DISTURBANCES AT PATEA.

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A.—No. 8.

No. 86. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Paeeis to the Hon. J. C Bichmond. (No. 196.) Sir,— New Plymouth, 4th July, 186 S. I have the honor to report, for the information of His Excellency's Government, that a Native woman named Martha Ahuroa, of the Puketapu Tribe, who went South with the Ngatiruanui Natives when they returned from this district last month, came in from Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu last Tuesday, which place she left on Sunday last. Martha Ahuroa was at .Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu when the late murders were committed, having arrived there three days before the occurrence. She was present when the miscreants returned from their fiendish expedition, and has given me the names of nine; the tenth she did not remember. On Wednesday morning, His Honor the Superintendent and Mr. Charles Brown, M.H.8., came to my office to hear Martha Ahuroa's account of these outrages. She stated that Titokowaru was fully committed to the whole affair. That the cause (tino putake) of the outrages was the treatment they had been subjected to in the dispute about the horses, some of which they declare had been looted from them since friendly relations commenced. That on account of some of their people having been made prisoners and taken away, they became very dark-hearted, and decided to fire upon the Constabulary if they came again to Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu. That they waited for some time, watching the approaches to their village; but as no one came, they decided to go in search of Pakehas to revenue the imaginary wrongs done to them. She stated that they had not done the slightest thing in the way of fortifying their place up to the time other leaving, but were keeping a good look-out night and day. She also states that no Natives of any other tribe have visited them since the murders were committed. I have, &c, The Hon. (ho Minister for Native Affairs,- B. Paerts, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

No. 87. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Paeeis to the lion. J. C. Bichmond. (No. 204.) Sir,— New- Plymouth, 16th July, 1868. 1 have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Assistant Under Secretary's letter of tho 25th June, No. 228-2, forwarding His Excellency the Governor's warrant appointing Hone Pihama te Bei Hanataua an Assessor within the district of New Plymouth. As no mention is made of any salary being attached to the appointment, I feel it to be my duty to bring under the notice of the Government the valuable services that young chief has rendered for the last three years, without any remuneration, and still continues to render. I. enclose herewith copies of a correspondence between myself and Brevet-Major Stapp relative to the detachment of No. 3 Division Armed Constabulary, which was ordered to Patea. They were to proceed overland according to orders received by Major Stapp from the Defence Office, and 1 detained the mailman (Karira) to accompany them until Sub-Inspector Newland refused to go; and before the steamer "Sturt" arrived with Major Yon Tempsky's detachment from Auckland, SubInspector Newland obtained a certificate of ill-health from Acting Assistant-Surgeon O'Carrol, copy of which I also enclose. Sub-Inspector Newland ordered the mounted men to put their horses out to keep during their absence, and to hold themselves ready for embarkation on arrival of the " Sturt," by which boat Captain Holt, Under Secretary for Defence, was a passenger. That gentleman and Major Yon Tempsky on landing here had a conversation with Major Stapp, when it was finally arranged that the mounted men should proceed overland, in command of Sergeant Bennett. (I should have taken them through, myself but for the abuse 1 am always subjected to whenever I go to the district, for I felt that the Constabulary were enrolled for the purpose of encountering some amount of risk whenever crimes were committed.) I wrote to Hone Pihama, and requested him to accompany them from his own place, Oeo, to Waingongoro, a distance of fifteen miles. The first day the constables rode from New Plymouth to Oeo, where they stopped for the night ; and during the night two horses broke from their tether ropes and got away ; and after searching for them the following morning for some time without finding them, Hone Pihama mounted them upon two of his oavu horses, and went himself, with two of his men, with them to Waingongoro. On returning again to his own place, Oeo, he sent his young men to look for the two missing horses belonging to the Constabulary, and after considerable time they found them making their wayback to New Plymouth. He took the horses to Waingongoro himself, and delivered them up to the owners. Hone Pihama brought the news himself of the attack on Turo Turo Mokai into New Plymouth in about thirty hours after occurrence, and I have requested him to send me word immediately anything particular occurs, which he has promised to do. The late news from Turo Turo Mokai has made our out-settlers feel very uncomfortable again, but, so far, I have hopes that it will not extend beyond the Ngatiruanui district. I feel, however, a very heavy responsibility, as the district expects to be warned by me of any approaching danger, and the necessary vigilance in communicating with the out-districts is a constant harassment. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Native Affairs, B. Paeeis, Wellington. Civil Commissioner. 12