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English
Hokianga June 20 1862. Donald McLean Esq. Auckland. My Dear Sir, I have only received your letters of the 23rd. May and 2nd. June this moment, and am very sorry that the postal arrangements are such that this letter cannot be sent from here for ten days. Had yours arrived sooner I might have sent this answer to the Bay of Islands express but so much time has passed that I doubt not you will be in full possession of all you want to know before this time and so I merely write on the principle of having due respect to the communications of friends. I proceed to give you the information you require. The native allies and connections of Tirarau such as under ordinary maori customs would be his supports in the present affair now going in at Kaipara comprise, not to descend to minutia, the whole of the very formidable section of the Ngapuhi residing in the district of Hokianga, with the exception only of Arama Karaka and his connections who are already for the most part engaged Tirarau's allies also comprise The connexions and natural allies of Matiu consist of the Ngapuhi of about the Bay of Islands and the eastern section of the northern districts gennerally but there also Tirarau has many friends. For many months before actual fighting took place Tirarau has been sending letters and very urgent ones to te Rarawa and Ngapuhi here requiring their immediate junction. All these letters have been shewn to me, and I must say that twenty years ago they would have had instantaneous effect but there are now many other considerations than mere Maori ones which influence the natives and one of the chief reasons which have kept the very strong force of Napuhi and Rarawa from joining the Tirarau up to the present time is that some four or five hundred of their best men including the principal chiefs are in my debt and have for months back and are now hard at work to pay off what they owe me, and every item of my influence has been exerted to keep them from moving. Another reason of their keeping quiet though not so powerfull is that the Chiefs under the new regulations fancy that it would be against the wishes of the Govt. who pay them that they should stir too soon in taking part in the way of fighting with either party. This last consideration however would not be of any avail if the bulk of the petty chiefs and fighting men were to make up their minds to go to the war as the paid Chiefs could in no way restrain them. Besides there are some chiefs of the highest influence who have been as they fancy overlooked by the Govt. in the ''new system'' and who if the other considerations mentioned above did not restrain them would be disposed to go to war merely to shew their consequence. My opinion is that for the present there is not much likelyhood of Tiraraus very numerous allies joining him except the allies of the other party should join in such force as to render it probable that he Tirau would be with his party placed in serious jeopardy. From what you say however, I gather that you think that should Tirarau not be supported in force both he and the settlers will be in danger and that therefore it would be advisable that he should be reinforced (I understand your communication to be inviolably ) on this head I can only say that I do not as yet see any danger to the settlers whatever there may be to Tirarau, though I am of opinion he can hold his own yet very well, and as to his being reinforced with men from this place and the north west coast (te Rarawa) it is against my interest and I shall do my best to prevent it unless things should take the serious aspect you seem to anticipate regarding the settlers and himself it however be the serious desire of the authorities that all Tirarau's allies in all their different ramifications great and small should join him I believe the thing could soon be done - and I could take measures that would ensure it in a short time if to do so and under the that I should be held free from all pecuniary loss. The thing could be done without much noise and I merely mention it as part of the general information.you require without any remark on the policy or fitness of the move except that the muster of Tiraraus allies would cause a corresponding movement in native supporters which would greatly enlarge the dimentions of the way though Tirarau would be strongest , and it would require delicate handling to prevent it appearing that the Govt. took side with Tirarau and should be suspected by the other party it might give quite a new and very bad turn to the affair. I believe if Tirarau and Matiu are allowed to batter one another sufficiently till both or even one of the parties get sick of it, they will then be glad to let the Government or the natives go between them and make peace. You say truly that my interest and yours is to see peace established if possible and I assure you I feel a considerable interest in this matter. I had a consultation with two chiefs of considerable influence here and the result is that one has gone to Matius pa and the other to Tiraraus and they intend to write to me once a week I have had the first letter. Their design is to see when fair opportunity for making peace may shew itself, and then to take advantage of it. They are also in communication with some of the Bay Chiefs of note Marsh Brown for one. My latest news from Auckland is only to the 9th. by which I see the Governor has returned and I hear a report that he has been to Kaipara, so wish him success in his peacefull efforts with all my heart. I wish as well as you to see peace established ''on a firm basis'' but I am sorry to say I am convinced that peace will be secure in this country till the country has passed a fiery ordeal which will sweep away with it all the present native policy many of the natives and many of the Europeans. I am really and truly sorry that such is the case but I firmly believe that it is so, and that peace security and law must be prededed by a display of force to convince the natives they submit if for not other reason to the distates of a just but strong Law. This simply means a general and severe war accompanied by all its usual horrors. But such we must have before the Law and the Government rule supreme and untill then we shall only fill the contemptible place we do now I am sorry to think thus but cannot help believing