LATER FROM TARANAKI.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 3, Issue 130, 17 March 1860, Page 1

LATER FROM TARANAKI.

(From the TaranaJci News, March 1.)

The ' Airedale,' whicli arrived from the south on Friday last, has made the trip to Manukau, and returned this morning, bringing His Excellency Governor Browne, Mr. Richmond, iNative Secretary, Colonel Gold, and nearly 300 officers and men of H.M.s 65th Regt. The ; Niger ' also, with two 24-pounders from Fort Britovnart, and 15 artillerymen, left Auckland for Taranaki on Sunday last. The intelligence conveyed from this province by the last mail created profound sensation in Auckland, and has elicited unbounded sympathy. The prompt manner in which the military strength of this province has been reinforced, proves forethought and a state of preparation which cannot fail of being every way reassuring, and is, in fact., the likeliest way to bring about a speedy, satisfactory, and bloodless settlement of surrounding difficulties. At all events, we may rely upon the determination of His Excellency's Government that such interruptions of the peace and prosperity of the settlement, as the present, will not be permitted with impunity. Indeed, it is not to be endured that the turbulent chief and his immediate followers, an inconsiderable body, should so interrupt, the quiet of the province, and entail an enormous local and general expenditure by their capricious opposition to the sale of land over which they have not the slightest claim. We are informed that Messrs. Part-is and Rogan went this morning to William King's Pah, taking the Governor's ultimatum, and reminding him that if blood should be shed it will lie at his (King's) door. Nothing, of course, has thus early transpired respecting the operations contemplated by his Excellency ; they will, however, in all probability soon be known ; and in the meantime we gain assuSa'nce from the powerful aid already arrived, that the community may now be considered comparatively safe. It was intended, we understand, to keep the 4 Airedale ' until Saturday, when she would have left again for M anukau, which would have prevented the sending of the English^ mail for the mouth ; but' we believe that an ciKTrTVai be made to send the ' Airedale ' to Nelson, to return again immediately to this port. (From the TaranaJci Herald, March 3.) Early on Thursday morning, the retm-n of the Royal Mail steamer 'Airedale' put an end to the suspense that existed as to the course the Government would take on receipt of the representations forwarded to Auckland by that vessel on the previous Friday. The steamer was observed in the distance to be crowded with human beings, but the prevailing color of their dresses (scarlet) could not be discerned until the vessel neared the anchorage. Great was the delight and profound the feeling awakene:! by the spectacle, so much so that the Governor's flag was not noticed from the shore, and his Excellency landed in the bustle almost unrecognised. A general feeling has been expressed that the occasion did not, for the reason stated, permit of any demonstration being made to greet his Excellency's arrival at this particular juncture. Later in the day H.M.S.S. 'Niger' anchored from Auckland, and we are encouraged to believe that the powerful reinforcements by the two vessels will show the natives the folly of persisting in their misconduct, as well as disabuse their minds of any hope they may cherish of receiving support from other tribes. The government may reasonably be supposed to be well informed on this head, and the withdrawal of so considerable a part of the Auckland force is proof that the tribes to whom Wiremu Kingi has appealed are thoroughly indifferent about him. He and those who act with him are in the wrong, in opposing a londfide sale of land, they in fact place themselves above the treaty which secures them in their possessions and extends to them the rights and privileges of British subjects. Attempts have been made to connect the present with the Maori iing movement, without, however, any show of reason. W. Kingi has already refused his adhesion to Potatau, but were he his most violent partizan, it would not help in this instance. The King movement is a compact amongst the natives to retain their lands as against the pakeha, which little as it has to commend himself to either race, is perhaps no infringement of the treaty of Waitaugi. But it is otherwise when natives assume to dictate such terms as would prevent those natives who, in the language of the treaty, may be disposed to alienate such lands' as they have no longer any wish or desire to retain, and Her Majesty, in such cases, from exercising her royal prerogative of pre-emption which haß been much too sparingly exercised even for maori interests. We have before expressed an opinion that the natives would abandon their pretensions if they found government strong and earnest, and with the means at hand to enforce respect, and we yet entertain the opinion. A considerable amount of mischief has been occasioned by their bad faith. •Martial law is in force, and the settlers instead of pursuing their various callings are serving as militiamen. It is due to them that the present complication should be got rid of at whatever risk and cost; and that this will be done, .His Excellency's visit at a time when his presence must be urgently required elsewhere affords proof. It. is with much satisfaction we find that the Auckland journals appreciate our position, and warmly support the government in their determination to relieve it.

