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Captain Poetee to the TJndee-Seceetaky, Native Department, Wellington. Sic, — Militia and Volunteer Office, Gisborne, 27th April, 1884. I have seen a letter from your department addressed to Major Eopata, advising the reduction of his salary upon the ground of retrenchment. I am disinclined to interfere in questions which have no doubt received full Ministerial consideration ; but, in this case, I feel I am warranted in so doing owing to my many years close official intimacy with Major Eopata during war and peace, and consequent full knowledge of the valuable services rendered by him to the colony. I therefore venture to ask the Hon. the Native Minister to reconsider the matter, and, possibly, take steps to obtain a permanent pension equivalent to the valuable services of so loyal and staunch a man as Eopata. I may mention that Eopata feels pained at the action taken, more particularly as no previous intimation was given as to the desire of the Government; as, in that case, lam convinced Eopata would at once have voluntarily assented to abandon a part, or the whole, of his allowance. Feeling assured that the Government do not desire to hurt the feelings of a chief who has rendered such good services, I have, &c, Thos. W. Poetee, The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Captain, Commanding Bast Coast District. Wellington.

The Undee-Seceetaey, Native Department, to Captain Poetee, Gisborne. Sic,— Native Office, Wellington, Ist May, 1884. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th ultimo, with reference to the reduction in the amount 'paid to Major Eopata, and to inform you, in reply, that there appears to be considerable misapprehension on the subject. You will remember that, when active military operations ceased on the East Coast, but the district was still in an unsettled state, Major Eopata was appointed to the charge of the Ngatiporou District, at a salary of £200 a year, paid from Contingent Defence. In 1879 Major Eopata applied for an increase of salary, considering that he should receive the same amount as was then paid to Major Kemp, viz., £400 a year, and, as extensive land-purchase operations were going on at the time, in which Major Eopata could be of much service, his salary was made up to the amount requested, paid as follows : For his military duties, from Defence vote, £200 ; as Assessor, Native Department, £100 ; as Land Purchase Officer, £100. Subsequently, when a general reduction took place in the salaries of Assessors, Major Eopata's salary from this department was reduced to £50 a year. The position of the matter at the present time is this: Major Eopata has now no military duties and no responsibility as officer in charge of a district, and land-purchase operations have also ceased. The salaries, therefore, hitherto paid to him for those services have been discontinued. In order to put him on a level with the highest-paid Native Assessor his salary from this department has been raised again to £100 a year. In the official letter to Major Eopata stress was laid upon the necessity for retrenchment, partly for the purpose of smoothing matters to an officer who has the respect and confidence of the Government as a loyal chief, and one who has rendered valuable military services to the State. A letter to the above effect will be addressed to Major Eopata, and, with this explanation, no doubt you will be able to remove any soreness that may exist in his mind on account of the reduction. I have, &c, T. W. Lewis, Captain Porter, &c, Gisborne. Under-Secretary. %

Captain Poetee to the Undee-Seceetaey, Native Department, Wellington. Sic,— Militia Office, Gisborne, 9th May, 1884. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Letter No. 487, relative to reduction of Major Eopata's salary-allowance. The facts are as stated by you, and admitted by Eopata, but it is the cancellation of his military allowance that appears the hardship, as it was always considered that, whatever the changes and reductions, the £200 would not be affected, being looked upon in the light of a pension. I have, &c, T. W. Poetee, The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. Captain.

The Undee-Seceetaey, Native Department, to Captain Poetee, Gisborne. Sic,— Native Office, Wellington, 15th May, 1884. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, in which you state that Major Eopata's military allowance has been looked upon in the light of a pension, and, in reply, am directed by the Native Minister to point out that, so far from this being the case, the salary was paid from Contingent Defence, a vote which up to last year was borne upon loan. Pensions, I have to add, are not charged to borrowed money. I have, &c, T. W. Lewis, Captain Porter, &c, Gisborne. Under-Secretary.

Authority : Geoege Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB4.