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Several runs have been taken up for sheep-farming during the last six months, and the Whakaki Run has been recently sold for £10,000 to an Otago squatter. I have, Ac, Geo. J. Cummino, Inspector A.C., The Commissioner, Commanding Wairoa District. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.

Enclosure 6. Inspector Scannell to the Commissioner, Armed Constabulary Force. Sir, — Armed Constabulary Office, Opepe, Taupo, 31st May, 1873. In compliance with instructions contained in Circular No. 122, dated Wellington, 21st April, 1873, I have the honor to forward for your information the following report of the duties performed by the Armed Constabulary Force in the Taupo District, from the Ist June, 1872, to 31st May, 1873 : — Military Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. —The average strength of the Armed Constabulary Force, Taupo District, during the past twelve months, was, 1 inspector, 5 sub-inspectors, 1 assistant-surgeon, 1 sergeant-major, 9 first-class sergeants, 5 second-class sergeants, 13 mounted and 86 foot constables. Nature of Parades and Drills. —lnspection parade and drill in marching order once a week; Divine service on Sundays ; weekly inspection of mounted men's saddlery and horse appointments by officers in charge of posts ; monthly inspection in marching order by officer in charge of district. In addition to the weekly drill in marching order, the force was also drilled once a week from September to January, and daily drills of an hour's duration were commenced on the 16th inst. The drill mainly consists of skirmishing, especially over rough and broken ground, through scrub, and occasionally bush. Also, manual and firing exercises, moving in files, fours, half companies, &c. The regulation annual course of instruction in musketry was commenced on the 18th October, and completed on the 17th December, and showed a great improvement on that of the preceding year in its result. Operations in the Field. —The force in this district have not been engaged in any field operations during the past year. Conveying Mails and Despatches. —No public mails have been conveyed. A mounted orderly is despatched from Opepe to Tapuaeharuru, who returns the same evening with any telegrams or other despatches which may have arrived during the day. Communications between the posts are forwarded by the mounted men of the force between mails. Escorts and Guards. —No escorts have been required. A non-commissioned officer and three men mount guard daily at each post at 9 p.m., and come off at 6 a.m.; a non-commissioned officer at each post being on general duty throughout the day. Making and Improving Target Banges. —In the month of October last twelve iron targets were received for use from Wellington; nine of these, each weighing 400 lbs., were carried by men of the force the greater part of the distance between Tarawera and Runanga, the dray road not then being open. Ranges at Opepe, Runanga, Tarawera, and Tapuaeharuru were improved by erection of screens, markers' butts, firing mounds, &c. Telegraph Lineman, Sfc. —Mounted Constable Roger Dansey, Armed Constabulary, acts as lineman at the Taupo Telegraph Station. Issuers and Storekeepers. —One man of the Armed Constabulary acts as sub-storekeeper for the district. The Public AVorks property at each station is in charge of the officer commanding. Erection of Bedoubts and Stockades. —No new redoubts or stockades have been erected during the past year. Owing to the length of time during which the timber composing the stockades at Runanga and Tarawera has been in the ground, it has decayed, and is now almost worthless. The men at these posts have been employed during the last month in splitting and cutting timber to replace it, and these stockades are now in course of reconstruction. Tho stockade at Opepe has been considerably enlarged, and the men at that post are also employed in completing breast-work, banquette, and gabions for the sides and angles, which were taken down and rebuilt with new timber. About forty-five yards of the Tapuaeharuru Redoubt were taken down and rebuilt, and gabions placed along the top of the parapet. The banquette has also been taken down and re-erected, being necessary from the materials of which they (the parapet and banquette) were composed (principally pumice) wearing gradually away. The material composing the covered way leading from blockhouse to well at Te Haroto having decayed and fallen in, matai posts and slabs were split, an entirely new covered way, of about 80 yards in length, was erected ; a new well sunk and slabbed, as the old one had filled. A slabbed well 40 feet deep has been sunk in the redoubt at Tapuaeharuru. Civil Duties. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime. —A mounted constable was sent from Opepe to Te Niho o te Kiore, in consequence of a telegram from Inspector Roberts to seize and convey to Tauranga three bullocks supposed to have been stolen previous to their sale to a Mr. Jordan, then working there. A non-commissioned officer and two men were sent to Napier from Tarawera in charge of two civil prisoners from that station on the 21st September, 1873. Three men were also sent to Opotiki from Opepe in April last, as witnesses in the case of John Delaney, apprehended for horse-stealing. Attending Civil Courts. —Since Ist July, 1872, a Court has been held fortnightly at Tapuaeharuru, by the Resident Magistrate of the district, at which two men of the Armed Constabulary attend. A non-commissioned officer officiates as clerk to the Court, and the men of the force are employed as required iv serving summonses, &c.