THE SUPERINTENDENT'S VISIT TO THE NATIVES AT WAIRARAPA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 1952, 3 September 1863, Page 5

THE SUPERINTENDENT'S VISIT TO THE NATIVES AT WAIRARAPA.

In giving an account of the Superintendent's recent visit to the Natives in the Wairarapa, we do not pretend to give more than a meagre sketch of what took place at the six meetings he heid with them in different parts of the valley, and most of which lasted three or four hours. Nor is this necessary, seeing that the addresses of the Superintendent to the Natives in the Wairarapa did not materially differ from those he delivered to the natives at Waikanae and Otaki. Our readers have already been made aware that the Superintendent visited the district in consequence of a pressing invitation from oertain chiefs to meet them in the lower part of the valley (Tuhitarata) on tbe 18th uit., an invitation only received by him on Saturday, the 15th. The Superintendent accompanied byMajor Gorton (the Commandant of the Militia) left here on Monday the 17th. Early that morning a special messenger had arrived bringing to the hon. Mr Mantell, a letter addressed to Mr Bidwell by Te Manihera of the Wairarapa, stating that the Natives intended that very day to attack the Hutt Militia. A note to that effect from Mr Bidwell to Mr Ludlam was left at Mr Ludlam's residenco -at 5 o'clock iv the morning. No time was lost in arousing the whole district and in calling out the militia; and as a necessary consequence, a complete and most absurd panic ensued. While many women and children were making their way to town, the whole male population of the Hutt were on the gui vive ; every labouring man losing a day's work; In consequence of certain escapades of Hutt Militia officers, positive and repeated instructions had been issued to them that they were not to allow their men to bring out their arm 3, except for the purposes of drill, without the authority of the Commandant. But the whole way up to the Taita, the Superintendent and Major Gorton met men carrying arms. Every one of these men Major Gorton accosted kindly, explaining that in carrying arms they were acting against his orders, but that he did not in the slightest degree blame them, inasmuch as they were obeying their own immediate officers. Arrived at the Taita, Major Gorton found the Taitai Militia company drilling in a field ad- j joining the road, and Major Gorton at once adrdessed tbem, saying, " Men my order was to request that you should not take your rifles away from your houses except for the purpose of training and j exercise ; but Ido notfind tault with you, as you obeyed an order given by tne Captaiu contrary to my instructions. You must now bear in mind that you are on no account to go about the country with your rifles unless you get an order from your Captaiu to do so, who will in the event of danger obtain an authority from the Magistrate pending approval of his Honor the Superintendent." The Major had no sooner finished addressing the men, than they were dismissed either by Capt. ClelandorCapt.Beetham, when they at once rushed to the road and insulted in the grossest possible manner MajorGorton on account of the remarks he had made, and the Superintendent on account of his known friendliness to the. natives, —Captains Cleland and Beetham standing by, and apparently making no effort to restrain the men. In the Upper Hutt, the panic caused by these ill-judged proceedings was almost as great ; but the men bad so far cooled down, that they were asking who was to pay them for the day's work they bad lost. The Superintendent induced a few refugees to turn back to their homes. When the Superintendent arrived at Featherston he found so many families leaving the district, that instead of going to the lower part of. the valley, the place of meeting, he pushed on to Greytown with a view to reassure the settlers. He ascertained, as he had surmised on his way up to the Hutt settlers, that Manibera's letter to Mr Bidwell was written when be was drunk, if it was not written at the instigation of a drunken publicau. Ngatuere and his people, the instant they heard of the Superintendent's arrival (on Tuesday, the 18th inst.) gallowed up to meet him, and almost threatened to , prevent him proceeding to attend the meeting at the lower part bf the valley, until he had heard their say. Ngatuere and his followers had been celebrating the marriage of Ngatuere's son, and were not iv a sufficient state of sobriety to reason with. The Superintendent after promising to meet them on Thursday, with difficulty got away. He met the Natives at Tuhitarata on Wednesday afternoon. All the Natives resident in that part of the valley were present; they did not muster more than forty-four, of whom only three were Queenites, a large secession of the loyal natives lo the ranks of the King having taken place a short time before — not from any real disaffection— but simply from a fear that the Queen's Government was not strong enough to protect them from the Kingites. The Superintendent, after receving the usual greetings of welcome, opened