THE Wellington Independent THURSDAY, 16th OCTOBER, 1862. WITAKO.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1779, 16 October 1862, Page 3

THE Wellington Independent THURSDAY, 16th OCTOBER, 1862. WI TAKO.

Befobe His Excellency took bis departure on Friday for Auckland, he completed his arrangements for the introduction of the new institutions amongst the Natives of the West Coast, by appointing Captain Edwards (of the detachment of the 14th stationed here) as Resi dent Magistrate for the district extending from Porirua to Ohau ; Mr. Buller taking from Manawatu to Turakina, and Mr. While, Wanganui, northward. We wish we could see our way to the conviction that His Excellency's attempts, at the pacification of the West Coast, had resulted in anything like what could fairly be called success. Great things were reasonably expected from the personal influence of Sir George — more in this part^of the Island than in any other, the Ngapuhi, perhaps, j alone excepted; and though it may be, and we believe is, perfectly true that the attachment of the Queen's natives has been materially confirmed, yet it is no less true that not only no impression has been made on the adherents ot the King, but that their estrangmeut is wider than before. None of us can be more sensible that such is tbe case than the Governor himself, and on more than one occasion His Excellency has throwu off his habitual evenness of manner and speech and expressed in no measured terms the vexation which he feels. While the non-success which has attended His Excellency's proceedings must be a cause of deep regret to every colonist, it is well that the disease which exists should have been thoroughly discovered ; and as we believe that Sir George will, if any man can, rise with the obstacles in his way, we may safely anticipate that his plans will be moulded to the necessities of the case. That His Excellency is determined to do so, may be gathered from what has transpired of the interview held last Thursday with Wi Tako. Rightly or wrongly, Sir Geoige looks upon this chief as the key to the disaffection at Waikanae and Otaki, and every effort Las been made to win him over. Those efforts bavin g failed while Wi Tako was surrounded by the King's adherents, the Governor requested him to pay a visit to Wellington, where, it was hoped, persuasion might prove more effectual. That interview appears not only to have been unsuccessful, but to have widened the breach ; and, if that chief's statements are correct, the Governor most decidedly threatened to put a stop to the drilling of armed natives at Waikanae if persevered in, by sending a military force thither. The confiscation of Wi Tako's property here and at the Hutt was threatened, if such treasonable acts were continued as that of which the Governor appears to have some positive evidence, in the shape of a letter containing a shark's tooth, sent by WiTako to somebody or other — though what that symbol means we do not know. Wi iTako says that the Governor parted from him n auger, and we may therefore assume that arc very long measures other than those in use heretofore, will be put into operation to check the spirit of disaffection which exists. We had hoped that of all the provinces in the Island, this one would have been the most likely to have received the new institutions cordially — if it is not, it is noi because His Excellency has not done all in his power to make it so, nor is it because the earnest efforts of the settlers have been wanting in his support. The Governor's return may probably b« looked for in about three months. Meanwhile he will have visited Taranaki, and for the course intended to be pursued there, all ears are opened and all eyes strained to catch the faintest inkling. The indiridualiiation of title to the Native reserves in this district is about to be shortly attempted, Mr. Mantell having been offered by His Excellency tie Coramissionership for the management of the uative reserves made by the N.Z. Company, Col. M'Cleverty, &c. These reserves have hitherto been managed by a Board, but by an Act of lest Assembly they caD in future be placed under a special Commissioner. A very large number of sections, both town and country, will thus be made available for leasing by individual native owners, as was recently done at Kaiapoi, in Canterbury, and tend more to the civilisation of the natives by breaking up their communistic habits, than anything else thaat could be devised. Mr. G. F. Swainson has been appointed Surveyor to the Commissioner which has necessitated Mr. Swainson's resignation of his appointment in the Surrey Department of this Province.