WILLIAM THOMPSON.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 8, 22 August 1861, Page 3

WILLIAM THOMPSON.

(From the Xew Zealander , August 3rd.) William Thompson, who is at present playing so. conspicuous a part in the affairs of New Zealand* is the principal chief of the Ngatibaua tribe, which inhabit a large and fertile tract of country lying between the Waikato and Thames rivers. The name of his father, Te Waharoa, is still notorious in Waikato for the ferocity and cunning which he exhibited in the perpetual land feuds of the last generation. Thompson is about 40 years old: he has always borne a high character among tho missionaries and his other European acquaintances; though undoubtedly ambitious, he has uniformly evinced the desire t:o attain distinction by good rather than evil actions, dt his conversion to Christianity he publicly declared that he would never fight again; since that time, though living in the midst of innumerable quarrels and bloodshed, he has never personally engaged in war, but has constantly and most successfully performed the part of a peace-maker; and there is every reason to believe his own assertion, that he originally conceived the idea of a Maori King as a means of putting, a stop to the bloody land feuds by which the Waikato district was being depopulated: for this object the establishment of a King proved completely successful. Thompson has been an active promoter of schools, having maintained at his own village, Matamata, a school of 60 children for more than two years, without any assistance from Government, and without even tho advantage of a European teacher, for which he has always been most anxious.- even during the past year ho has been continuous in his efforts for this object, and has at length obtained a teacher who is to go to Matamata as soon as the present troubles are over. He has been a steady advocate for the establishment of law and order. Having embraced Christianity from conviction and not from hereditary custom, and being in the habit of reading tho Scriptures as almost his only literature, his actions are governed by religious maxims, and bis writings interspersed with Bibilical quotations in am unusual degree: it would bo a mistake to suppose this the result of cant or hypocrisy. This man has become the head and mouthpiece of the Waikato tribes and their adherents, who comprise the great majority of the Maories: it is by negotiation with him ttiat the Government of New Zealand proposes to decide whether there is to be peace or war between the two races. Tho