the proceedings by referring to and reiterating all he had said at Otaki and Waikanae, and by distinctly declaring that the time had come when it was necessary to establish the Queen's supremacy, and lo bring all her Majesty's subjects in obedience to her laws, Mitiaha, Mihahere, Tamati, Pateroma, aud other Chiefs, while guarding themselves against any decided expression of opinion with reference to the transactions at Tataraimaka and Waikato, declared they would not consent to the Armed Defence Force or troops being sent into the valley— that while they would not object to the resident settlers being enrolled either as volunteers or militia, they would not allow volunteers or militiamen from other districts to come into the Valley. When the Superintendent read Matutaere's and

j Ngairo's letters, they asked how he had got hold of them, and expressed an uuwillinguess to discuss them there. The whole discussion was conducted by the natives in the most friendly spirit ; and when the meeting broke up, they thanked the Superintendent for bis visit. On the following day (Thursday ) at 1 p.m. the Superintendent reached Greytown, where he found deputations from Queenites and Kingites asking him to meet them. He tried hard to get them to meet together, but each party declared that if they were brought together they should finish by fighting. The Superintendent therefore decided upon meeting the loyal natives first in the schoolroom. The loyal natives form a rather select body in the Wairarapa district. The School-room was crowded, not by natives, but by settlers ; there were probably not more than forty natives present. Tho Superintendent after explaining the object of his visit, requested his interpreter Mr.TJeighton to read his address to the Natives at Otaki. Ngatuere (who had a double-barrelled gun in his hands) Manihera, Ihaia, Wi Waka, and others, then addressed the meeting. Ngatuere and Manihera warned tbe Superintendent against believing oue word the Kingites said. They declared that they knew that the Kiugites would in a day or two rise and attack the settlers ; that the Loyal Natives were not safe ; that the Superintendent ought to give them arms and ammunition as well as the settlers — urged the Superintendent to call out themilitiaandtosend the Defeace Force and troops at once into the valley. Ihaia aud others protested against the impertinence of the Kingites in presuming to dictate to the Queen what she should or should not do in her own land, — asserted their loyalty and their determination to staud by the settlers. The Superintendent, after expressing his gratification at the sentiments of loyalty they had expressed and urging them to obey his instructions, replied that his word must ever be one and the same at all meetings ; the Governor would take whatever measures he deemed expedient for the protection of the settlers aud Maoris, and for the peace of Province, without reference either to the threats or wishes of the Natives. The Meeting broke up at half-past 5 p.m., the general impression being that the Superintendent's meeting with the King Natives would not take place until the following morning, so that many settlers were unfortunately prevented attending it. The Superintendent, after sending a messenger to notify his intention, walked ittto the King's Runanga House at 8 p.m., accompanied by Major Gorton, Mr Wardell, R.M., Mr S. Deighton, Interpreter, Messrs Kempton, (Vl* Master, and a few other settlers. They were all most cordially welcomed. The chief decoration of the house cousisted in some thirty double-barrelled guvs, and one rifle apparently in a beautiful state of order. Ngairo, the recognised Chief of the Kingites and the duly constituted Lieutenant of Matutaera, after a lew complimentary expressions, called upon the Superintendent to begin. His Honor, after stating the grounds upon which he claimed their confidence, briefly repeated the statements be had made at Otaki; called upon them to answer the questions he bad put to WiTako and others, and to which no answer had been given ; pointed out that the result of the King Movement had beeu war and bloodshed, and after Mr Deighton had by his direction had read Malutaera's, Wi Tako's, Ngairo 's, and other letters, denounced in the strongest possible terms the gross treachery evinced hy the writers of those letters, especially dwelling upon Ngairo's letter, and ended by demanding an explicit explanation from Ngairo. The speakers who got up to answer the Superintendent, and to whom tho Superintendent replied one by one, were Ngairo, Matiaha, Riwai Tamati, Piripi, Patoromu, Raniera, Kopua, and Himiona. Ngairo at once admitted that the letters read were accurate; but that Matutaera's aud his own letters in reply were written in consequence of the militia being called out in this Province, which he considered meant an attack upon the Maoris. He declared that he would not tolerate volunteers, militia, Defence Force, troops, barracks, or stockades — that he would fire upon them. The Superintendent by reference to dates, showed that Matutaera's and Ngairo's letters were