TARANAKI. [From our Correspondent.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 293, 20 May 1848, Page 3

TARANAKI. [From our Correspondent. ]

It is now nearly three months since the Governor-in-Cbief communicated to the Resident Land Purchasers in this settlement his intention of effecting, if possible, an arrangement with those natives at the southward who had expressed their intention of coming up, respecting Waitara ; limiting their occupation of that district to the land between the Taniwa (our northern boundary) and the north bank of Waitara ; and it is nearly that time since the departure of the inspector of police for Waikanae charged with the carrying out of that arrangement?. Yet Leyond a private account received from a gentlemen at Wanganui, and vague statements derived from native sources, we the land claimants, deeply interested in the success or failure of the mission, are kept most completely in the dark. Admitting as a general principle the expediency of official reserve, it is perfectly unnecessary and useless to attempt it in an instance like the present where natives (who do not understand it) are the people with whom the treaty is attempted to be effected. In the absence then of official explanation of any kind, it appears, according to the private account adverted to, that at the time it was written 587 native men, women, and

children had reached Rangatiki from Waikanae. They had with them 44 canoes, 5 boats, and about 60 horses. And their future disposition at Waitara and the other districts mentioned below will be as follows :—: — I about 200 intend settling on the land north of the river Waitara — about 260 at Waitara (which will include the south bank) — about 50 Puketapu natives will join their tribes between Waitara and Waiwakaibo — and the remainder of the 587 mentioned, will reside in different parts of Taranaki, that is outside our southern boundary as fixed by Mr. Spain. So there is every promise of a thick sprinkling of native claimants amongst those we already have, throughout the entire settlement of New Plymouth, as originally marked out, in disregard in the first place of the attempt by threat to keep them away altogether, and now of the efforts of the Government to confine them within certain limits in the settlement by treaty. And the Waikanae and Waitara question does not end here, but increases in perplexity. The concession recently made by Governor Grey with the humane desire of sheltering this settlement from the immediate consequence of war to the European inhabitants, has not met with the success anticipated by his Excellency — and really judging from the former indifference shown by,these same natives of Waikanae, we do not see on what ground the hope was founded. It was a very material part of his Excellency's proposal, as conveyed to them through the inspector of police, that on the removal of the natives to Waitara, Waikanae would be finally abandoned by them — so that if the urgency of the case called for a surrender of a portion of this settlement to Wiremu Kingi and the other absentee claimants to it, Waikanae would at least be secured to Wellington by purchase from them of the native title which his Excellency proposed to take as valid without inquiry — but it appears on the authority before quoted, that between 200 and 300 natives have arranged to remain there, thus occupying both distiicts to the injury of Wellington and Taranaki. So we have here three distinct refusals by the Waikanae natives to be in any way influenced by the Government, and all arising out of the original question of whether they should be permitted to come up at all to this place — the migration of 587 of their number against orders — their refusal afterwards to confine their residence at Waitara within the limits, proposed by his Excellency — and the retention of Waikanae by the remainder of the tribe. Meanwhile pending this really difficult question, and the increasing uncertainty of ever possessing their original lands with so considerable a native immigration in view, some of the settlers on the 10th instant availed themselves of the invitation of the Company's Resident Agent to exchange into the Oraata purchase, which it will be remembered was made by the Government last October, and since annexed to this settlement which it adjoins. The block consists of about 12,000 acres, a portion of which has been surveyed, not as was the case with the original settlement in parallelograms charming enough on paper, but with due regard to the features of the country. The brigantine Star of China completed her loading on the 3rd instant, and sailed on the following day for Sydney with 90 tons of potatoes, being the first export to that port of produce raised from the soil in this settlement. The vessel was not fortunate during her stay, having arrive 1 from Nelson in squally southerly weather on the 25th ultimo, and the wind increasing from the same quarter (along shore), parted her cable at Moturoa during the following afternoon* The occurrence may be partly attributed to her extreme lightness at the time and consequent exposure to the wind, Captain Dowker, to make as much room as possible for cargo, having previously thrown overboard all his ballast ; and to the same cause may be attributed the parting of the second cable on the following morning. Notwithstanding the wind the vessel under the Captain's excellent management, regained her position at Moturoa, and recovered the first anchor, which was buoyed. Tbe second, owing to the mate's negligence of this necessary precaution was left behind, but will be recovered. After a season of unnsual fineness, the weather has become unsettled and uncertain, and was so during the loading of the vessel. It was however accomplished without the slightest damage to the cargo. The Star of China is to return from Sydney immediately, which will make her third trip to Taranaki direct this year. The frequent occurrence of arrear in payment of Government salaries and other monies in this settlement is again the cause of great inconvenience and disappointment to nearly all clasees. And as respects the natives, it is to say the least unlucky, for the period limited in the deed for payment of the second instalment on the land at Tataraimaka now occnpied by Mr. Cutfield, J. P., as a

cattle run, is past ; *nd completion of Mr. Bell's purchase at Puketapu is postponed for want of means for which an assurance was given. Considering the extreme jealousy of the natives, and the importance of a rigid adherence by us to all engagements with them, especially those in reference to land, the non-arrival of the Government brig from Auckland is unfortunate. Probably the amount in arrear has been forwarded in that vessel to the Wellington bank. A similar arrangement was made on a former occasion, and in practice was found very inconvenient. It led to the issue of cheques of large amount on the Wellington bank, for which cash was procured when possible in the settlement to meet the various claims on the Government — a system which at times certainly afforded facilities to merchauts in their transactions with Wellington, but restricted circulation, and encouraged fictitious credit. There is surely no reason why, as in the other settlements, specie should not be forwarded to Tarariaki, and at stated times. The schooner Lucinda arrived in the Waitara on the 241h ultimo, from Nelson, with a few Waikanae natives, by whom she is owned. May 15, 1848.