The Civil Commissioner, Maketu, To The Honorable The Native Minister.

I have the honor to transmit, for the information of the Government, copies of a letter addressed to certain Chiefs of this place by the Ngatirangi wewetu of Rotorua, reporting proceedings at a meeting lately convened by Wiremu Tamehana at Peria, at which some of that tribe were present, and the reply to the same.

I have found, from natives present at the meeting referred to, that the question of peace or war with the Europeans was proposed by Tamehana for discussion, and that a majority being unfavourable to a renewal of hostilities, it was formally announced by this Chief, as the decision of the people, that peace should be preserved until the Governor should become the aggressor, on which all acknowledging the Maori king would rise in arms He added that he would leave it for some other tribe to begin a quarrel with the pakeha, as, having set up a King for the island, he thought he had done his share of the work, and would rest content with that.

Very few of the Chiefs from this district attended the meeting, though most of the principal men had been invited.