I am right. Adam Clarke went to Kaipara to fight in an old feud his father Pi. attacked Tiraraus relations some twenty score or more years ago and was killed himself. Adam Clarke is fighting in the same quarrel. His father Pi was a fine old Maori of the old school. When he went to his last he made me a present of the finest mare ponamu I have ever seen. The Emperor of the Brazils has it now. I gave it to the Minister as a mollifier to get a cargo of spars sold to the Brazillian Govt. and besides I expected to be made Knight of the Golden Poker or something of that kind, but they did not do , so as the cargo sold I was content. It is however came into my head talking of Clarke and Pi. I am quite aware of the state of Native affairs and perfectly as to the abilities of the ministry. Old Clarke their head officer down here is such an imbecile and such a mere idiot in native affairs that one is led to wonder he has passed his time for the many years he has not but in the country he never have opened his eyes all the time I think - his own sons have been known more than once to steal away his horses and hide them to prevent him from going to some native meeting lest as they said ''he should make a mess of it'' - what a glorious Tamuake? I am proud of your approval of my little ''history You being as I consider the highest authority as to its but indeed it is actually all I saw every shot fired and heard every word spoken except some of the speeches in the enemies pas which were correctly reported. I adopted the fiction of the old Chief to introduce properly and with effect a story but indeed though one native never told the story I have heard them talking amongst themselves tell it all and being myself also a witness I only set down such native accounts of the matter as I knew from my own experiance to be correct. I took care not to shew in the story so as I could be recognised I hate egotism of that kind but I am there nevertheless. I led the tribe of Hauraki both before and after his death and saw all I have related. I do most cordially hate and detest but have got through with most part of a ''work'' of a more pretentious kind than the Maori sketch of the war but from what I have said in the first part of this letter you may imagine I have too much on my hands to find time and enough to go on have done nothing at it for months, and as I have said I hate writing, that is to say sitting still, above all things so I think it may be long before I astonish the public if ever again I am entirely taken up with the endeavour to keep the natives quiet and get them to pay up their debts which if they are let alone they will accomplish by and bye, after which I intend to sell up and leave the country as I do not intend to bother myself with ''business'' any more, and there is nothing here for me to do, as under the present Governor I don't think there is any chance of my getting any employment in those matters I am fit for, worth while, so, shall not affer my services. I was in Auckland some months ago and was sorry not to have met you. When there I became accidentally acquainted with he asked me as a favour ''to write to him'' - I wrote him two comical enough letters in which I told him some what I consider valuable facts, one of which was that we would soon have bloodshed in the north - another significant one that several natives had been trying to get me to hire a couple of ships for them to go on an expedition to conquer and colonise some Islands in the Pacific, and also some other more to him important facts. I did not however disguise my belief in the ministry and Governor Browne and came out with my principles honestly, seeing and shewing I wanted nothing from the present Govt. being independant and in fact my letters were serio-comic and just such as a person in a private station might be supposed to write to a gentleman without regard to the fact that said gent was then a minister, or rather a ''succeedeneum'' for one. Now this same Mr. Bell me to write to him, and he has never thought fit to acknowledge them, so when I meet him next I shall give him my ideas of what the conduct of a gentleman should be when another takes pains to give him information at his own request. We have been within a hairs breath of a far worse row here than that at Kaipara, at the last moment it was stopped by the earnest exertions of Captn. Clendon R.M. with my most anxious assistance, has built four time agreed on for the fight paries armed and face to face. It within a hair's breath I have not room to describe the various means by which we managed but by good luck were successfull there are other outbreaks which are to be expected by and bye, when circumstances are for the same. I had by the same post that brought yours a letter from Mrs. Gore Browne from Tasmania, she assures me that the interest both herself and the Governor take in N.Z. land is unabated and that ''their hearts are here''. Should you go to Tasmania you must write to me to send you a letter to some of my folks there but you will no introduction to Government House where you would be I doubt not received with delight by its amicable inmates. I hope you won't leave the country without sending me another letter and you may at all times be sure I shall be most happy to send you any little information I can when you require it and I will tell you that what I write is well weighed and my information when I once give it is to be depended on though every other person of race contradicted it. I know what I do know and not by going about asking questions if I am in doubt on any point I shall say so. Upon second thoughts I shall send this to the Bay express as otherwise it might be ten days before leaving here and though its contents do not seem to me of much consequence yet you who are so far off may bewishing to get a scrawl from me. When you see McCabe remember me to him and when you write again I shall be glad to hear how the political world ways as to native affairs. With sincere regards, I am Yours truly, F.E. Maning. P.S. Adam Clarke and mob did not owe me any money or I really believe they would not now have been at Kaipara. Let me know if it is the of the ''authorities'' that Tiraraus allies join him and if it be done. F.E.M.
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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/manuscripts/MCLEAN-1007415.2.1

