, — General Government Offices. Auckland, 28th January, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th instant, forwarding a report from Captain Mair of his movements to the 20th instant. You will be good enough to inform Captain Mair that he has acted judiciously in leaving the Natives at Ahikereru, where they had plenty of food; and also let him know that Major Ropata's instructions are to collect the Ureweras at Ruatahuna. I have to request that you will thank Captain Mair for his information about Te Kooti. I have, &c, Lieut.-Colonel Moule, Donald McLean. Commanding Bay of Plenty, Tauranga.

No. 19. His Honor J. D. Ormond to the Hon. the Defence Minister. Sir,— Napier, 6th February, 1871. I have the honor to enclose copies of telegrams from Major Ropata and Captain Porter, detailing the progress of the expedition under Major Ropata from the time it left Waikohu to arrival at Maraetahi, and of my replies to those officers. You will observe that no trace can be found of Te Kooti's hiding-place, and the difficulty of the search may be estimated when his own followers are unable to ascertain his whereabouts. Major Ropata will now proceed to Ruatahuna to collect the Urewera as before arranged, and report from Taupo the result of the expedition. I have, &c, The Hon. the Defence Minister, Auckland. J. D. Ormond.

Enclosure 1 in No. 19. Major Ropata to His Honor J. D. Ormond. (Telegram.) To Mr. Ormond, — Maraetahi, 2nd February, 1871. Friend, salutations to you. I have succeeded in finding Te Kooti's pa, Te Wera. He was not in it; and also Pa Rangiora, which is another large pa of Te Kooti's, but he was not in this one.