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hospital and the unwounded prisoners handed over to the military authorities.

Late in the evening, Mr. White informed me that the next day at 12 o\'clock there was to be a large meeting of the Taranaki, Ngatiruanui, and Ngarauru rebel chiefs at Pakaraka, a pa within the recently purchased Waitotara block, and about seventeen miles from Wanganui. The chief Rio, who brought the news, was anxious, knowing that I was expected, to have waited to see me, but he was advised to return to Pakaraka to be in readiness to receive the expected visitors.

It appeared to me so degrading to the Government, and so calculated to lessen its influence with the loyal natives, besides being dangerous to the settlement, to allow such a meeting, not merely of rebels, many of whom had been engaged at Moutoa, but of known murderers, to take place on crown land and in such immediate vicinity of the town of Wanganui, where there were 350 troops in the garrison and 400 or 500 well-trained militia out on actual service, that I determined to proceed myself to Pakaraka and warn the rebels off the Queen\'s territory; and in order to convince them that the Government in earnest, I requested Major Rookes to accompany me with Captain Cameron\'s troop of volunteers. Major Rookes with the greatest readiness complied with my request, and though he had only that afternoon dismissed the troop, telling them that their services would not be required for some days, yet the next morning he had the whole troop ready at ten o\'clock (Wednesday, the 25th). We rode at a tolerably good pace, and came within sight of the pa at about one o\'clock. When within three or four hundred yards of it, I requested Major Rookes to halt the troop and remain there till I returned. I then rode off to the pa, accompanied by my interpreter, Mr. Hamlin, Captain Noake (of the Colonial Defence Force) and Mr. C. Broughton. Instead, however, of encountering the great gathering of rebels we had been led to expect, we only found the friendly chiefs Rio and Piripi, and a few of their people, with a slight sprinkling of Kingites. The meeting it appeared had been postponed. I had therefore to content myself with requesting Rio to proceed to Waitotara, where the rebels were, and tell them that they would not be allowed either to hold meetings or to remain on the Waitotara block, and that if they did not obey my order they should be driven off by force. Rio promised that he would start at once, and deliver every word of my message. We then returned to town.

On Saturday, the 28th, just before leaving Wanganui, Rio sent in word that he had seen the rebels; had told them every word I had said; that they held a runanga, and had decided upon finally abandoning the Waitotara block and retiring to the north side of the Waitotara river.

On my way down the coast, I held meetings with the natives at several of their settlements; but as you visited them a few days afterwards, it is unnecessary that I should report what took place at these interviews. Suffice it to say, that the impression left on my mind was that Kingism was doomed, and that there never was so little prospect of the peace of the West Coast being disturbed.

I. E. FEATHERSTON,
Superintendent.

Superintendent\'s Office,
Wellington.

Wanganui Rates of Pilotage.

I, ISAAC EARL FEATHERSTON, Superintendent of the Province of Wellington, pursuant to the powers vested in me by the 12th clause of "The Marine Board Act, 1863," do hereby fix the following as the Pilotage Rates which shall be payable at the port of Wellington, also the nature of the service for which such rates shall be payable, the time of payment, and the amount to be paid for detention of Pilots on board vessels under Quarantine or otherwise :—

The rates of pilotage into or out of the Port of Wellington, from or to the distance of one league from the Pilot Station, are as follows, viz :—

Vessels under 200 tons, 4d. per ton
Ditto 200 to 300 tons, 3 1/2d. “
Ditto 300 to 400 tons, 3d. “
Ditto 400 to 600 tons, 2 1/2d. “
Ditto 600 and upwards, 2d. “

But no pilotage is to be chargeable on any vessel engaged in the Coasting trade, unless the assistance of a Pilot be required by the Master of the Vessel.

All Vessels trading to or from the neighbouring Colonies shall be exempted from taking a Pilot, upon paying one-half the usual rate of pilotage, whatever that may be; if a Pilot is taken however, full pilotage to be paid.

All Vessels under 100 tons, trading from or to the neighbouring Colonies shall, upon the Master proving himself qualified, be furnished with a certificate of exemption from pilotage, but shall in lieu thereof pay one full pilotage inwards and outwards per annum.

Every Master so qualified and exempted shall, on approaching the Harbor within two leagues, hoist a white flag at the main, showing his exemption, or forfeit a sum not exceeding the full pilotage.

Every Pilot detained on board a Vessel longer than forty-eight hours, whether by stress of weather, quarantine, or otherwise,