written before the militia had been called out in this Province ; and replied that Ngairo's threats would not have the slightest influence upon him — that he dared him to carry out his threats ; that after the treachery displayed iv his own and other letters, he would, unless, the settlers all came forward as volunteers, at once call out the militia, and arm the whole white population ; that be would build stockades and place the settlers in a position to defy any attack from the Kingites ; but that whatever measures he took would be simply defensive, for the purpose of protecting Pakehas and friendly Maoris ; that the first shot should be by the Kingites ; that shot fired they must take the consequences ; that the Governor would move the troops wherever he pleased; the troops were not usually sent to such districts as Wairarapa, unless the peace had been broken, or danger was apprehended; and that therefore as long as they remained quiet and peaceable there would be no ocassion for the troops; that the Defence Force was not so much a military force as a police force to see the Queen's laws executed ; that if they dared to carry out their threats, they would soon see the troops and the Defence Force coming down the Rimutaka. Mataiha said— Where did you get the letters you have read to us ? The Superintendent — I told you at Tahitarata ; that Wi Tako gave Matutaera's letter to Captain Edwards. Ifl told you how £ obtained possession of the other letters, I might get certain natives into trouble with you. Matiaha — Where did you get the information that we had discussed a proposal to rise and kill the settlers ?

You got that information 'from the Governor. Who are the -jnatives who told you that ? It is not true. The Superintendent — How can you say that ? Matatuera in his letter calls upon jou to rise and drive out the Europeans ; that means to kill the Europeans. Ngairo says in his reply to Matutaera, the canoe , is prepared ; we only await the King's order to paddle it. Ngairo says, we are ■ ready to rise as soon as Matutaera gives the word. Wi Tako says the same thing. No further proof of your tieacherous designs can be required, and therefore I am prepared for you. Will you, Matiaha, now declare that no proposal to rise against the settlers was ever discussed in your runangas ? Matiaha— We had begun discussing the question, tbe thin point of the kuife ; but then came the greater question (the thick handle of the knife, — i.e. the calling out of tha militia, tjnd we said nothing more about the point of the knife, beoause we were full of the thick handle of the knife, — the calling out of the militia. With respect to Tataraimaka— if the Governor had sent settlers instead of soldiers, no evil would have been done. The Superintendent— You all know the Taranaki snd Ngatiruakawas had declared their intention to contest the possession of Tataraimaka. If the Governor had sent unarmed settlers, they would have beeu murdered. The GoAernor sent soldiers, who could take and maintain possession of Tataraimaka. ;You admit that you have discussed the pioposal to rise against the Europeans ? But, whether you do so or not, Ngairo's letter convicte you. Ngairo— The letters are true. Will you attack me on account of the letter I have written. Superintendent —No; bnt the letters I have read are bad; they justify me in taking every possible precaution against you. Take care not to write such letters in future. Ngairo — Aporo was wrong in breaking into Mr Gorst's house and taking away the printing yress ; but Matutaera sent the printing press back. Governor Grey did the same thing. He ordered Matutaera to deliver up to him the King's printing press, and threatened him with war if he did not do so. The Superintendent — Matutaera delivered up the printing press after Aporo bad been arrested, and with an insolent message to the Governor. Aporo must stand his trial. If Matutaera had delivered up Aporo and the printing press at once, and had given compensation for the losses sustained by such an outrage, well and good. But Matutaera made himself a party to the robbery. Your talk about Governor Grey's demand upon Matutaera for the printing press reminds me of Wi Tako's report to you, in one of his last letters, " that one thousaud Europeans had fallen ; the paymeut was twenty - five Waikatos, aud that the Waikatos stationed themselves in the town of Auckland, a letter informed me ; this is all the word ; let tbis letter go quickly to all the runangas." There is just as much truth in Ngairo's statement about Matutaera and the printing press, as there is in Wi , Tako's story about 1000 Europeans i having been killed and Auckland taken by the Waikatos. Ngario — Is it intended to put down the King movement ? Is not Governor Grey attacking the King? We will all rise, we will defeat the King. The Superintendent — I have already shown you that the King movement has, iustead of establishing law, order, and peace, led to war and bloodshed. The , King movement must be judged by its fruits; its fruits have beeu evil ; the King movement must be put down. I don't care whether