THE MANAWATU PURCHASE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1675, 30 April 1866, Page 2

THE MANAWATU PURCHASE.

(From the Press, April 27.) The following letters have been sent us for publication : Mahawatu, April 16,1866. This is. what was publicly said to Dr Featherston on the sth April. These are the words of Ngatiraukawa against the sale of Rangitikei:— . Dr - Featherston listen attentively. Act justly towards those within your province. Ngatiapa were desirous of selling this land on a former occasion. Ngatiraukawa refused to let it be sold, and it was not sold. They permitted the.opposite side of the river Kangitikei to be soldi it was sold to Governor Grey. Ngatiapa were satisfied; the River Rangitikei constituted the boundary. Subsequently lhakara wished to self , Manawatu, Ngatiraukawa assented to his wish, and Manawatu was sold to Governor frown. The boundary began at Kaiiwi, thence to Omarupapako, and continued to Pakingahau, where it ended —this was the permanent boundary. After-' wards Te Hirawanu sold the upper part of Manawatu, Ngatiraukawa assented, and that was sold to Governor Grey during his second government of New Zealand. Te Hirawanu was satisfied; and the boundary was fixed at Mangawlmrawhara, te Rotopiko, and ■ Paripuwha, above Oroua,,where it ended; this was a.permanent boundary. This land which you are wishing to purchase we will never allow you to, purchase; this must be kept for our support. It must be carefully subdivided ; we will pay the surveyor and assist him. Dr. Featherston made no reply whatever to these statements of ours.

On the 12th April, we-Ngatiraukawa stood in the presence of Dr. Featherston, and expressed our opinion strongly. Dr. Featherston da not purchase our land without our assent, lest you do wrong. If there be any dispute'about our land, let it remain as it is; let a law court net that it may be finally settled, because a court has been established for tyaqri lands. Do not pull a man down by the back part of his head lest he have a bud fall and death follow. For our land will not be given up to you to purchase—never No work, has eyer .been completed in wrongdoing. .When it is agreed upon by thosV <iwHmg in the land then a sale may be completi'd. Dr. Featherston replied—There are 800 men of Whahgamii,2ooofNgatiapa, lOOof Kangitune and Muaupoko tribes which went frith me 1 to fight against the bad tribes they h*ve agreed to sell. This land has become mine; I will give tbehvthe money. ( NgatiraukaWa replied-We shall retain our own land; we shall not receive your money.

On the 16th April we again stated our Views to Dr. Featherston. Listen, Dr. Featherston, do not give your money to those who are selling the land, but survey the land that you. may see the land belonging to those men who are selling ; then you will be Mtmg rightly; but you give your money first to those who are selling the land, and then when you go with your chain to survey our lands, your chain will not to'uoh the land -it will be interrupted. You, the pakehn, will be angry without a cause, inasmuch as you are seizing our'land illegally. Withhold your money, lest it be the occasion of stirring up strife, and the people of this place be Ofought into trouble by you. '"," (Signed), JHenbre te Herekau, Hobs Henei Tahabape.

Takapu, Whare Houkamau, April 5-U. These were our decided words in the presence of Dr. Feaiherston and all the English of this neighbourhood. Wo began thus:— "Dr. Featheraton,—lt is not a new thing for Ngatiwukawa to refuse to sell this side of the itiver Kaiigitikei. Formerly, in the tune of Governor Grey and Mr. M'Lean, we quietly gave up the oilier side of Ngatiapa, to do what they liked with—that side of the river passed fairly into the hands of the Governor; and just as clearly this side remained. Afterwards, in the time of Mr. M-Lean and Governor Browne, Searancke treated with Ngatiapa, Governor Browne would not listen to Ngatiapa, The sale of Manawatu was arranged with Governor Browne-that of Rangitikei with Governor Grey-, but those Governors never said any words like these of yours,' Listen to the voice of Whanganui and Ngatiapa.' Those words are unjust." There were six chiefs of our people who expressed these sentiments. Not a word did Dr. Featherston say in answer to these words. What we said about surveying the land he did answer; what we said about referring this case to the law courts he did answer. But the precedents of those two Governors he did not make any answer about—either to find fault with them, or to accept them, The new plan that we proposed, to refer the matter to the law court that he did speak about. These were the words we clearly expressed : "Do what is just, don't do anything like robbing us." (Signed) Parakaia Pouepa, Matene te Whiwhi, Paranihi Tetau, Wiriharai te Ngira, Epiha te Riu, Heremia Pake, Henere te Herekau, Nepia Taratoa, Aperahama te Huru.