Bibliographic details

8 pages written 20 Jun 1862 by Frederick Edward Maning in Hokianga to Sir Donald McLean in Auckland Region, Inward letters - F E Maning

Additional information
Key Value
Document date 20 June 1862
Document MCLEAN-1007415
Document title 8 pages written 20 Jun 1862 by Frederick Edward Maning in Hokianga to Sir Donald McLean in Auckland Region
Document type MANUSCRIPT
Attribution ATL
Author 12768/Maning, Frederick Edward, 1811?-1883
Collection McLean Papers
Date 1862-06-20
Decade 1860s
Destination 66181/Auckland Region
Englishorigin ATL
Entityid 17
Format Full Text
Generictitle 8 pages written 20 Jun 1862 by Frederick Edward Maning in Hokianga to Sir Donald McLean in Auckland Region
Iwihapu Unknown
Language English
Name 12768/Maning, Frederick Edward, 1811?-1883
Origin 89685/Hokianga
Place 66181/Auckland Region
Recipient 4809/McLean, Donald (Sir), 1820-1877
Section Manuscripts
Series Series 1 Inward letters (English)
Sortorder 0341-0070
Subarea Manuscripts and Archives Collection
Tapuhigroupref MS-Group-1551
Tapuhiitemcount 67
Tapuhiitemcount 2 14501
Tapuhiitemcount 3 30238
Tapuhiitemdescription 58 letters written from Auckland and Hokianga, 1860-1870. Includes letter in Maori to Maning from Hone Mohi Tawhai, 1869; from Hoani Makaho Te Uruoterangi, Akarana, 1870; unsigned letter in Maori written from Weretana to Te Rauparaha, Sep 1869; T H Maning to his father, 1870; Maning to White, 1870; Harry H King to Maning, 1870.Includes piece-level inventory, 1860-1876 & undated (excluding 1969 acquisitions)
Tapuhiitemgenre 3 230058/Personal records Reports
Tapuhiitemname 12768/Maning, Frederick Edward, 1811?-1883
Tapuhiitemname 3 4809/McLean, Donald (Sir), 1820-1877
Tapuhiitemref MS-Papers-0032-0444
Tapuhiitemref 2 Series 1 Inward letters (English)
Tapuhiitemref 3 MS-Group-1551
Tapuhiitemsubjects 3 1446/New Zealand Wars, 1860-1872
Tapuhiitemtitle Inward letters - F E Maning
Tapuhiitemtitle 2 Series 1 Inward letters (English)
Tapuhiitemtitle 3 McLean Papers
Tapuhireelref MS-COPY-MICRO-0535-072
Teiref ms-1300-028
Year 1862

8 pages written 20 Jun 1862 by Frederick Edward Maning in Hokianga to Sir Donald McLean in Auckland Region Inward letters - F E Maning

8 pages written 20 Jun 1862 by Frederick Edward Maning in Hokianga to Sir Donald McLean in Auckland Region Inward letters - F E Maning

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