THE APPREHENSION OF TE RAUPARAHA.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 66, 5 September 1846, Page 2

THE APPREHENSION OF TE RAUPARAHA.

Perhaps no circumstance has occurred, since j the establishment of British authority in this country, likely to affect the futuie relative interests of both races to so important an extent, as the capture of the Native Chief Rauparaha, and his detention as a hostage by the Local Government. Whether the influence of this act upon the destinies of ihe Colony ■will be for good, or for evil, is a question that depends in a great measure on the estimate the Natives may put upon the crime with which he has been charged, and on the amount of evidence that can be adduced against him. Upon both of these points, our information, at present, is very deficient : all that we can gather from the Wellington papers in our possession, is to the effect, that he was arrested on suspicion of secret connivance with his nephew Rangihaeata. We are unwilling to encourage the idea, that the Authorities have proceeded on probabilities only, or that they have adopted a measure of such responsibility — pregnant with such momentous consequences — on no stronger evidence than that of mere suspicion. The opinion which the i public of both races will form of this act, must not only neccssaiily depend upon the extent of the information they possess, but it will naturally be modified, and governed by the respective peculiarities of their modes of thought and action. We fear, that for want of more particular information, the Natives, generally, may imbibe the notion, either that the Government are destitute of any pretext for arresting a chief of Rauparaha's rank and influence, or, that from some secret znotive, information is purposely withheld. Imprisonment, it is well known, is considered the lowest degradation to which a superior chief can be subjected ; it is regarded as a circumstance that tarnishes not only the honor of the individual sufferer, but also the chm-aeter of his, whole tribe and connexions. Rauparaha is, perhaps, the most influential chief in the country : he is looked up to by the natives ofOtaki, Manawatu, — the majority of the inhabitants of the Southern shore of Cook's Straits, and by the numerous tribes of Maketu, as their father — and- he is also nearly allied to the Thames natives, and to Taraia. The death of Rauparaha in fight, would certainly not have excited their sympathies to so dangerous a degree, as will, in all probability, his captivity ; and should they, unfortunately, entertain the belief that we have dealt unfairly with him, the Government would not only forfeit the small degree of respect and confidence the Natives still exhibit, but in the event of his liberation his incensed adherents may be urged by their vindictive passions, to the perpetration of atrocities too fearful even to glance at. There is a material difference? between our notions, and those of a Maori, upon what constitutes treachery. Private communication with the enemy of an ally, or supplying a

hostile relative with provisions, or even ammunition, is not only, not considered treasonable, but is a common custom ; and one which was frequently practised in the Northern districts, during the late war. | In illustration of this, we may refer to the conduct of the Natives at the siege of Pukerangiora, and Ngamotu, in the district of New Plymouth, with the particulars of which bloody affrays many of the early settlers are well acquainted. At these pahs, the besieged were deficient in muskets and ammunition, hut abundantly supplied with tobacco, a luxury which the beleaguering tribes of Waikato were pining to enjoy. In this emergency it was mutually agreed, that hostilities should be suspended, while the respective wants of the contending parties were supplied by barter, and the Waikatos actually furnished their foes with arms in exchange for tobacco ! On the other hand, to attack a party, or an individual, who has been openly recognized as a friend, without warning him of tlie altered feelings with which he is regarded, is esteemed an act of cowardice, and a breach of honorable faith. Most of our readers will remember the case of Pomare, a chief of little influence compared with Rauparaha, who was arrested at the commencement of the late war. There is good reason for believing that he had written letters to various influential Chiefs in this vicinity for the purpose of inciting them to acts of rebellion, and the Government were unquestionably justified in apprehending him ; but, the confidence of the Natives, in the honorable character of the British, never received so severe a shock as upon that occasion, owing to the manner in which the details of that expedition were conductedWe fear, that without explanation, theie is more than a possibility of the Natives coming to an equally unfavourable conclusion respecting the character of the capture of the Southern Chief; and much as we dread the ultimate consequences of Raupaiaha's apprehension, we fear still more the amount of mischief he is capable of creating should he ever regain his freedom. We do not intend, by the foiegoing remarks, to pronounce a sentence of hasty condemnation upon this act of the Local Autho rities, because, as we have already stated, we \ are not thoroughly acquainted with the particulars of the case. Our only object is to induce the Authorities to calculate the possible tendency of their act. They, being in possession of all the c-videnco which can be sub- , stantiated in proof of llauparaha's guilt, can easily determine whether it is sufficient to justify their conduct, and command the acquiescence of the Native Tribes, when considered iv connection with those peculiarities in the Maori character which we have described. If the proofs of Rauparaha's guilt are such as will bear the test of examination on those principles, the Government have acted well ; but if not, we apprehend that they will find by sad experience, that their own character has been injured, and the safety of the unprotected out-settlors endangered, by the capture of this Chief.

We feel it to be our duty to call the attention of the (rovernmcnt to the serious losses which the holders of Stock have incuned by dogs. It used to be the fashion to cry out about the dogs of the Natives, and their destructive propensities ; but since the European population has increased, and the useless practice of keeping great numbers of ferocious dogs has not been checked by the rigid enforcement of the existing " Dog Nuisance Act, 15 the amount of damage done by these animals, has become a matter of serious moment. The evil has now grown to such magnitude, that it behoves the Authorities to interfere, and enforce some very stringent regulations in order to keep down the number of these brutes. The Town is not only infested with them to a degree that makes it unsafe to walk the streets after dark, but the country is also overran with these canine depredators. Mr. Buckland has lost about two hundred sheep, which have been worried to death by dogs ; and very many of our cattle breeders, find it so difficult to preserve their calves from the fangs of the prowling curs, that they have been necessitated to sell them to the shambles, rather than undertake the almost hopeless task of rearing them. Thus the evil we have mentioned, not only affects the property of individuals, but operates in a manner that is calculated to prejudice the general interests of the country, by discouraging the graziers, and thereby laying a sort of embargo upon the increase of Stock. We trust that His Excellency the Governor will devise a measure, during the ensuing Sitting of the Legislative Council, for relieving the Town from the presence of many of these yelping quadrupeds, and for protecting the flocks and herds of the settlers in the country from their ravages.

Awfully Sudden Death. — On Monday night lastj a Mrs. Hill, residing in High Street, next door to the Osprey Inn, was summoned into eternity under circumstances of a peculiar shocking character. Deceased was a woman of intemperate habits and having indulged to excess in her favorite degrading vice, crawled to bed, on the night in question, in a state of in

toxication. A neighbour, noticing next morning, that deceased had not risen at her usual hour, went into her room to wake her, but found that she was dead, and by the appearance of the corpse, it seemed evident that the vital spark had been extinct some hours. A Coroner's Jury was summoned on Wednesday, who returned a unanimous Verdict, of " Died of suffocation, through the effect of intemperance."