you i call yourselves Kingites or Queenites; as, long as you remain quiet and peaceable, and obedient to the Queen's laws, you will be protected; but obey the Queen's laws you must Piripi said the killing of the military at Oakura was no murder — that it was fair fighting, aud pretended to justify all the outrages at Waikato, aud to indulge in threats. Tell Piripi, said the Superintendent to Mr Deighton, that lam sorry to hear him express Bueh opinions, they are simply the sentiments of the men who committed these murders— he is in heart a murderer — a bad man. It is against suoh bad men that lam taking precautions. I will not rely to such foolish and bad talk. Several other questions were gone into ; and a long discussion upon each of them ensued. At 11 o'olock the Superintendent rose to bid them good night, declaring that what he had said he would carry out : that no threats of theirs would in the slightest degree alter his determination. Ngairo at once sprung up and said — -In what mouth do you call out the militia ? Superintendent— -I have already stated that unless the settlers volunteered I should call out tho militia at once. Ngario — When will you call upon the volunteers 3 Superintendent — To-morrow.. Good- night. The whole meetiug at once commenced singing a song, which sounded, if not as hootings and hisses, very much like a yell of defiance ; yet a copy of the song was readily giveu a day or two after to the Superintendent by Matiaha. The I impression of the Europeans present at the meeting was that the Kingites meant what they said, mischief — that an immediate rising was inteuded. The next morning, Friday, the 21st, the Superintendent received a formal notice from the King's rununga, that the Wairarapa was no longer a saored district, that the tapu had been removed, and that on the 24th they would begin handling their arms; the notice ended with a song not yet translated. While himself regarding all the threats of the Natives as mere bounce, the Superintendent recoguised the defenceless state of the settlers, and the faot that few, if any, coincided in his views as to the feelings and intentions of ihe Natives ; he therefore dispatched a special messenger to Wellington for rifles and unmunition. The messenger started at 8 p.m. on Friday, andthe arms applied for were at Greytown early on Sunday morning. On his arrival at

Masterton on Friday evening, the Superintendent convened a public meeting of the settlers for the following day at 2 p.m. In spite ofthe short notice, the school house was crammed. After a brief address from the Superintendent, iv which, while expressing his own conviction that there was not at the presant time the slightest reason to apprehend a Maori outbreak in any part of tbis Province, he declared that we were not justified in disregarding the recent threats ofthe Kingites; and that the time bad come when it was expedient to place the seltlers in a position to meet auy emergency that might possibly arise : he then proceeded to explain that though the Governor had delegated to him the power to call out the militia, either for training or actual service, yet the conditions under which alone he could exercise that power l had not been complied with. The Militia Aot required that the senior officer of the battalion or company of the district should form a Militia Roll. No militia officers of this district had yet been appointed, — no roll had therefore been prepared, he had consequently no militia to call out, and he therefore called upon them at once to enrol themselves as volunteers. After addresses from Mr V. Smith, Mr Donald, Mr Creyne, MoMaster, and other settlers, the whole meeting came forward as volunteers, and were at once sworn in by Major Gorton, who in an admirable address explained their duties aud obligations — the use of the rifle — and suggested certain rules for their adoption. About 50 where sworn in. On the following day (Tuesday) some fifteen more were added to the Masterton Company. In the afternoon, Major Gorton enrolled 50 Volunteers at Carterton, and in the evening between 60 and 70 at Greytown, and on the following Tuesday 65 at Featherston. The settlers in fact, almost to a man, came forward as volunteers. Matiaha and another chief were awaiting the Superintendent's arrival at Greytown on Sunday evening: their mission was to intimate that a great meeting of the Kingites of the Valley was summoned on Tuesday at Moaki, to consider and finally decide upon the words of the Superintendent ; aud to ask the Superintendent's permission for some forty armed Masterton Natives to pass through Greytown. After the Superintendent had with some hesitation giAen the permission asked, with a caution that such armed processions were not to be repeated, Matiaha and his friend readily accepted his Honor's invitation to join the dinner table. After dinner Matiaha and his friend saw some sixty volunteers sworn in by Major Gorton. The next day (Monday, the 24th) the three leading Chiefs of the Kingites sent a letter reqnesting the favor of tbe Superintendent's presence at iheir great meeting at Moaki