THE WAITOTARA ITHCHING.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1982, 12 November 1863, Page 7

THE WAITOTARA ITHCHING.

A writer in the li'uiiyanui Chronicle having at consuu'rable lengtli disputed tbe facts contained in tho article repii.'.ced in our las!, the I'ollawing iutter.i from th^ natives concerned in the sale have been bosu tons fur publication.

" Wanff.tuui, 27th Oct., I8!5O. To the Editor of Jie Newspaper al Port Nioiolson.

Friend, li.sten to ne, On my arrival in Wanganui to-day, I saw Henry Field's letter printed in ibe newspaper of this place. Friend, the talk of the pakebi is entirely false, do not you listen to bis talk When I get back to Waitotara, the runarga for this pakeha and for his false talk of JPiripi and rayseJf will be held. It is for our nnanga to fiud out what to do with this pakela. This is a word from me to you concerning tbe talk of this pakeha — that it may bo contracted, lest it should be believed by others. V'hen our ruuanga is com pleted we will write again to von. Friend let this my letter, be printed in your newspaper From your fiien'J, FiIO Tfi BePI, Haeatavangi. [translation.] (To the '.Editor of the }ori Nicliolson Newspaper. Friend, salutations to you— do you listen to me, our runanga nieito take into consideration what we should do with the pakeha Henry Field, that is, for hisfalse talk iv tbe Wanganui newspaper, for bis lecusatious against Piripi

md myself for our giving up the land to Dr Featherston. Friend, unr runanga decided that this pnkeba should be summoned, and brought to cun-t to be tried ; but I have heard the woid ofMiijor Durie, the magistrate, that it is not correct that he should be tried help, rather in Port Nicholson. Friend, lam not able to go ' to P>rt Nicholson, that it may be tried. Enough, let this mv 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, Rimitirin, Hare Tipene, Moluarama, these are all our old men now living, and Rio Hetaraka, Reihana, Maka, Paramena, and Himiona are our young men. The land belongs to these men, and not to Aperahamn, he has not one acre, not one inch. lam the principal chief of Njjarauru, from my ancestors downwards. Friend, look at the money which was paid us by Mr McLean in the first instance, that will 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 monej, he ga*e Reihana £100 for Xii Iwi, £100 to me, £100 to Rimitirin, £100 to Have Tipene and his people, and the remaining £100 he kept for himself, add these- monies together it comes to £500. What money did Aperahama receive? But that you may know; I gave him £5 out of my Jove 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 nut 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 his 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 mv £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 Aperahama would not shake hands with Bt 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 nut 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, hut do you have it printed in your newspaper, that all the pakehas may see.

From me, From your friend, Rro re Ripi Haeatarangi, And from the Runanga