object of the present sketch is to make known to the public the attitude which William Thompson has assumed towards the English Government since the commencement of the New Zealand war, and the events which have led to the union under his leadership of a race which has hitherto been in a condition of constant confusion and discord. The writer has endeavoured to confine himself to matters of fact, and to leave the reader to draw his own conclusions. For some time after the commencement of the war at Waitara, which took the Waikato tribes completely by surprise, Thompson expressed no opinion as to the merits of the contending parties. At the groat meeting at Ngaruawahia in May, ISCO, he made a speech urging delay and cant ion. They were, he said, totally in the dark ns to the rights of William King and the causes for which the Governor had declared war; after they had learnt the facts and carefully thought over the matter which had led to war it would be time enough for action. It is true, that, in accordance with a requisition from William King, who then, for the first time, gave in his adhesion to the Maori King party, the flag was sent down to Waitara to be hoisted over his land; but it was not sent as a flag of war nor to the disputed block. At first, only a few adventurous volunteers went down from , Waikato to fight at Waitara, animated by the same sort of motives that recruited a regiment of English for the service of Garibaldi; but when the war was prolonged, when troops were brought over from Australia to aid the Government, when the belief that William King was an injured man became universally diffused among his countrymen, and when he himself pressed for assistance, many influential Waikato Chiefs became desirous to Support in arms that cause which they believed to be a just one. Among others, Wetini, a chief of one of the hapus of the Ngatihaua tribe, and a relative and close friend of Thompson, resolved to go: Thompson appeal’s at this time to have been satisfied of the justice of William King’s cause, but not of the right of Waikato to interfere in his behalf; at any rate he strongly dissuaded Wetini from going. He used religious arguments against war; he bad > a meeting of the tribe at which Wetini’s proposals found only nine supporters, and for the time succeeded in holding him back: but three weeks later a letter came from William King, asking why they had sent him only a “disembodied flag,” and why they did not personally come to help him. Wetini could stand it no longer, and in spite of his friend’s arguments, denunciations and prayers, he, with a considerable number of his tribe, set off for the war. Thompson’s last words to him were (for they parted almost in anger), “Then go and stop there.” The Patumahoe affair, which took place in the latter part of October, 18C0, was the only occasion on which Thompson appeared as a party to any hostile demonstration against the Government. The corpse of a Maori with gunshot wounds in the hand and head was found in the forest in the neighbourhood of Patumahoe, a village lying between the lower end of the Waikato river and Manukau harbour. The hasty inference that he had been murdered by a European spread like wildfire among the already excited natives, and brought some dozen canoes with three or four hundred armed men down the river, bent upon an inquest into the cause of their countryman’s death. Among them was William Thompson. They stopped a day at Paetae, danced a war dance, and held a meeting; at the close of these proceedings, a letter was received from Isaac, the Chief of the dead man’s tribe, slating that all was right and they might return. But, knowing Isaac to be in the pay of the Government, they continued, their course to Tuakau, a Maori, village on the river near to Patumahoe and not 40 miles from Auckland, to enquire for themselves. They were there met by several duel's friendly to Government, by the Eisbop of New Zealand, and by Archdeacon Maunsell, of the Church Missionary Society, and finding that there was not the slightest clue to the perpetrator of the deed —or that it was even uncertain whether the death was not after all accidental—the canoes and armed men went back up the river, having done no further harm than alarming the Auckland public. Thompson, both at the time and afterwards, justified his share in these proceedings by saying that the young men were resolved to go to Patumahoe, and that ho was not able to restrain them from go doing, but that by accompanying them it was possible that he might keep them from mischief when there. It is certain that at Paetai he advocated a return. While discussions were going on at Taukau, a chief named Whakapaukai (winch in free English is Gorging Jack) who enjoys one of the worst reputations in Waikato, separated with some choice spirits in two canoes from the main body, and paddled down the river on some private expedition of his own; his absence was pointed out to William Thompson, who exhibited the liveliest concern, and promptly sent off a letter to fetch him hack. “ Come back,” he said, “ and come back in peace.” He appeared very uneasy until Whakapaukai’s return. Had there been the least delay or lukewarmness in this matter,. Thompson’s interfer- * ence would have been too late to prevent plunder or possibly even bloodshed. Immediately after the termination of the Palumahoe affair, the news of the battle Mahoetahi, in in which Wetini and many of the Ngatihaua had fallen, reached Waikato. This disaster, so far from disheartening the Waikato tribes, and so put-, ting an end to their interference in the war, as was expected by many persons in England, increased their excitement, and many who had disapproved of Wetini’s expedition were now burning to join in the conflict, and avenge the blood of fathers and brothers and kinsmen who had been slain. Thompson himself was strongly pressed to go, but though he was so far persuaded as to write a letter to the Bishop of New Zealand announcing his intention of going down to Taranaki, he appears to have been still restrained by conscientious scruples, and did not at that lime carry out his intentions. Numbers of bis tribe, however, went, and distinguished themselves by ill-judged and reckless assaults on the English positions, in which many lives were lest. These continued misfortunes were from time to' time reported in Waikato, wounded men returned to their homes, and .Thompson was constantly and urgently pressed to go. The great losses which Iris tribe had Buffered.

