NATIVE WAR.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 88, 2 June 1843, Page 4

NATIVE WAR.

BATTLE OF MANGANUI. ' The subjoined are the particulars of the affray • at the Bay of Islands which we have extracted from the Southern Cross : — The. forefathers of a native chief, named Na- : pefa, or Noble, now living at Kaitaia, were ■ driven about thirty years ago, by another tribe, from lands at a place called Manganui. The conquering party have retained peaceable possession of Manganui ever since, and were acknowledged by all parties as the rightful owners, ’ until the arrival of Captain Hobson, who, during his illness, happened unfortunately to send Mr. Shortland, the present acting governor of. this colony to Kaitaia, for the purpose of obtaining the signature of the chief Noble, a fine intelligent Missionary native, to the treaty for the ■ cession of sovereignty. The natives are all exceedingly fond of “ acting the great man,” and thisichief in talking, of his wealth, power, and .lineage, to Mr. Shortland, among " qther 'things, that he was the owner of the lands of Manganui; at least, that they were thirty years before then, in the possession of his family; and that, although the natives who dived at that place had sold them to the white people, that they had no right to do so ;- as these lands originally belonged to his forefathers. •'Captain Hobson and Mr. Shortland, on the faith of these representations, immediately, and without a further hearing, prejudged the claims

of the ’Manganui settlers, and repurchased the lands from Noble, Which the resident chiefs had, eight years before, sold to the European settlers. This transaction took place after, and in the face of an act passed by the Legislative Council of New South Wales, appointing commissioners to enquire into, and to settle the claims of Europeans to land in ,New Zealand ; so that Captain Hobson, and Mr. Shortland, his adviser in in this instance, at once deprived the commissioners of their powers, and exercised it themselves. The effect of which illegal, and unwarrantable exercise of authority, is the late unfortunate war ; to establish the truth of this statement, we insert the following extract of a letter from Lieutenant-Governor Hobson to Sir George Gipps, dated Bay of Islands, sth May, 1840:

“ Mr. Shortland has returned after a most satisfactory meeting with the chiefs in Kaitaihai, in the north. His reception was most flattering and gratifying. “The principal chief of Kaitaihai is a Christian, named Noble; quite a superior person, full of intelligence, of a most independent and liberal spirit, and possessing unbounded influence ,in his district. With Buch a man at the head of a very powerful tribe, and in close alliance with all the northern natives, it was an object of no small importance to establish a good understanding. By this opportunity I will forward Mr. Shortland’s report, if it can be prepared in time; if not, it shall go to Sydney by the next vessel that offers; and I have no doubt but you will coincide in my opinion that Mr. Shortland conducted the mission -with considerable tact, and that he has succeeded in a highly satisfactory manner.”—Blue Book for 1341, page 57.

Such is the origin of the misfortunes of the northern tribes, and such is Mr. Shortland’s connexion with these fatal proceedings. This was the first act of Mr. Shortland’s political life. His mission, which has been so much praised by the well-meaning, but deluded, Hobson. However highly satisfactory at the time, and, with whatever cunning, or as it-is called, tact, it may have been conducted, is mow recorded in letters of blood, and its character. for ever stamped by the seal of the native dead. From the expenditure of-the New Zealand government in 1840, we subjoin the expences of Mr. Shortland on account of this the first, but direly disastrous act of his political life ; and we would, for the sake of humanity and common sense, that it had not fallen to our lot to be chronicler of facts which redound so little to the honour of our country, and of our race: — “ Hire of the schooner New Zealander, for the conveyance of W. Shortland, Esq., and suite to Kaitaihai, for the purpose of obtaining the adherence of the native chiefs in that .district £3O 0 0 “ Allowance to Messrs. Shortland, Smart, Johnson, and Taylor, as travelling expences while on mission to Kaitaihai 14 0 0 “ Purchase of a tract of land at Manganui, from the native chief Naphere Panakareao (Noble) .... 100 0 0 “Total £144 0 0

After the accomplishment of this maiden and splendid piece of diplomacy, on the part of Mr. Shortland, he was installed by Captain Hobson as Colonial -Secretary.; a fit and proper reward for services so well performed. And on the 2nd of July, 1840, the following notice appeared in the Government Gazette :—

“ The Lieutenant-Governor desires it to be notified that the lands of Manganui have been purchased for her Majesty the Queen; and he therefore cautions the public against building, cutting timber, or trespassing thereon. “ Those persons who may have established themselves on these lands, either by building, or enclosing grounds for cultivation, will be permitted to hold such tenements or lands ununtil the commission to be hereafter appointed, shall decide upon the rights of the respective parties.

