H.—lo.

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grow well on the sandy plains between Te Teko and Tarawera; some trees which were planted in the neighbourhood are growing luxuriantly. They (blue-gums) will also do well on the barren Rangaroa Plains. Remarks. I beg to report favourably of the Porce under my command. The Government bullock-dray has been employed during the last twelve months in carting timber from Ohui to Te Teko, and between there and Port Galatea. The two Government whale-boats at Te Teko have been employed, when required, in carrying Government stores to and from Matata, Whakatane, and Ohiwa. Vegetable gardens are cultivated at each post (except Opotiki) for the use of the force. There is no gaol or lock-up at Opotiki to meet the requirements of that post, and very often prisoners have to be locked up in the barrack amongst the men. The Natives at this end of the Bay of Plenty have been quiet; numbers of them have been employed on the road between Opotiki and Poverty Bay, and other shorter lines of road in different parts of the district. Mr. Crapp, the Public Works Officer, has had great difficulty in keeping them employed for any length of time. In conclusion, I beg to state that, up to the end of last year, there has only been a small body of Constabulary in this district, so that perhaps my report of work done may not compare well with that of other districts. I have, &c, Foestee Y. Goring, Inspector A.C., The Commissioner, Commanding Opotiki District. Armed Constabulary Force, Wellington.

Enclosure _ in No. 1. Sub-Inspector Gudgeon, Poverty Bay District, to the Commission cc, Armed Constabulary Force. Sic,— Poverty Bay District, 31st May, 1875. In compliance with instructions contained in Circular Memorandum No. 161, of the 23rd March, 1875,1 have the honor to forward, for your information, the following report of duties performed by Armed Constabulary in this district during the year ending 31st May, 1875: — Military Duties. Average Strength of Officers and Men. —One sub-inspector, 1 sergeant-major, 1 first-class sergeant, 2 second-class sergeants, 4 mounted constables, 20 foot constables. Names of Stations Occupied. —Ormond, Gisborne, and Te Awanui. Nature of Parades and Brills. —lnspection parades once a week, in marching order, with skirmishing and company drill. Divine service parades on Sundays ; inspection of saddlery on Saturdays. The annual course of musketry was commenced on the Ist November and finished on the 2nd December. The shooting was unusually good, 8 out of 16 foot qualifying as marksmen ; and of the mounted potion of the force, Sergeant Armstrong made the best score in the Constabulary. Conveying Mails and Bespatches. —Two mounted orderlies were employed during Sir Donald McLean's visit in carrying despatches to and from Te Wairoa. A mounted constable was sent with Sergeant-Major Smith to Te Wairoa when that non-commissioned officer was transferred from this district. A mounted constable was also sent with Captain Porter to Waiapu, as a witness to Maori signatures, and was absent three weeks on this duty. In addition to the above, the orderlies have been employed in carrying mails and despatches between Gisborne and Ormond, in warning juries for inquests, _c. Escorts and Guards. —At Camp Ormond, a guard of 3 constables is kept. At Gisborne, 2 foot constables patrol the streets day and night, and the sergeant in charge of that station acts as lock-up keeper. At Te Awanui 4 constables mount guard daily. In the month of June last 2 constables were sent to Motu, on the Opotiki road, to bring down a man named William Gill, who had been lost in the bush for about twenty-one days, and had only four days' rations during that time ; the constables performed their work well, and brought the man over 50 miles of rough country. The only escorts performed by the Porce have been those on prisoners to Auckland and Napier, there being no gaol at Poverty Bay : these have probably occurred about once a month. Issuers and Storekeepers. —One constable of the Armed Constabulary is employed at Gisborne as sub-storekeeper under the Public Stores Act, another is employed as clerk to the Militia and Native Departments, and a third as armourer over the reserve of Militia arms now in store. These casualties, though unavoidable, prevent me, with my present small force, from undertaking any public works. Civm Duties. Attending Civil Courts. —During the year about 100 sittings of the Resident Magistrate's Court have been held, and four sittings of the Quarterly Licensing Court. At each sitting the sergeant in charge of Gisborne Station has attended to prosecute, and one constable has attended as bailiff. Collecting Agricultural Statistics. —Three mounted constables were employed for six days in collecting returns over a coast line of 130 miles, from Hicks's Bay to Te Mahia. Steps taken for the Prevention of Crime. —One sergeant, two foot constables, and one mounted, are stationed in Gisborne, and employed chiefly in police duties, which are performed in a very effective manner. The number of arrests made and summonses issued are about the same as last year, but of a much less serious character. The convictions for drunkenness are the same as last year, but are chiefly reconvictions of old offenders. The numerous new settlers (chiefly emigrants) are a well-behaved and orderly class of people. In the more serious crimes, as larceny, malicious injury to property, offences against the person, and breaches of the peace, the improvement is very marked, being 41 cases against