in many instances tlirough the want of a prudent leader, weighed strongly on Thompson’s mind and was perhaps the paramount consideration which prompted him to visit the scone of conflict, and endeavor to stay that destruction of his tribe which would soon destroy his own influence and importance. In the early part of the present year he .was also urged to visit Waitara as a peace-maker ho did not doubt the injustice of the Governor to William King in the purchase of Teira’s laud; and although he readily agreed that it was right for King, it he considered liimself wronged, to appeal to law and not to anna, he maintained that the Governor’s haste and rashness had forced and commenced a war, leaving William King no option in the matter; still he felt that it was by no means certain that the Home Government would back up the proceedings of the Governor; he was aware that the Duke of Newcastle’s absence in America had postponed the examination of the Waitara question; so that after all the war going on at Taranaki might be a useless waste of life and property. He therefore resolved to go dow r n and propose to William King and the other fighting chiefs that all hostilities should he stopped, and an appeal made to the Queen and the Imperial Parliament. If they wished to have the title investigated by law, it should be so investigated, but if they upheld the G overnor's policy, it would be time enough to fight then. With these designs he left Waikato at the end of February, in direct opposition (it may be added) to the wishes of the Maori King, who throughout, steadily and constantly opposed all going to Taranaki whatever, whether for peace or war. William Thompson arrived at Waitara on Monday the Ilth March; before entering Pukerangiora, he halted on the north bank of the river opposite the English camp, to which he addressed a letter asking for a truce on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, to give him an opportunity of visiting Te Eangitaki and the fighting chiefs: he stated that he was a man of authority, and his tribe would make good his stipulations. General Pratt replied by reproaching him for dissimulation and exhorting him to candor; the truce on Tuesday and Wednesday would be granted ; but the peacemaker was warned in strong terms to keep his word “ lest he should be known as a deceitful man.” Upon receipt of this letter, it being then late in the afternoon, Thompson proceeded to Pukerangiora ; on the following morning a white flag was hoisted on the palisading of the pah, but as there was no wind to blow it out, the firing of our troops had recommenced before it was perceived Upon this Thompson wrote a reply to the General’s letter. “ I see,” he wrote, “that you accuse me of deceiving you. Now listen!_ lam not acting deceitfully towards you. The word did not spring up from the earth, but rather came down from above. You have been crafty towards me ; your soldiers came within the trench and fired. Now I know, in the first place, that you are a crafty man, and in the second, that you arc a man without authority amongst your people.” The mistake was explained, and a sort of apology offered for the harsh missive with which communications had been opened. The greater part of Tuesday was taken up in talking over those Waikato chiefs who had already taken part in the war, and who, when Thompson's pacific intentions were made known, cried and shouted against them. It was already afternoon before the desired unanimity among the Waikatos had been attained—a message was then sent to Eangitake to desire a talk, which was at the request of that chief fixed for the following morning-

On Wednesday morning ameeting of Thomson’s party, the fighting Waikatos and William King’s tribe, took place. The proceedings were opened by Thompson, who declared the reasons which had led him to Waitara; he had been desirous to visit the fighting chiefs, and particularly Eangitake, and to inquire into the causes of the quarrel: he was quite satisfied that the cause of the quarrel was not Waikato’s but Rangitakc’s. “No,” said Eangitake interrupting him, “neither Waitara nor the quarrel are mine, they are yours.” “No,” retorted Thompson, “they are yours.” “No they are yours.” “Why look at a man,” continued Thompson, “his head is head, his hands are hands, and his legs, legs: you are the head, Waikato is the legs.” “ No, you are the head.” “No, you.” ,

“Yes!” said William King—“l am the Jieacl, Waitara is mine, the quarrel is mine. There ! I give Waitara to you.”

He further declared that his gift of the land was free and unreserved, and that he claimed no further voice whatever in its disposal. Hapurona, who since has made a separate peace with the Governor, and the various Waikato and Ngatimaniapoto Chiefs were successfully challenged, and publicly announced their assent to Wm. Fling’s gift, and their willingness that the unreserved disposal of the land should bo yielded to William Thompson.

He then announced hia award—“Waikato!” said ho “back to Waikato ! Ngatiawa! away to Mataitawa! Ngatiruanui! return to your homes! let the soldiers be taken back to New Plymouth ; Waitara shall be left under the protection of the law.”

A letter was sent the same evening to the General to propose a cessation of hostilities on both sides, and that the land question should be reserved for the decision of the great Runanga. An interview took place on Thursday morning between Thompson and an officer of the Native Department; the former repeated his proposals and begged that the troops might be at once taken back to New Plymouth; he was told that the Governor alone had power to order such a step, and was invited if really desirous of making peace to proceed by ship to Auckland.” “What” asked Thompson, “was the crime of Eauparaha? and what was the crime of Pomarc? These men’s crimes were mere trifles ; I am a very bad man, far worse than either of them : I am both a King maker and the head of this quarrel: I dare not go on board your ship, lest 1 should be treated as Eauparaha and Pomave were.” He offered to go by land and meet the Governor at 'i'nakau, the nearest point of the Waikato river to Auckland. “If the Governor is atvnid io enme there,” he said “Kt him bring his soldiers to take care of him; or if ho does not like to talk in the open air, let him

come to Ngaruawahia, we have a house (the Maori King’s Palace) there.”

