E.—No. 1.

their regret tliat His Excellency should have forwarded the statement in which such imputation is made to the Secretary of State without a denial of its truth. General Cameron's account of the surrender of the prisoners at Rangiriri, in his official Despatch of the 24th November, 18G3, is in these words: " Shortly after daylight on the 21st, the white flag was hoisted by the enemy, of whom 183 surrendered unconditionally, gave up their arms, and became prisoners of war." Ministers have never, officially or unofficially, heard any other account of the transaction. Nor i« it possible that it should have been otherwise. Hostilities had commenced in the afternoon, continued during the night, and no communication whatever took place between the natives and the military till the white flag was hoisted, the soldiers had entered the redoubt, and the rebels were actually prisoners. There could have been no opportunity for any treaty as to their surrendering on terms, and it is placed beyond all doubt by General Cameron's official report that none took place, but that the surrender was altogether unconditional. The point seems of the more importance to Ministers because His Excellency, in a Memorandum addressed to them on the 22nd April, (and which has been forwarded to His Grace the Duke of Newcastle) refers to the " circumstances connected with the manner in which the prisoners surrendered." This expression followed by Rewi's allegation, unaccompanied by comment, might lead to the belief that there were some conditions, or terms, annexed to the surrender of the prisoners, a supposition which Ministers are convinced is entirely unfounded. 2. Eewi is said to have sent word "that if Te Oriori or Takerei To Eau were allowed to come and see the rebels in arms they would attach great importance to anything they would propose." Ministers have just received an authentic statement, made under the hand of Pumipi Moka, one of the natives* to whom the communication was made. Pumipi's account is exactly the reverse. He says that Bewi sent word that if the Government wanted a messenger, " let them send Tapihana. Te Oriori and Takerei Te Eau belong to the Government," i.e., are under Government influence, and no weight will be attached to anything they propose. Tapihana is a known ultra-kingite, and perhaps the mo*t dangerous to be at large of all the prisoners. A copy of Pumipi's statement is appended. Ministers will be obliged by His Excellency transmitting it and this Memorandum to Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies. Auckland, 22nd May, 1864. Wm. Fox.

Enclosure to No. 2G. STATEMENT of Pcmipi Moko, referred to in Memorandum of 20th May, IS6I. Myself, Hone Haora, and Hira Kerei went to Ramaraina-po on the "Waipa, and saw Hone To One there. We all went to the General at the Awamutu. The General's successor would not send us to make peace, but he desired Hone Te One to do as he thought proper, seeing that he (Hone To One) knew what his Excellency had said on the When we returned to Jvawhia we started to Hangatiki. We slept at Orahiri (Mr. Louis Hetet's place), about 15 miles from Te Kapua. We found ten men of the Ngatipo tribe there, who said they were afraid to give up their guns lost they should be imprisoned afterwards. I told them that the Governor dare not deceive them, lest, as he said himself, "he should be taken to London and beheaded; and he had too much affection for his head to wish to have it taken oft* his shoulders." The next day a messenger went to the pa (which is finished) at Hangatiki from us. Ngatimaniapoto, Waikato, and Ngatihau (Whanganui people) were there. The chiefs would not let us go to the pa, and sent out Whanganui natives to stop our passage. I wrote a letter to the Ngatimaniapoto as soon as we met the messengers sent to turn us back. I told them that I only came for their good, to persuade them to accept the Governor's terms of peace. When they got my letter, they sent to ask why I came. I said I came to tell them the conditions of peace. Ist. That all munitions of war must be given up ; 2nd. His Excellency's promise of amenity to the king people; 3rd. the Queen's message to put a stop to the punishment of her (Maori) children; 4th. That, if peace is made, the boundaries (utmost extent) of the Queen's land will be, commencing at Te Rore, Paterangi, Te Awamutu, Rangiaohia, Kihikihi, Orakau, and Maungatautari ; Te Wetini and Hikaka (Ngatimaniapoto chiefs) both approved. Rewi Maniapoto wanted to sec a letter from the Governor. He also wanted to make peace with his gun in his hand, the muzzle of it being stopped (plugged). He desired us to go back and communicate with the heads of the law. He said that if the Government wanted a messenger the best one the}- could sent to them would bo Te Tapihana. Te Oriori and Takcrei belong to the Government. Hira Kcrei's father (one of the messengers from the rebels) in answer to my question as to what they were gazing about for, said that they were afraid of being surprised. They are as wild and scared as bush pigs. They sleep on the hills. There are about 800 of them, of whom some 300 are men. A large number have gone away to Taupo. They consider there are redoubts at Te Kapua, at the Parapara, at Tuahu, at Orahiri —the latter place being about five miles from Hangatiti. They arc thoroughly frightened. Pumipi Moko. Signed before me this 16th day of May, 1864. B. H. MacGhkooh, R, M.

No. 27. MEMORANDUM relative to the treatment of Maori Prisoners. The Governor has received a Memorandum from his Responsible Advisers, dated the 22nd inst., relative to his despatch No. 64, of the 3rd inst., which Memorandum he will, in compliance with their wishes, transmit to the Secretary of State/ The Governor thinks that the statement of Pumipi, now enclosed to him by Ministers, confirms

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MEMOKAKDA AXD KEPOETS