P.—No. 5.

rather the generous concessions of an irresistible power. My Lord, I hope it may yet be possible for decisive and magnanimous action on the part of the New Zealand Government to establish peace in this Colony. If peace be not shortly established, I think it probable that Native affairs will become more and more beyond the powers of the Colony to cope with, and, after the occurrence of great disasters, they will eventually pass once more under the direct control of the Imperial Government. I have, &c, The Right Hon. Earl Kimberley, J. C. Fieth. Secretary of State for tho Colonies.

Enclosure 1 in No. 2.—(A.) Statement made by Mr. R. E. M. Campbell. I have read in "Papers regarding Military Operations against the Rebel Natives," laid before the General Assembly, a statement made by a Native named Te Huare regarding the interview held between Mr. Firth and Te Kooti in January last. I accompanied Mr. Firth, as interpreter, when he met Te Kooti on the 17th January last; and I consider it 1113' duty to say that the statements made by Te Huare, regarding Mr. Firth's interview with Te Kooti, are absolutely false. Mr. Firth met Te Kooti only on one occasion. Mr. Firth did not give or supply any rum, ammunition, caps, revolver or fire-arm of any kind to Te Kooti, or to any of his companions. Mr. Firth did not manifest the least sign of fear, either before or during the interview. Mr. Firth's report of the interview, addressed to Mr. D. McLean, and published in the Auckland newspapers, is correct. And I solemnly affirm and declare before a Magistrate, that this my statement is true, and made without fee or reward of any kind. R. E. M. Campbell. Declared at Hamilton, this thirteenth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and seventy, before me, J. McPherson, J.P., A Justice of the Peace for the Colony of New Zealand. We certify that we have compared this document with the original document of same tenor and purport, and that it is an exact copy of the same. James Williamson, J. P. J. S. Macfarlane, J.P.

Enclosure 2in No. 2. — (B.) Statement made by the Natives Te Kereama, Tauwhare and Hori Neri. We have seen a printed paper which has been laid before the House of Assembly now at Wellington. In this paper there is a statement made by a Native named Te Huare. Te Huare's statement has been interpreted to us. The words of Te Huare in that paper are—" That Hohaia (Mr. Firth) was afraid ; that his knees shook; that he gave Te Kooti some percussion caps, some rum, a revolver, aud some ammunition." Our statement is as follows:—We two went in January to Wi Tamehana's monument with Hohaia (Mr. Firth) and Tc Kemera (Mr. Campbell), the interpreter. We met Te Kooti near the monument, at Turangaomoana. His armed men were with him. We saw all that was done there, and heard all that passed between Mr. Firth and Te Kooti. Te Kooti left his men and came towards Mr. Firth, accompanied by two half-castes. Hohaia (Mr. Firth) did not give or sell to Te Kooti, or to any of his attendants, either percussion caps, rum, revolver or gun, or ammunition of any kind. We saw no appearance of fear in Hohaia's voice nor in his manner. Before we went down to the monument a Native asked Hohaia for some rum to give to Te Kooti. Hohaia said that it was against the law to give anything to Te Kooti; he told the Native that he promised Wi Tamehana never to give or sell rum to the Natives. Hohaia said the rum was destroying the Natives. He would neither give Te Kooti rum nor anything else. We heard Mr. Firth find fault with Tc Kooti on account of the murders committed by him and his followers, and on account of the women and children killed by them. Mr. Firth advised Te Kooti to give up fighting altogether. The above statement having been read over and interpreted to us, we declare it to be true, and the statement made by Te Huare to be false. Kereama Tauwhare. Wharetangata, Matamata, 2nd September, 1870. Hori Neri. Signed by the said Kereama Tauwhare and Hori Neri, their statement having been previously read over and interpreted to them by George W. Drummond Hay, Licensed Interpreter, in the presence of W. L. C. Williams. We certify that we have compared this document with the original document of same date and purport, and that it is an exact copy of the same. James Williamson, J.P., 7 Justices of the Peace for the J. S. Macfarlane, J.P., ) Colony of New Zealand.

I, George William Drummond Hat, of Maungakawa, Cambridge, a Licensed Interpreter of the Maori language, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I was present on the second day of September, together with W. L. C. Williams, a male adult, and did see Kereama Tauwhare and Hori Neri sign 2

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TO MR. J. C. FIRTH.