As it was found impossible to persuade the Chief to adventure himself into our power, it was at last agreed that his proposals should be sent by steamer to the Governor at Auckland. The General would not agree to a suspension of hostilities until an answer should be received ; Thompson in vain urged the desirability of saving human life, the General replied that it would be a waste of time, that firing would re-comrnenee on the following morning. On Friday morning our white fiag had disappeared, but that of the Maories, was, byThompson’s orders, kept flying. The soldiers entered the sap and commenced digging: no opposition was oliered. They proceeded to fire upon the Maori pa. “Now,” said Thompson to the fighting chiefs, “do what you please.” The white flag was hauled down, and the war flag hoisted, firing continued on both sides during that day, Saturday and Sunday. The Maories say that they did not during those days lose a man, on our side, Lieut. McNaughtsn, Royal Artillery, was killed, and several men wounded. William Thompson sat still and took no part whatever in the fighting. On Monday, Mr. McLean the Native Secretary arrived, and had an interview with Thompson, he had not brought the Governor's consent to the troops being taken away from Waitara. Thompson was much annoyed, and asked what ho had come for, lie thought the Governor was very foolish, however, he would have no more to do with Waitara, he had ordered all the Maories to disperse, Waitara was left under the protection of the law, and he should return to Waikato forthwith. Mr. McLean said that if the various tribes would cease hostilities and disperse, the Governor would treat with them separately: he would deal with William King and the Ngatiawa, at Waitara; with the Ngaliruanui and Taranakis, at New Plymouth; and would meet Win. Thompson at Mangere, a village a few miles from Auckland, to settle the affairs of Waikato. There were four matters to be ylisposedof; [l] the disputed land at Waitara; [2], the murders; [3], the property of settlers that had been destroyed or plundered; [4], the Maori King. Thompson returned from Waitara, mortified and disappointed; he went down with intentions friendly to the English, desirous of distinction, no doubt, but of the distinction of a peace maker; his • advances were rejected, he was accused of promoting war and rebellion, he was forced into the position of a belligerent though he had never fired a shot; and came back under a threat of war. After visiting several tribes on and near the Waikato to ascertain their sentiments about the surrender of the Maori King, he settled quietly down at Tamahere, hoisted a white fiag, and waited for the Governor’s nest move. He had declined the meeting at Mangere on the ground that he feared imprisonment. Ho informed Europeans by whom he was visited, that they were all determined to uphold the King, and that ho should not be put down until it was shown wherein ho had transgressed the law ; that they were not breakers of the treaty ofWaitangi; which neither Te Waharoa, nor he, nor any of the Ngatihaua had ever signed or agreed to: only seven old men of all Waikato had signed and received blankets for so doing. lie denied, however, that there was any desire on their part to trample upon the authority of the Queen. They had constituted Potatau their head and called him king in order to have some centre, round which they might rally, and in conjunction with whom they might do what had not been done for them, viz., make laws to take the place of their old Maori customs which were obsolete or injurious. H e thought that the King should be left, to be for them what the Governor was for the European, that the two races should be united by one law, and the Queen over them all; at the same time he wished that they should administer English law themselves, that is take our laws so far as suitable to their circumstances, and carry them out among themselves without being responsible to any higher authority. In the month of May a clerk of the native Office was sent wit h a letter to Thompson, reminding him (hat a portion of Ids tribe and other Waikatoes had, without provocation gone down to fight at Taranaki, and asking what compensation they intended to make for the evil they had done. Soon after the receipt of this letter Thompson began a letter to the Governor in the vindication of the Waikato tribes, but before it was finished and despatched, the Governor’s printed ultimatum addressed to the tribes assembled Ngaruawahia, arrived at Waikato. It contained a denunciation of the Maori King party. “The Governor,” it said, “ cannot permit the present state of things to continue. No option now rests with him ; he has been commanded by her Majesty the Queen to suppress unlawful combinations and to establish beyond a question her Majesty’s sovereignty in New Zealand.”

