THE Wellington Independent. "NOTHING EXTENUATE: OR SET DOWN AUGHT IN MALICE." TUESDAY MORNING, 10th NOVEMBER. THE WAITOTARA PURCHASE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1981, 10 November 1863, Page 2

THE Wellington Independent. "NOTHING EXTENUATE: OR SET DOWN AUGHT IN MALICE." TUESDAY MORNING, 10th NOVEMBER. THE WAITOTARA PURCHASE.

Now that Mr Henry C. Field has exhausted his forty Munchausen power of invention in the Wanganui Chronicle relative to the Waitotara Purchase, and our local contemporary, the Advertise); has nothing 1 more to say on a sub ject of which it is profoundly ignorant, we may indulge in a few final remarks relative to it. We showed in a previous article that Mr Field had written a very foulish letter in attempting to prove that the land was purchased from others than the real owners, and as we have no desire to inflict unnecessary pain, we would have been content to let the matter drop there, were it not that Rio has sent another communication which we feel bound to publish. From that letter it will be seen that while Mr Henry Field may have made his assertions in ignorance, there is strong reason to believe that some other motiveprompted them. But it would be uncharitable to search too keenly for the reasons that may have actuated him in publishing the very extraordinary and fictitious statements referred to, which he was probaI bly enabled to do from his lengthened sojourn at Waitotara, of which we could give many reminiscences doubtless amusing to the public, but peculiarly unpleasant to Mr Field. It is tolerably clear from Rio'a letter, that Mr Field has been guilty of uttering what we mildly term ignorant misrepresentation uf facts, but, . which Rio not being able to comprehend such nice metaphysical distinctions, characterises as 11 talk entirely false." This is a very unenviable reputationjjto fix on auy man, and we would not willingly attach it to Mr Field— indeed we carefully refrain from expressing- any further opinion on the subject. But we have full confidence, that the public, after perusing the following letter, joined to the other statements we have advanced, will have no hesitation in forming a correct opinion as to the value of Mr Field's testimony on this and other matters of a kindred kind.

It may be mentioned that a runanga has beeo held to determine what course should be

adopted with this Wanganui Munchausen. Maories are proverbially fond of law, and it was first determined to raise an action for defanaa* tion of character, in which Rio and Piripi should be plaintiffs and Mr Field defendant. But Major Dune having been consulted, gave it as his opinion that such an action could not be raised except in the Supreme. Court, and the plaintiffs have, therefore, not deemed it advisable to incur the risk and expenses of law proceedings there, for a result perhaps problematical as to the verdict — aud possibly more problematical still as to the prospects of utu were the verdict favorable. Under these circumstances Rio says characteriscally, — '• Enough, let this my letter be an answer to his" — and as such we subjoin it : —

[translation.]

(To the Editor of the Part Nicholson Newspaper.)

Friend, salutations to you— do you listen to me, our runanga met to take into consideration what we should do with the pakeha -Henry Field, that is, for his false talk in the Wanganui newspaper, for his accusations against Piripi and myself for our giving up the land to Dr Featberston. Friend, our runanga decided that this pakeha should be summoned, and brought to court to be tried ; but I have beard the wold of Major Dmie, the magistrate, that it is not correct that he should be tried here, rather in Port Nicholson. Friend, lam not able to go to Port Nicholson, that it may be tried. Enough, let this my letter be an answer to his. Give heed and I will show you the owners of the land, we have sold to the Pakeha. Piripi, Riinitiriu, Hare Tipene, Motuarama, these are all our old men now living, and Kio Hetaraka, Reihana, Maka, Paramena, and Himiona are our young men. The land belongs to these men, and not to Aperahama, he has not one acre, not one inch. lam the principal chief of Ngarauru, from my ancestors downwards. Friend, look at the money 'which was paid us by Mr McLean in the first instance, that will j explain. The £500 was received by Piripi, and he was not set down on the day of the receipt of that money, further he divided the mouej, he gave Reibana £100 for Kai Iwi, £100 to me, £100 to Rimitiriu, £100 to Hare Tipene and his people, and the remaining £100 be kept for himself, add these monies together it comes to £500. What money did Aperahama rece.ive ? But that you may know ; I gave him £5 out of my love towards him. Where also were these other people Henry Field writes about in his newspaper? they did not consume any of this money ; because the land was not theirs. The word of Henry Field that the Hekepokaikai are also connected with the land is false ; they are only squatting there, the same as they did on Kapiti formerly. Rather bis word concerning the Iwipirau, that is correct ; to that family I belong; Hona Tope is a parent of mine from a distant ancestor. He also got £10 out of my £100. I gave it to him myself, notwithstanding he has gone over to the king, he has consented for his young relation* to receive the money, who has signed the deed of sale. What is also another false word of this Pakehas* in which he says that Aperabama would not shake hand 3 with Dr Featherston when he went to Pa Karaka, because Dr Featherston was a purchaser of land. Such was not Aperahama's word at that time to him, but that, he was acting upon the advice of the king to him, not to look upon any white man's face ; upon which he was laughed at by the pakehas, and in the end was agreeable and shook hands. Friend, do you not take any thought about Hare Tipene because he and I are one, he also gave over to me our ancestors and the land, upon his leaving for the fighting. Ngarauru all heard this. Friend, let my talk finish here, but do you have it printed in your newspaper, that all the pakehas may see.

From me, From your friend, Rio te Ripi Haeatarangi, Aud from the BunaDga.