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evidence against the criminal, to move until the fetters imposed on them by Mr. Shearman be loosed. That such a state of things is very degrading to public morality, and is calculated to lead to the increase of crimes by persons who may possess a little indirect influence with Mr Under-Secretary's undersecretary And. I have the honor, by request of these Natives, to say that they hope you will see the propriety of allowing the police to proceed according to their ordinary method of detecting crime in this matter, in which the Natives are the injured parties, as you would if Europeans were the injured parties ; and. if you perceive that propriety, that your innate fairness and love of justice will cause you to interest yourself to cause the shield held over a criminal to be withdrawn, by the police here being instructed that they may do their duty, in the due exercise of which they were, in my opinion, most unwarrantably and dangerously interfered with by Mr. Shearman. The property in question has been bought by the Natives from Bead's trustees, so the question of interest as a motive for prosecution is entirely done away with ; there remains now no motive whatever to- actuate any one but the detection, punishment, and chiefly the prevention of crime. I do not ask that the police may be ordered to prosecute, but merely that they may be allowed to resume their suspended functions and perform their obvious duty without any interference. If they cannot be trusted to perform their duty, then I think you will admit, Sir, there must be something radically wrong with them. I beg you to pardon the length of this letter; but the subject is a grave one, and I think you will perhaps be pleased that I should directly inform members of the Government of irregularities and wrongs of which they are doubtless ignorant, to making the same public before rectification is sought in the manner it is now respectfully asked. I have, &c, W H. Tuckee, The Hon. the Native Minister. Licensed Interpreter and a Justice of the Peace.

No. 4 Mr. Tuckee to the Hon. the Ministee of Justice. (Telegram.) Gisborne, 25th January, 1881. Mat I request favour of answer to my letters re forgery case, and subsequent interference with police ? The Hon. the Minister of Justice, Wellington. W H. Tuckee.

No. 5. Mr. Hubbey to the Ministee of Justice. (Telegram.) Gisbome, 4th February, 1881. Please reply to my letter re forgery case. Minister of Justice, Wellington. J R. llubbet.

No. 6. The Ccoimissioueb, New Zealand Constabulary, to Mr. Tuckee. New Zealand Constabulary (Commissioner's Office , Sir,— Wellington, 21st February, 1881. Under instructions from the Hon. the Premier, the police have been directed to make further inquiries on the subject of the forgery case, and report the result. I have, &c, 11. E. Readee, W 11. Tucker, Esq., Gisborne. Commissioner

No. 7. The Commissioner-, New Zealand Constabulary, to Mr Tuckee. New Zealand Constabulary (Commissioner's Office) SlE,— Wellington, 22nd April, 1881. Referring to your letters and telegrams on the subject of the charge of forgery and uttering against E. ft. Ward, jun., of Gisborne, I am instructed by the Hon. the Premier to say that inquiries have now been made into the ch'cumstances referred to, and, it' a prosecution is instituted, the police will render every assistance without taking charge of the case. I have, &c, H. E. Header, W H. Tucker, Esq., Gisborne. Commissioner.

No. 8. Mr. Tuckee to Colonel Keadeb. (Telegram.) Gisbome, 4th May, 1881. I iiaye the honor to apply for copy of Inspector Scully's report re forgery case. Colonel Reader, Wellington. W H. Tuceeb.