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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 169, 8 April 1864, Page 8

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Tim.es.

Sir, —An undoubted knowledge of the fapt that, some months back, some flasks of powder, &c., were forwarded by the resident natives of Hawke’s IBay to the rebel natives of Taranaki, ought in the humble opinion of the winter, have been sufficient for the Government to take the steps which are supposed to be taken against any natives found so engaged. If, then, that would be suffi-

cient to confiscate the lands of the Maoris guilty of such conduct, how much more reasonable is it for us to expect that the Government will take prompt and vigorous steps to punish all natives who have gone to the seat of war to lend a helping hand to the crest-fallen warriors of Waikato; some of whom have returned (one of them with a British bullet for a legacy), and are now living in a state of peace and plenty in their own pahs or hapus; and not content with being allowed by a vacillating Government to remain in such a comfortable state, are doing all in their power, (as recent events lately come to knowledge have amply proved) to sow the seed of disaffection among those tribes who would fain remain on terms of friendship with their Pakeha neighbours. Beally this state of tilings is very disgusting, and must be very humiliating to all British subjects. What will they think of it in Australia? What will the people and the press of the Mother Country think of it ? They will think no doubt that the men who constitute this Government are undeserving the loved ’name of. Englishmen—and they will think right.—l will say no more. I leave it to you, Sir, to follow up the excellent remarks with which you favored us last Friday (for which, I am sure, the public of Hawke’s Bay, and, indeed of all Hew Zealand, will be very thankful); and I need hardly say that (although not particularly sanguine) I sincerely and truly trust the result of those remarks will be to awaken the mole-like propensities of the present Government of Hawke’s Bay to a lively sense of their duty to their GOD, their Country, and Truth.

Trusting you will insert the above in your next issue. I remain, Sir, Your obliged Servant, Beitok. Napier, April 6, 1864. P.S. —By the bye, Sir, can you inform your readers whether there is any truth in a report which I have heard that there are, or were, 300 armed natives at Petane ? I heard that a native communicated the above intelligence to Major Douglass, 14th Regiment.