Having learned that the Maories have been alarmed and misled by unfounded reports of various kinds circulated by ignorant or evil disposed persons, the Governor has caused a statement to be printed and published in Maori, of which the following is a translation. The Governor's speech addressed to William King, Teira, and the other natives assembled in March 1859 is also reprinted. It will be seen that these documents are in perfect | accordance with each other, and we are assured that the Governor intends strictly to maintain his promise and firmly to carry his declaration into effect. (translation.) 1. When the Pakehas first came to Taranaki there were no Natives at the Waitara. The Ngatiawa had been dispossessed by the Waikato. 2. The Waikatos transferred their rights to the Government and received a payment for the land. 3. Afterwards the Ngatiawa returned and occupied the land ; the Government acquiesced in this occupation. 4. In March 1859 some of these occupants, Te Teira and others, openly offered to sell to the Government their claims to a portion of the land at the Waitara. 5. William King opposed this offer, and said that no land at Waitara should be sold. But the ' mana of the land was not with William King, and he had no right to forbid the sale of any land which did not belong to him personally. 6. The Queen has said that all the natives shall be free to sell their lands to her, or to keep them — as they may think best. None may compel the Maori people to sell their lands, nor may any forbid their doing so. 7. William King sets his word above the Queen's, and says, though the rightful owners of the land may wish to sell he will not allow them to do so. 8. The Governor cannot allow William King's word to set aside the words of the Queen. 9. The Governor has said that he will not allow land to be bought, the title to which is disputed. He has also said that he will not allow interference with the rightful owners in the sale of their lands. When land is offered, the title to which is clear, the Governor will use his own discretion in accepting or declining the offer. 10. The Governor accepted Te Teira's offer, conditionally on its being shewn that he had an indisputable title. 11. Te Teira's title has been carefully investigated and found to be good. It is not disputed by any one. The Governor cannot therefore allow William King to interfere with Te Teira in the sale of his own land. 12. Payment for the land has been received by Te Teira. It now belongs to the Queen. 13. William King has interfered to prevent the survey of the Queen's land by her own surveyors. This interference will not be permitted. 14. The Governor has given his word to Te Teira, and he will not go back from it. The laiid has been bought and must be surveyed. The Queen's soldiers will protect the surveyors. If William King interferes again and mischief follow, the evil will be of his own seeking. 15. The Governor desires peace. It depends upon William Kinc; whether there shall be peace or not. If he ceases to interfere with what is not his own he will be treated as a friend and there will be peace. (Report of the Governor's speech from the Herald, of 12th March, 1859. Mr. McLean, on behalf of his Excellency, spoke as follows : — The Governor wished them to understand tha* the Queen regarded equally all her subjects ; that all her Governors have had and would have the same instructions, viz : — to do their utmost to promote the welfare of her subjects without distinction of race. The miss ionaries had imparted to them the blessings of Christianity and translated the Bible for their use. It was not in the power of man to confer any other gift which would bear comparison with that of the Bible; but, out of regard for the natives, his Excellency had caused an abstract of English law to be translated into Maori. He had no wish to enforce this law ; on the contrary, it would only be put in force in those districts whei'e the people are wise enough to desire it, and prepared to carry it into effect themselves. Some tribes in the North had already desired to have English law ; and a Magistrate bad been appointed to instruct them how to put it into pi-actice. They were now engaged in doing so, with every prospect of becoming a peaceful and prosperous people, and uniting themselves with the Pakeha. This tribe is the Ngapuhi. The Governor had but two subjects on which ho j desired to speak, particularly to the tribes living near Taranaki, and they- were— First, in reference to criminal offences : second, in reference to land. He wished these subjects to be considered separately, and as having no sort of reference to each other. The tribes of Taranaki have greater advantages than most others, as they are much intermixed with the Pakeha, and ought to profit by their intercourse with them. If they chose to live peacably and cultivate their lands they would grow rich and multiply, instead of which they were constantly at war with each other, and their numbers were decreasing. Their, disputes were almost always about matters of little or no importance, or about land- which was not worth quarrelling^ for. ■■ Had the Governor been in New Zealand? -when Katatore slew Rawiri, he would

have !had him arrested and brought him before the ifudge, and if the Judge had sentenced him to be! hanged, he would have caused him to be hanged ; that he had not thought proper to arrest Ihait, because though the murders to which he was i party were horrible and disgraceful, yet they iidmitted of some extenuation, inasmuch as they ivere committed in retribution for the murder of Rawiri. All this, however, now belongs to the past ; but, for the future, he had determined that every man (whether he be Maori or Pakeha) who may commit any violence or outrage within the European boundaries shall be arrested and taken before the Judge, and the sentence of the Judge, whatever it may be, shall be carried into effect. He was determined that the peace of the settlers should no longer be disturbed by evil doers, and that those Maories who are not content to live in peace among the Pakehas had better go elsewhere. In reference to the second subject, the Governor thought the Maories would be wise to sell the land they cannot use themselves, as it would make what they could use more valuable than the whole ; but that he would never consent to buy land without an undisputed title. He would not permit any one to interfere in the sale of land, unless he owned a part of it ; and, on the other hand, he would buy no man's land without his consent. On Thursday the Land Purchase Commissioner and Mr. Rogan were the bearers of a message from the Governor to Wiremu Kingi, requesting him to come and see his Excellency. They found that chief near Kairoa, and in reply to the Gover- | nor's request he stated that he would take time to consider it, and that after consulting his people he would make known his intention to hi 3 Excellency. We believe that he has since written, refusing to come into town, but offering to meet the Governor at the Tima pah, the stronghold of his staunchest and most unscrupulous supporters.