CORRESPONDENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 189, 3 May 1860, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Wanganui Chronicle.

Wanganui, April 25th, 1860. Sib,- —Will you permit me, through the medium of your columns, to make inquiry a 3 to the reason why the Harmonium at the English church has not been used Tor two Sundays past ? Is it out of repair ? I have been informed that it is not yet paid for ; but can hardly think it is true, as it must be upwards of two years since the subscription list was got up. As a subscriber, I would beg to suggest, that a list of the subscriptions might be published, and then the deficiency (if any) would be made known, and no doubt made up at once. Whatever the reason may be, it is a pity that the instrument should remain idle, as it undoubtedly adds much to the harmony of the congregation. Yours respectfully, A Lookee-on.

To the Editor of the Wanganui Chronicle.

Westoe, Rangitikei, April 27,1860. Sib, — I have been requested to sign a Memorial, addressed to his • Excellency the Governor by settlers in the Wauganui district, which expresses, “ the warm approval of the memorialists, of the policy pursued by him in the native disturbances at Taranakiand states that they “ regard the grounds on which his Excellency has taken up arms to be just and necessary,” and concludes by tendering their “ cordial support.” I have declined to sign it; and as representative for Wanganui in the General Assembly I am desirous of stating to my constituents, through your columns, my reasons for my refusal. By the expression in the memorial, “ that the grounds on which his Excellency has taken up arms are just and necessary,” I presume it is meant, that the war which he has commenced is a just and necessary war. Whether it be so or not depends, in my opinion, on the question, whether the purchase of the debateable lapd from E. Teira was a complete and

'valid purchase or not. The Governor informs us, that E Teira was competent to sell without the permission of W. Kingi; -that he'did sell, and the Government did purchase, iu conformity with the principles on which other purchases from the natives have been effected-; that if there were any other joint owners, they ■either assented 'to the sale expressly, or acquiesced in it by their silence; and. that W. Kingi, in particular, admitted E Teira’s right to sell, while declaring that he would not allow -him to do it. Kingi’s friends, on the contrary, mssert that E Teira had no independent or •separate title to the land; that whatever interest he had in it he held in common with at least fifty other owners; that his title, whatever it amounted to, was derived through his father, who is still alive, who protested against the sale, and is now fighting in Kingi’s ranks ; that several of the joint owners, being on the -spot, protested against the sale; that many more, who were residing at Port Nicholson, 'Queen Charlotte’s Sound, and elsewhere, were merer consulted; that King, as head of the 'tribe, on behalf of these absentees and on his uwn behalf, did protest, iu the manner usually adopted by natives, by rising abruptly and leaving the meeting with his followers ; and that the purchase was a loose and incomplete transaction—in fact, no purchase at all. ’For my own part, I have read the statements put forth by the Governor in reference to this matter; I have also had the opportunity of discussing it with officers of the Land ■purchase and Native departments; and with three missionaries, each of twenty years’ experience among the natives. I have also heard the line of argument which is being very zealously, perhaps not very discreetly, urged by King’s friends at Otaki, Wellington, and elsewhere, and I have been present at a large meeting of natives when the subject was discussed. The conclusion at whicli I have arrived is, that it is impossible, till the affair is sifted by the General Assembly, to say whether the purchase from Teira was valid or not. I do not believe that there is an individual of the European race in this province who knows the merits of the ease ; and I think it would be exceedingly presumptuous in me to prejudge a case on which I shall probably have to adjudicate in the House of Representatives, by expressing my belief that this war is either a just or a necessary war, when in fact, neither I, nor any other colonist in this province, has the means of knowing the truth. The responsibility which rests upon the Governor for appealing to. the sword for the settlement of this land difficulty, without apparently having attempted any milder method ©f adjustment is great. Great also is the responsibility he has incurred by plunging the colony into war with so little prepaiation, and without any warning to large numbers of settlers, whose position was such as to place them absolutely at the mercy of tribes with whom King was known to have intimate relations, and who might, if they had so chosen, have swept away the population of whole districts before their victims could almost have heard that a war was impending. Nor is the responsibility less, which will shortly rest upon the General Assembly, of investigating these mattei s, and making provision, if they shall think proper to do so, for the very heavy expense which this war must of necessity entail on the colony. My desire is to preserve my mind entirely unbiassed on these matters, that I may come to their consideration in the house of ..Representatives free from prejudice, and with a determination to see justice done where the right may be. For these reasons, sir, I have declined committing myself by any expression of opinion such as that contained in the Memorial, referred to. I trust that the explanation I have given will be satisfactory to my constituents, and remain, sir, yonr obdt. servant, William Fox.