on the following Wednesday. Great preparations had been made for this meeting, and it probably indicated pretty well the strength of lhe King party in the Valley. The King's flag was flying, with a small flag below it, said to be Ngairo's; four sentries with double-bar-relled guns were pacing around it. There might be from 150 to 200 men present, there being a thiu sprinkling of loyal Natives. The reception of the Superintendent and his friends, if civil enough, was certainly not very cordial ; for Ngairo, Maiiaha, and other leading Chiefs, never oame near them. Karauria was up put as the sole spokesman. He said that the runanga of yesterday had considered and decided upon the Superintendent's words and their final decision was that they would not permit the troops or Defence Foroe to be sent into the Valley ; that they would not allow the setilers to be called out as militia and volunteers ; that evil would ensue if the Superintendent persisted in his obstinacy. The Superintendent replied— Thut ie was foolish to bold out such thrpats to him ; he had already done what he had said. I told you on Thursday evening, I should call out the militia and volunteers. I have already done so. I have enrolled the volunteers at Masterton, Carterton, Greytown and Featherston, and I have armed them. We are all volunteers. But I have done more, I have told tho friendly natives, that if they are attacked, or if the settlers are attacked, and they (the friendly natives) fight honestly, X will supply them with ammunition, I will not allow them to be killed by you for want of ammunition. But I have cautioned both the pakehas and friendly maories that they are to give no cause of provocation, that they are to remain wholly on the defensive, — that the first shot must be fired by the Kingites. 'Ihat these instructions may be obeyed, I have requested Mr Renall, a Magistrate, to take up his residence in Greytown, aud I have requested Ngatueri, Manihera, and the other chiefs of the loyal Natives to place themselves entirely under the guidance of Mr Renall. I have ordered my people uot to go about armed, and I request you to do the same. If you continue to handle your arms, look out; evil will come of it. Jt is useless for you to talk about the Defence Force and the troops, the Governor will send them wherever he pleases, without consulting you. Your consent has never been — never will be asked. At long discussion then took place abou Waitara, Tataraimaka, and Waikato, similar to what took place at previous meetings. Karauria said — You accuse us of murders at Tataraimaka, Waikato, &c. ; what do you say to Governor Browne's murders at Waitara P Governor Grey has given up the laud because Governor Browne was wrong in takiug it. The Superintendent — I have always said that Governor Browne was wrong in seizing the Waitara; l always said that ' Teira had no right to sell the land— -that ' Wiremu King and many others were ! owners of the land ; and what I said is '• now admitted by all parties to be true. But who deoeived Governor Browne ? ' Was it not Teira ? who now says that 3 he was not the owner of the land he pro- t fessed to sell ; who now says that W.

King and many others were owners of the block. Governor Browne was deceived by Teira. Karauria —Why was Governor Browne recalled— whereis he ? Why was Governor Grey sent back amongst us ? The Superintendent—Governor Browne left because his term of office had expired ; Governors only hold office for six years ; Governor Browne is now Governor of Tasmania; he is not, as is reported amongst you, dead and buried at Taranaki — but alive and well in Tas mania. Governor Grey was appointed by the Queen because he was known to be a warm friend of the Maori, and to possess their love and confidence more than any other man : he left a much higher position to come here to • assist Bnd befriend you. Before long, you will all agree to these words. After the korero had lasted some three hours, the Superintendent said that he could not stop longer. That before parting he must express a hope that they would consider well the words he had uttered at the several meetings ; — that which he said would be carried out. That while war had begun in other parts, peace had been maintained in this Province. And he felt quite confident that, in spite of the threats and bounce during the present disturbances, peace would not be broken in the Province. " I will guarantee that my Pakehas and Maoris shall be good boys. I ask you to do the same, and make and keep your people good boys. Good-bye." One word more. Karauria — Friend Petatone — " We have known you a long time ; you never deceived us. We know that you would never injure us ; aod if we knew that everything was in your hands we would not object to any of your measures." The Superintendent then assured his friends — Kingites and Queenites — that tbe Government will not aot in Native matters in this Proviuce against or without his advice. And thus ended the conferences of the Superintendent with the Wairarapa King Natives : — to his meetings with the Queenites we have scarcely alluded.