William Thompson read a copy of it aloud to William King and other influential chiefs, who were assembled at a village above Kgaruawahia, on their way to the great meeting. His audience expressed no opinion further than a want of confidence in any document proceeding from the Government.

The meeting at Kgaruawahia took place on Monday, June 3. The following account of what took place is from a gentleman who was present, and whose statements mav be relied on.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, were spent in talk and eating; but it was not until Thursday that any question of real importance was discussed ; when the following points were brought forward ;

1. The taking down of the King flag and breaking up the combination into which they had entered to keep their land. 2. The restoration of plunder and payment for what had been destroyed. 3. What should be regarded as the recommencement of hostilities on the part of the troops. ■ The first question was disposed of almost entirely by Thompson himself, who commenced by denying that the flag had ever been intended to do away with the supremacy of the Queen as the protecter of their rights and privileges. It was the badge of an agreement made amongst themselves not to part with laud, and to hold meetings which should take cognizance of and suppress evil amongst themselves. He detailed the good that he considered had come from, their combination ;

disputes about boundaries existing at the commencement of their combination had been set at rest j other disputes of the same kind that had since arisen had been quietly arranged ; drunkenness, adultery, and other evils had been suppressed, and they were now working to suppress those evils also which were still existing. He contrasted the good that resulted from their combination with the evil which had arisen from the Govern* er’s taking soldiers to Taranaki. He denied that the flag had been the cause of the Waikato’s going to Taranaki, but maintained that blood relationship would have driven them to it had there been no flag. He particularised the relationship between some of the leading Waikatos and Wm. King, lie expressed Ids good will to IGiropeana generally, declaring he had never yet fought against them, hut had been instrumental in stopping fighting at W u«ara ; hut ho intimated that, in the event of hostilities being renewed he could no longer remain neutral. He ended by saying that when the flag was set up upon any land fairly sold to the Queen, or when it otherwise iuterierred with the rights of the colonists, then would he the 41 for the Governor to interfere.

,ne meeting then proceeded to discuss the rei.(.oration of plunder and compensation for property destroyed. The arguments were that, inasmuch as the Queen’s troops had begun war, and set them an example by plundering and destroying Wm. King’s property, it was unfair to ask restitution and compensation from the Maories for ■what they had taken and destroyed, while not a word -was said by the Governor about compensating Wm. King. They said, moreover, that very little plunder was brought away by the Waikatos, who did not go to plunder the colonists, but to defend their friends from the attacks of the soldiers. On the third head, they declared that the survey of any of the lands of Wm. King or his tribe, or the movement of troops to Maungatawiri (the point where the Great South road meets the Waikato river), or to any point where it would he clear that a warlike movement against them was intended, would be a call to them to wake out of sleep. ' At the conclusion of the meeting Thompson read to the leading men a rough copy of the letter he had prepared for the Governor, and which, after some revision, was generally assented to. The Runanga also addressed a letter to the Governor. These letters were firm and uncompromising, and did not contain even that verbal acknowledgement of the Queen’s supremacy which Thompson has nade on several public occasions recently in Waikato.

Thompson assumed an at til ude of independence which did not promise a pacific solution of the difficulties of the crisis. The llunanga, however, which might be regarded as the exponent of the mind of the major it} of the Waikatoes, was more conciliatory in tone, and suggested negotiation. Qut no further negotiation seems to hare been made; both parties laid on their oars ; till a change having shortly afterwards occurred in the responsible Ministry of the Colony, which displaced those men who were regarded by the Natives as the authors of the Taranaki war, and placed in office men whose names were favorably known to them. Thompson lost no time in addressing letters to the Governor and to some members of the new Ministry', offering to come into Auckland without delay, and to discuss the existing differences face to face with the Government. It is understood that the offer has been accepted, and that preparations were being made for a meeting, when the news arrived of the appointment of Sir George Grey as Governor of the Colony. Let us hope that the way' has been prepared for bringing William Thompson and the other leading Waikato chiefs into early personal communication with the new Governor ; and that the resuit, will be a speedy and satisfactory peace, based on conditions which may ensure the prosperity of both races, and their harmonious occupation of the fair country in which Providence has placed them side by side.