THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

303

almost immediately tomahawked by a native
policeman, Te Moro, who lost no time in
swimming after him. It is scarcely possible
to state what the rebel loss was, but forty
dead bodies were found on the island, and
several more were seen to sink while attempt-
ing to cross the river. Nearly all the survi-
vors are known to be wounded. The friendly
natives had twelve killed, and from 25 to 30
wounded. Several spears and other weapons
of war were taken, and also Pehi's King flag,
which was found in a large canoe, and on
searching Matene's whare the conquerors
obtained a prize of ninety sovereigns.

It is only fair to add that amongst the
friendly natives were some 30 or 40 Kingites,
who have most of them since renounced
Kingism and taken the oath of allegiance to
the Queen.

The meeting last evening already alluded
to as taking place in the runanga house
lasted several hours, but as the purport of
the speeches was the same as at the great
meeting held to-day at Ranana (London) it is
needless to report them.

In the course of this morning (Friday,
20th,) Hori Kingi and his party, whom we
had left behind at Otumairo, arrived, and
after a tangi and some speechifying we pro-
ceeded to Ranana, where now nearly the
whole of the loyal natives were assembled.

At the meeting held in the latter part of
the day nearly all the chiefs spoke, so that it
is impossilbe to give more than one or two.

Mete Kingi: "I was on my way to town
to ask for instructions as to our course of
proceeding for the future, to ask for assis-
tance in the way of arms and ammunition,
and to know what I am to do about the
prisoners. Now you have come, our way is
clear; it is a good thing you have done in
coming here. You, the representative of
the Governor. Our hearts are light through
seeing you this day."

Haimona: "We want guns; old fashioned
muskets with caps for the older men, double-
barrelled guns and rifles for the younger
men, with powder, lead, caps, and most of all
we want soldiers to be stationed at each pa
as they are on the Waikato. We also want
big guns to protect our pas, and to be
assisted in our commissariat, for most of
these men have left homes and cultivations.
We want military settlers the same as they
have on the Waikato. We are prepared to
give them land if they protect us; but above
all things let us have roads made into this
river to bring up supplies, and also that
soldiers may be brought to our assistance."

Hoani Wiremu: "Let my road be made
at once through the Kokoro to come out near
Parikino, and let Pakeha and Maori work
together at this road."

Hori Kingi and others chiefly referred to
the prisoners, the purport of their speeches
being: "We have fought for the Queen and
for the protection of the Pakehas. We have
killed in the battle of Moutoa many of our
nearest relations and friends. We have

taken others of them prisoners. Have we not
done enough for the Queen and our friends
the Pakehas? Must we surrender these
prisoners to be sent to Auckland or Welling-
ton and there put in gaol. But if they must
be surrendered, whatever you say shall be
done. Cannot Te Raimona be given up to
us? He is nearly related to every chief of
this river, to all of us; but if you decide that
they must be all given into your hands, we
will do so." In replying, I stated that I had
come up on behalf of the Government and
settlers to thank them for the stand they
had made against Matene and his fanatics,
for having displayed such bravery, and for
having achieved such a signal victory; that
I sympathized deeply with all those who had
lost their friends and relations in the fight;
that I felt certain the Government would
provide for the widows and orphans and also
for the wounded; that with respect to assis-
tance, I had already supplied them with
ammunition and as many guns as I could
procure at Wanganui, that more should be
sent from Wellington; that I would supply
them with provisions from time to time as
long as they were kept away from their
homes and cultivations; that with regard
to the prisoners, they were rebels taken
fighting against the Queen, and were there-
fore Queen's prisoners; that I was bound to
insist upon their all being handed over to
me; that the Governor alone had the power
to pardon and liberate them. To all this
they answered, "Good; it shall be as you
say, we will go with you and take the
prisoners."

Saturday, 21st. This morning I proposed
that I should go and see Pehi accompanied
only by my interpreter, and asked for a
canoe. Hori Kingi at once got into a state
of great excitement, and while addressing the
natives said, "Is Petatone mad, is he come
up here to bring confusion amongst us?"
When I asked for an explanation, he replied,
"Am not I responsible for your life; if you
are killed and I kill Pehi, will that be suffi-
cient utu for your death? When I left
Wanganui I promised that if you were killed
I would be killed also. I allowed you to go
from Otumairo to Koroniti without me the
other evening, because you were only to pass
friendly pas; but beyond this you are not
safe unless protected by a sufficient force.
Hori Kingi must and will go wherever Peta-
tone goes. Wait till Monday, and we will all
accompany you to the pa where Pehi at pre-
sent is." There was no resisting such an
appeal as this. In the afternoon, however,
they sent me with a large force to Tawhitinui
and Kauaeroa, two pas where there was a con-
siderable number of wounded rebels, and
where the majority of the prisoners were
being kept under a sort of surveillance, for
they could scarcely be said to be in custody.
Dr. Fletcher having dressed their wounds,
we returned to Ranana. Late at night all
the principal chiefs came into my tent, and
again asked whether I could not let off the