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and a supply of water always kept on hand in eight large casks. A mess-room has been added to the cook-house. At Onepoto, a new messhouse, 3(5' x 15' has been erected, with a kitchen and baker's oven attached. Officers' quarters, 28' X 25', containing four rooms, built of sawn rimu and kahikatea. The material for stables 18' X 14' is all ready. The library has been lined and papered and a bookcase made which is kept therein. A brick magazine has been erected which is capable of holding 18,000 rounds of Snider ammunition. 10,000 bricks have been made and burnt at this station ; they have been used for chimneys in the various houses and for the magazine just mentioned. A large boat, 35 feet long and 6 feet 0 inches in beam, has been constructed for use on Lake Waikare Moana. It is capable of conveying thirty men with arms, swags, &c, A dingy, or small boat, which was in use during Lieut-Colonel Ilerrick's expedition in 18G9, has been thoroughly repaired, and is used when required. At Maru Maru, the old officers' quarters have been converted into a library, and new quarters, 24' x 25', built outside the redoubt. A cook-house and mess-room 20' x 12', 6-feet studs, 8-feet rafters, has also been erected. These buildings are composed of totara slabs with kahikatea shingles. At Ohuka, four whares have been built; one for mess quarters, 20' X 14', one for office, 12' X 10', one for store, 12' x 10', one for cook-house and mess-room, 14' X 12', with chimney attached. Fencing Paddocks and Laying Down in Grass. —At Onepoto, the detachment have commenced to clear the Government reserve of 300 acres, before fencing. The line of fence has been marked out, and grass sown wherever practicable. About a ton and a half of hay has been cut from a small twoacre paddock. At Maru Maru, a ten-acre paddock has been fenced in (enclosing the redoubt), partially cleared, and sown with grass and clover seed. At Ohuka, a paddock of about forty acres has been fenced in; the greater part of this, however, was naturally fenced; ten acres have been cleared of fern and manuka, and grass seed sown. Miscellaneous. Gardens have been made at Onepoto, Maru Maru, and Ohuka, from which supplies of vegetables are obtained all the year round. A new dam has been constructed at Onepoto, for the purpose of diverting the waters from the small Lake Kiri o Pukoi, and thus obtaining a piece of level ground for cricket playing, rifle shooting, as well as pasturage of horses and cattle ; but unfortunately the recent high floods have carried this dam away, and the said level ground is again submerged. At Te Kapu, seven tons of meadow hay were cut from the Government paddock, and stacked in an enclosure. Racks have been made, and the horses receive it regularly during the winter months. The officer in charge at Onepoto has been appointed a Native officer for the Urewera Tribe, and pays periodical visits to Euatahuna, Maungapohatu, <fee. In concluding this report, I wish to state that I only took command of the district on the 2nd April last—lnspector Pitt having had charge of the district for the greater portion of the time —consequently this report is not so complete as it might have been. The new station which has been formed at Ohuka is of very great advantage to the district. The Maru Maru station, however, Ido not consider of much importance. If it is deemed necessary to have a post in that direction, I would beg to recommend that it be in a more advanced position —at Te Eeinga or the Waihau Lakes. The Natives are generally employed in road work and laying material for the Telegraph Department, and appear peaceably and well disposed. Extensive preparations are being made for a large meeting in August to determine the boundaries between the Urewera and Ngatikahungunu. Large tracts of country have been leased during the past twelve months ; from 15,000 to 20,000 sheep have been introduced, and the district is now in a healthy and prosperous condition. I have, &c, ¥m. A. Bichaedson, Sub-Inspector A.C., The Commissioner, Commanding Wairoa District. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.

Enclosure 6. Inspector Scannell to the Commissioneb, Armed Constabulary Force. Sib, — Armed Constabulary Office, Opepe, Xaupo, 31st May, 1874. In compliance with instructions contained in Circular No. 145, dated Wellington, 30th March, 1874, I have the honor to forward for your information the following report of the duties performed by the Armed Constabulary Force, from Ist June, 1873, to 31st May, 1874. Militabt Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. —The average strength of the Armed Constabulary Force in the Taupo district during the past twelve months, was 1 inspector, 5 sub-inspectors, 1 assistantsurgeon, 1 sergeant-major, 9 first-class sergeants, 4 second-class sergeants, 12 mounted and 71 foot constables. Nature of Parades and Drills. —Inspection 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 ; fortnightly inspection in marching order by the officer in charge of district. In addition to the weekly drill in marching order, the force was also drilled daily for one hour for at least seven months in the year. This drill mainly consists of skirmishing 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 26th October, and completed on the 19th December.