TRANSLATION FROM THE "NATIVE GAZETTE," DATED JULY 12.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 15, 29 July 1843, Page 4

TRANSLATION FROM THE "NATIVE GAZETTE," DATED JULY 12.

" Victoria has arrived in Auckland, from Port Nicholson, the heavens are dark, the day is very black, there is a talk of wars from above, the natives and the whites have quarrelled, on both sides some are dead. With us, both are Avrong, by the laws of man and God, but all the things of tho quarrel by which the natives and whites have fallen, have not been perfectly heard ; we are seeking the ground of this quarrel. The Governor has sent some of his Chiefs to the natives to hear their talk, that he may perfectly understand ; let us wait until the perfect justice and truth of this contention is heard. Lest it be said it is the natives doings or it is the whites doings. With us, both are wrong, and blood on both sides has been spilt, — it is a thing to cause darkness of hearts that tho shedding of the blood of our friends. "The natives and whites both say that this contention originated in land, twenty people have fallen, is the land greater than the people ? The whites of Port Nicholson say, that Kauparaha and Rangihaeata consented to Spain and Clarke to settle the land. But Rauparaha was excited, tore the colours, threw down the wooden posts, burnt the houses of the writer of land, driving him and his men ; therefore the writer of land went to tho place of the Europeans to the Judge, saying to him, the native chief's speech is false, "leave it to the land settler." The Judge went with his men to fetch Rauparaha and Rangihaeata to the place of the Europeans. But they two did not listen to the speech of the Judge, and would not go ; therefore the Judge said to his men holdingguns, "go catch the natives;" the gun of' the European sounded, some fell on each side, when Wakefield saw this work he said, put a stop to the blood shedding, they giving up their guns, standing peaceably the natives with the European chiefs, they having no guns, thinking the fight was ended, afterwards Rangihaeata was standing, the native and European chiefs were standing, tho evil sprung up within him concerning his woman that was slain, and with his hands were some of the European chiefs killed ; this is the European talk, is it true, is it false. " The natives say the land had not been sold, that it was theirs, thinking the raising of the colours, and fixing sticks up, was taking the land. The sticks were thrown down that Europeans might understand it was not given up, and that it was not promised them, it was au interference of the work of the icrita- of land to build a house, and to mark the land, it is right according to their rightousness, to do what not not with their things growing on their land, they did not hear theiu speech, therefore the houses were burnt, they did not give word to fight, THEY had no thoughts to fight, the sight of the guns, from the shooting of them by the Europeans, from the falling of some of them they ivere excited, the natives say, listen all men, tho beginning was by the Europeans, three natives fell from the firing of the Europeans, therefore, began the- fight with the Europeans, but one thing is very bad to the Europeans, the work of Rangihaeata from his slaughter of the European chiefs by his own hands after the engagement ; all tho Europeans say this is a bad angry work, if true. "Now, this is the fourth year that the natives have dwelt peaceably with the, Europeans, therefore soldiers are sent by the Governor to hold fast the good custom of living peaceably, do not you Europeans lay hold of guns and cartouch boxes. No, leave the soldiers to keep both of you. " The former promise of the Governor that is dead, shall not be forgotten. And this Governor says the same. The settlements that have not been sold by you, shall not go to the Europeans, by no means, but, deliver up peaceably to the land settler the truth. The Governor says to me, write this heart enlightening letter to you to make known also to all men his laying down righteousness book, — it is printed in another part of this newspaper. "The book of the Governor laying down righteousness, of things made native. " Let all persons understand, the truth, this is a rule to preserve the peace about the land, both Europeans and Natives, do not be jealous one of the other, hold fast also the talk of the Queen to the natives, her talk is truth to the native chiefs in that she said to them, "of a truth- shall the native chiefs have the right and rule over their lands, and their settlements, and all their riches. " Now I the chief who oversees the Governorship of New Zealand, do cause all persons to be careful, and npt wilfully to build houses, or any thing else on disputed settle-

ments, not bought by Europeans, and not let go by natives. "Wait peaceably all persons, for he who makes straight the land, in him is the truth concerning the land, he will say whose land it is, tho disputed settlements." ( [We publish the above letter, though (without knowing any thing of the native language) we look upon it as hyper-critical. The writer is however or ought to be competent for the task lie has undertaken. In his' remarks upon tho Protectorate we do not quite agree with him, that the office may be altogether useless, we do not deny ; but if it must be filled, why should not Mr. Clarke occupy it and receive the salary? He is much less likely (at all events) to do harm among the nativos than the ignorant persons who have in other parts of the country come unhappily in contact with them. If the Sub- Protectors are equally useless, ho is certainly not to blame. Mr. Shortland, not Mr. Clarke, makes these appointments ; and if they too must bo filled, we certainly think that Mr. Clarkes sons, or tho children of any of the Missionaries who have been borne and brought up in the country, have a preferable claim ; we question if our friend himself would refuse to fill a sinecure, provided it was not shamelessly made on purpose for him. It is not the business of Mr. Clarke or the Missionaries to tell this Government that the natives want no Protectors. If they gave up their places, they would be filled to-morrow by persons who, if they could do no more good, might do much more harm. — On the subject of the Maori translation we cannot give an opinion, wo are no Maori scholar, and we have no desire to become one. The native language has no charm what|ever, except for a native, and the sooner jthat even ho can be made to substitute [ English for it the better for himself. That the Maori Gazette might be made a powerful engine for civilizing the New Zealanders | cannot be doubted, and Mr. Clarko by seeing that it is properly conducted, might at least do much good in this respect. There never was so favourable an opportunity of civilizing the Aborigines of any country as New Zealand offers at the present moment. Nearly all the natives read and write, and many of them are even anxious to obtain knowledge. We hear persons (who understand the Maori) state, that the Native Gazette is not so well conducted as it might be. iWe cannot offer an opinion on this point. If this is true, wo regret its existence, and just by way of stimulating the conductor of that paper, we publish the translation of our correspondent, so that our Contempory might [ see that his labours are not unobserved or unnoticed. It would tend to much good if the Judge (who our Correspondent says is a Maori scholar) would occasionally write an j article giving the natives an idea of our laws and their foundation in reason and justice i between man and man. Sketches or tales lOf social happiness, short accounts of men distinguished far virtue and benevolence, &c, might also tend to raise and improve the native character; but our great hopes rest jupou the establishment of English schools ifor the education of the natives. — Ed.]