“ All who desire the privilege of cutting down timber on the said lands, may obtain permission for a limited period, from the Lieu-tenant-Government, on payment of a small fee by way of acknowledgment . “ Given at Manganui, this 24th day of. June, 1840. “ By His Excellency’s/command, “ John - Johnson, . JJ?. “ Acting Police Magistrate.’ ’

This proclamation affords a rich specimen of the system on which the government of this colony has been conducted by Captain Hobson and his Colonial Secretary :Mr. Shoiitland, from their arrival in the colony to the present moment.

The proclamation gives notice, Ist. That the lands of Manguni had been by her faithful servants purchased-for her Majesty the Queen,

2nd. A caution to the public not to erect buildings, cut timber, or trespass .in any manner on these lands. S 3rd. That although these. lands were thus bought for her : Majesty (legally ?) there were stilT some parties, who not- only claimed these lands, but alsa actually paid for them; and esta-

blislied themselves on the same, by'building houses and enclosing grounds for cultivation;' and had actually occupied them for nearly eight’ years.

But if so, how came Captain Hobson and Mr. Shortland to throw away money upon lands already bought. Perhaps it was doubtful whether the titles of these parties were good or not; and therefore a commission was hereafter to be appointed to enquire into this. But did not the fact of Captain Hobson’s buying these lands a second time, indicate at once that he believed the original settlers had no right to the land; and therefore a commission was not only a useless, but an unnecessary proceeding. Captain Hobson, however, under every view of the case, acted wrong. A commission being about to be astablished, he had clearly no right to prejudice the settler’s claim. But in the event of this commission finding that the settlers claims were good, then what right had Captain Hobson, or Mr. Shortland, thus to throw away the public money on the purchase of lands already bought by others. But these were all minor evils and errors, compared to the effects of this proceeding on the minds of the natives geherally. To them it appeared as an attempt to uphold the native Noble, against the Manganui natives, and to upset the right of conquest; the right by which all the tribes held their land. The effect upon the settlers, was the suspension of all their operations till this commission should decide. The natives, however, were day by day becoming more anxious and alarmed about the matter. Noble preferred his Claim to the land, with the highest pretensions of a man backed by the government. The Manganui tribes appealed to the other natives to assist them in opposing this fearful encroachment on their rights. Two years or more, passed away, and the excitement still increased, till about four or five months ago, the commissioner arrived at Manganui to decide the land claims of the settlers at that place; they, and the.chiefs and natives from whom they bought, appeared and claimed the lands, as a matter of right, and primary purchase. Noble, the Kaitaia chief and his tribe also .appeared, and claimed the same lands for himself and for the government, to whom he said, he had sold a part. The commissioner was perplexed, and .refused to act, on the plea that he could not decide between the government of her Majesty and her Majesty's subjects.; indeed, we believe he was afraid of an outbreak among the natives, who were highly excited,.; at all events, he consulted his own safety, and left the scene of strife. The natives also dispersed, without coming to any amicable arrangement; but, on the contrary, with .the full understanding, that war alone could terminate the dispute. Each party summoned their followers and allies,* , and the last account .from the Bay of Islands statesthat a battle had taken place ; in which about fifty natives were killed, fifteen of whom were .great chiefs. There were about five thousand natives assembled; twothirds of whom belonged to the Manganui party, who it appears,.have completely defeated Noble, or the government party, as they are called. Many natives from the Bay of Islands, though not directly interested in the lands in dispute, still joined the Manganui party. The reasons which they give for so doing, were the fact that their own possessions were similarly acquired with those of the Manganui people, and that if the right of conquest was not supported and maintained in this instance, they too might in their turn be deprived of their possessions. This battle, as it may be called, was conducted in every respect according to the customs of civilized men. The dead were given up by both parties and decently interred. No such scenes as used in former days to distinguish the New Zealander, and disgrace and outrage humanity, were practised. No outrages were committed on the persons or properties of Europeans. The most of the natives had formerly embraced Christianity, and evidently engaged with much reluctance, though with determination in this unhappy warfare. We understand the Bishop of New/Zealand, with much humanity, endeavoured to prevent the fight, but in vain. He even encountered considerable risk, if not danger, by going into the midst of the combatants, and erecting a white banner, as an emblem of peace ; and it was not until the firing actually commenced, that he left the scene of strife. The Rev. Mr. Henry Williams also, the oldest of the Missionaries, and the most respected both by the natives and Europeans, tried every effort to prevent the bloodshed; but even his great influence was unavailing. We are unable to say whether the quarrel is now at an end or not. We fear much it is but the beginning of the poor native's troubles.