BAY OF ISLANDS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1501, 1 March 1861, Page 3

BAY OF ISLANDS.

On Monday, the 11th February, 1861-, the Governor, accompanied by Capt. Vernon, lt.N., the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, the Native Secretary, and Captain Steward (Private Secretary), landed from H.M.S. Iris and proceeded to the residence of the Resident Magistrate (LI. C. Barstow, Esq ,) by whom, and by Messrs. Clendon and Kemp, His Excellency was re ceived. The following Chiefs, with some of their followers, were present to welcome his Excellency to Korovareka:— Tamati Waaka Nene,Maihi PararoneKawiti, llewa, Mangonui, Te Hoterenne Tawatawa, VViremu Tete, Honitana Te Irirangi, Te Warihi Kukowai, and Te Waiti Pokorehu.

These chiefs informed the Governor that they were all living in peace and quietness ; that they had no grievances or complaints; that they fully reciprocated his Excellency's kind wishes, evinced by his coiniug to see them ; that they had heard many reports about the Governor's intentions to carry on a general war, which they did not believe, and of which his presence amongst them was the best refutation.

In reply, His Excellency assured them that such reports were unfounded ; and, after a few remarks expressive of his pleasure at meeting them, and his old friend Waalca the Chiefs retired, and his Excellency shortly afterwards returned to the Iris.

Intimation having been given to the Governor that a meeting of Chiefs was to be held on the following day atTe Ti, a distance of about nine miles from Kororaieka, His Excellency proceeded thither, attended by the Chiefs who had accompanied him from Auckland, together with those from the vicinity of the Bay of Islands. The original object of this meeting was to discuss the propriety of relaxing the law which prohibits the sale of spirits to the natives, with a view to petitioning His Excellency on the subject. It was attended by several Chiefs from different parts of the route, among whom were Heremaia Te Ara, Hare Hongi Hika,and Naibi Te Pakaru, from Whangaroa. With few exceptions, all the leading Chiefs of the Bay of Islands District were present: VVaikato, Manu, Waaka Nene, Mangonui, Euhe, Kingi Wiremu —at whose Settlement the' meeting was held — Wi Hau, Maihi Paraone Kawiti, and others who had met the Governor at Koroiareka the proceeding day.

At first, the speeches were chiefly confined to a welcome to tlis Excellency, followed by a request for a repeal of the restriction on *the sale of Spirits to the Natives. The speakers urged that the Ngapuhi tribe was the first to welcome the Europeans, and that there should be no exceptional laws, so far as they were concerned.

The Governor replied, through Mr. McLean (Native Secretary), that the restriction of which they complained was imposed to prevent the natives from becoming victims to the too free use of intoxicating liquors. That other aboriginal races in many parts of the world had suffered greater loss from the excessive use of spirits than from the casualties of war and other calamities. That the object of the Government was to preserve tbe natives of this country from such a fate. It was true that there was" one Jaw fur them and another for the Europeans in this respect, and it was equally true that the law was frequently evaded; but it was considered that the use of spirits by the Europeans who had been in the habit of using them for generations past, was not so fatal to them as to the natives. His Excellency would not promise to repeal the law; but he would be glad to have the subject considered at tbe aext Native Conference, as it was one which involved the welfare of the different tribes throughout the country. That they should also bear in mind lhat the Europeans were subject to fines and imprisonment for drunkenness-; that they would probably object to any of their old chiefs being subjected to such penalties as imprisonment, &c.

After a succession of speeches by tbe assembled Chiefs on different subjects, and in which scarcely any further leference was made to ttie sale of spirit, ike Governor again addressed the meeting through Mr. McLean : Friends, chiefs of the Ngapuhi, I have come to pay you a friendly visit, and I am glad to meet so many of you from different parts of the North. You hear many foolish and unfounded reports, both from Europeans and Natives, as to my intentions towards you as a people. It has beeu asserted that when have ended the war at Taranaki, I shall proceed to attack other places; but I am certain that you chiefs of Ngapuhi are too wise and sensible to believe such foolish aud mischievous reports. You were the first to welcome and invite the English to these shores. Some of- your gieat chiefs went to England and sought the protection of the English nation against foreign enemies. The old chief Wai- I kato, who is now present, is a living evidence of

this fact. The request was granted ; we have now become one nation and one people, and I trust we shall always continue to be friends With regard to the war at Taranaki, of which your hear various .conflicting 1 rumours and accounts, I may tell you that it was undertaken on my part in defence of Native rights, aud to proiecl one party of natives from the aggressions and cruelty of another. You have all heard of the frequently recurring quarrels among the tribes residing at Taranaki. I gave notice h year before the commencement of the war, that an end should be put to such proceedings. At that time, my object was not war, uor the taking of iife. War was forced upon me by tribes who had nothing to do with the quarrel. Some Europeans were killed in cold blood by stealthy murderers ; and this was done by two tribes— Taranaki and Ngalinianui. I Am sure Ngapuhi, that you disapprove of such conduct. It is very different from the manner in which you carried on the war at this place. You did riot disgrace yourselves by killing helpless psople and young children. It is such acts that I feel bound to punish. Some Waikalo chiefs have lately asked me to put an end to the war, ami make peace ; but they have said nothing about these offences. While I very much regret the loss of life, and would like to see tbe war ended. I expect such a submission, and such reparation for the injuries done, on the part of the insurgents, as will dete* others from following their example, and prevent future wars in Jsew Zen. land. While I reserve to myself the exclusive right of making terms of peace, I shall be glad to consult some of your chiefs,— you being an impartial tribe — on the subject. In affording you all, as a people, the advantages of English protection, I reasonably expect submission to English law and authority, these being essential to the well being of both races of Her Majesty's subjects in New Zealaud.