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No. 2. Memo, by the Under Secretary, Native Department, to the Hon. the Native Minister. The appended paper is a copy of the Eeport of the Public Petitions Committee of the House of Eepresentatives of last year, on the Petition of Henry Alley, in which certain charges are made against officers of this department. The Committee give it as their opinion that the matter ought to be inquired into by the Government. I therefore suggest, for your approval, that the inquiry as recommended be made, and that the Hon. Colonel Haultain be requested to hold the inquiry with as little delay as possible. I should explain, for your information, that this matter was brought under the notice of this office only last month. 16th September, 1875. Hy. T. Clabke.

No. 3. Petitions Committee Eeport on Petition of Henry Alley. Petitioner states that in the year 1872 he resided at Napier, when he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. That, being desirous of settling in Auckland, he entered into negotiations with the Natives for the lease of a block of land, the result of which was that a lease was granted to him by them. That after having taken possession and placed stock on the land, he received notice from two Native Commissioners, or Agents, to remove his cattle from the leased block, under threat of expulsion by the Natives; and that he has not since been able to obtain possession of the leased land, and he has suffered great loss in consequence. That he has strong reasons for believing that the Natives were directly instigated to this action by officers of the Government stationed in the district. That he has made application for redress,l>ut has received none. He therefore prays the House to take his case into consideration, and to grant him relief. I am directed to report, that the Committee are of opinion, that the matter ought to be inquired into by the Government, as serious charges are made against officers of the Native Department. Thomas Kelly, Chairman.

No. 4. The Hon. the Native Minister to the Hon. Colonel Haulta™. Sir,— Wellington, 18th October, 1875. During the Session of the General Assembly in 1874, a petition was presented to the House of Eepresentatives by Mr. Henry Alley, formerly of Napier, which contained serious charges against two officers of the Native Department, Mr. Hopkins Clarke, of Tauranga, and Mr. E. W. Puckey, of Grahamstown. The Public Petitions Committee, in their Eeport, gave it as their opinion that the allegations were of such a character that they should be inquired into by the Government. I have therefore to request that you will be good enough to investigate the matter, and forward your report, with your opinion, to the Native Office. I herewith transmit copy of petition above referred to, the Committee's Eeport, and other records relating to this subject. I have, &c, The Hon. Colonel Haultain. Donald McLean.

No. 5. The Hon. Colonel Hatjltain to the Hon. the Native and Defence Minister. Sir,— Auckland, sth June, 1876. Eeferring to your letter No. 388, of the 18th October last, in which you request me to investigate certain allegations made against Messrs. E. AY. Puckey and Hopkins Clarke, of the Native Department, by Mr. Henry Alley, in a petition that was presented to the House of Eepresentatives, in 1874,1 have the honor to state that I entered upon the inquiry without delay, and invited Mr. Alley to furnish me with the names, &c, of the witnesses he wished to call upon to substantiate his charges. Getting no satisfactory answer from him, 1 arranged to meet him at the Thames on the 7th December, and, after receiving his statement, examined Mr. Puckey and the Native chief Karauna (who was one of those concerned in driving off his cattle) in his presence. He again stated his inability to name any other witnesses, but referred to Mr. John Davis, who had acted as his interpreter, and was then at Te Kuiti. I wrote accordingly to Mr. Davis; but although I have kept this report open to the last moment to give Mr. Alley every opportunity of proving his charges, I have elicited nothing further, and am satisfied that his complaints against Messrs. Puckey and Clarke, of having instigated the Natives to repudiate their engagements with him, and to drive off his cattle, are entirely without foundation. I attach the correspondence, and add the following summary of the case, which is a very simple one; and no one at all acquainted with Maori feeling and custom would suppose that the opponents