PORT NICHOLSON.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, Issue III, 8 February 1845, Page 196

PORT NICHOLSON.

We have received no Wellington papers by the Ann and Sarah, but have been favoured by Mr. Duppa with proof slips of the Spectator's report of a meeting held at Barrett's Hotel on the 25th ult., at which the following memorial was adopted :—: — To his Excellency Sir George Gipps, &c, &c, Go vernor-in- Chief in an over the territory of New South Wales.

May it please your Excellency — Your memorialists most respectfully beg leave to state that they are at this moment surrounded with dangers and difficulties against which they feel compelled to seek for immediate protection from without the colony. These dangers and difficulties have arisen from the seditious and outrageous conduct of the natives in various parts of the colony of New Zealand, who have, since the arrival of his Excellency Captain Fitzßoy, defied the law and the authority of the Local Government, and have lately broken out into acts of violence, destructive to the property and dangerous to the lives of the settlers. During the progress of these disorders, several applications have been made to the Governor of the colony for assistance, by the settlers and by the officers of his Government; and his Excellency has, on these and other occasions, made it publicly known that he had not a sufficient force at his disposal to afford the slightest military aid. Your memorialists beg leave also to inform your Excellency that they are without arms or discipline, because, contrary to the wishes and instructions of the Home Government, no militia has been erabodied. To the certain knowledge of your memorialists, the natives have been well acquainted with the unprotected and defenceless position of the settlers, and have, on various occasions, expressed their contempt of her Majesty the Queen, and of all in authority under her, as the following facts will prove : — About three months since, Captain Fitzßoy visited this place for the second time since his arrival twelve months ago, and made a bargain with certain chiefs, to whom he paid some hundreds of pounds, in order to procure the evacuation of the district of the Hutt by the natives who have held possession of it, to the incalculable injury of those who purchased and paid for it five years ago ; and he charged the Superintendent of this district to see that that arrangement was carried into effect. After his Excellency's departui-e, Major Richmond proceeded to the Hutt, where, instead of inducing the natives to leave the place, he was, after being grossly insulted, forced to leave it himself, and the natives have declared their determination to offer an armed resistance to any efforts to remove them, and continue to obstruct and insult the settlers with impunity. About three weeks ago, a body of natives appeared in arras in the neighbourhood of Wanganui, about one hundred and twenty miles from Wellington, and, as they themselves said, confident that no punishment awaited their offences, since the Queen had no power to punish for the massacre at the Wairau, the outrages at the Bay of Islands, or for offences against the law of almost daily occurrence, they pillaged several of the settlers, and insulted their wives and daughters. H.M.S. Hazard being in the harbour when the news of this occurrence reached this place, the Superintendent, Major Richmond, embarked and sailed immediately for Wanganui, where he has been a fortnight. During this time he, in conjunction with the Bishop of New Zealand, has vainly endeavoured to induce the natives to leave the place. This has been refused, and the natives have insulted the Bishop, and expressed the utmost contempt for the Local Government, as well as for that of the Queen.

Two days ago an express was received from the Police Magistrate at Nelson, informing the authorities here that the natives at Waukapuaka had burnt several houses belonging to white men, maltreated some of the most respectable settlers, and threatened still greater outrages. The authorities here could only say, that it was not in their power to afford any assistance to the settlers at Nelson.

Your memorialists also beg to express their conviction that the outrageous conduct and generally hostile and menacing attitude of the natives have been promoted by an ordinance passed in the last session but one of the Legislative Council, called the Native Exemption Ordinance, by which they are in reality exempted from all punishment whatsoever. By this law no warrant can be executed, except by the chief of the tribe to which the offender belongs, and therefore where the offender himself is a chief, of course the law will not be enforced. Their exemption from the law, together with a perfect knowledge that the settlers are without military defence, arms, or discipline, have inspired the natives with ideas of aggression and violence hitherto unknown to them, and your memorialists, in common with their fellow-co-lonists at Taranaki, Wanganui, and Nelson, look forward with the greatest anxiety and alarm to their next attempts. During such a state of things, it is almost needless to inform your Excellency that the efforts of the colonists are paralyzed, that the insecurity of property deprives it of all value, and indeed that life itself is dearly

purchased by being vassals to treacherous and ungrateful savages. These savages are, however, as cowardly as they are cruel. To confront to is conquer them ; and your memorialists most earnestly and respectfully pray that your Excellency will afford them the means of defeating them, and at the same time of obtaining indemnity for the past, and security for the future.

In conclusion, your memorialists beg leave to state that two reasons have induced them to apply to your Excellency for assistance : one is the pressing nature of the emergency, which allows no time for waiting a reply from home ; and the second is the kindness and promptitude shown to the colonists of New Zealand by your Excellency, when a similar application waß made on a former occasion.