NATIVE LETTERS.—IMPORTANT STATEMENT.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 2000, 24 December 1863, Page 3

NATIVE LETTERS.— IMPORTANT STATEMENT.

Although we have already published some of these we give them now entire, calling attention to an important rectification of presupposed facts made by Mr Fox in the House of Representatives. Mr Fox laid on the table copies of letters from Pene Pukewhau to Mr Fox, and Mr Fox's reply, and also a letter from Wiremu Te Wheoro to Mr Fox ; and remarked that he had to call attention to misstatements which appeared in one of the papers of that morning, which he thought was important should be corrected. In the morning's Southern Cross, in the leading article, allusion was made to Te Wheoro' s mission to Nga,ruawahia, and he was spoken of as having conveyed certain terms ; and some expressions were used with regard to the manner in which he executed his mission. N ow no terms had been forwarded by Te Wheoro, nor was he sent in any way asanambassador; he was simply sent to convey that letter of his to Pene Pukewhau, telling the natives that till they laid down their arms the Government could make no terms with them at all, just as his Excellency's letter on the following Sunday told them he would hold no terms with them till the General arrived at Ngaruawhia. [teanslations.] Pene te Wharepu to Sis Excellency the Governor. Ngaruawahia, Nov. 25, 1863. O Friend, O Governor, — Salutations. This is to say to you : The fight has been fought, and some are dead, some live. Restore to us Waikato. Let it suffice for you, the men who are dead. Restore to us those who live. Enough. From your friends. Pene Te Whaeeptj. Pene Pitkewhatt. From all the Chiefs of Waikato. To Governor Grey. The Hon. Jifr Fox to Pene Pukcwliau. Auckland, November 30, 1863. Pene Pukewhau, — Your letter has arrived, and the matter has been carefully considered. This is the reply to you, and also to all the people of ISTgaruawahia. The Governor will hold no communication whatever with you whilst you continue in arms; but give up all your guns, your powder, aud all your arras to the Governor ; then only will a way of communication be opened, for you ; at present there is none. That is the word. From your friend, (Signed) W. Fox. Pene PuketoJiau to Sis Excellency the Governor. Ngaruawahia, Dec. 2, 1863. O Friend, O Governor, — Salutations. O Friend, we are awaiting- the reply to our letter. Can it have reached you or not ? These are the words of that letter. Restore the Waikato men. ' Suffice for you, the dead. Enough. From the chiefs of Waikato,' From Pene Pukewhau. Wiremu te Wheoro to the Son. Mr Fox. Taipowri, Dec. 4, 1863. Friend, Mr Fox, — Salutations. This is my communication to you, that you may hear what was said when I went to Ngaruawahia, on the 3rd day of December. I did not see any men anywhere except at Ngaruawahia. When we arrived there they assembled, and fired from both sides of the road. We were between them while they fired, as they went along. When we reached the house of Matutaera, which has a carved verandah, ho and his people stood up (to receive us.) Ngatimamapoto were on the Waipa side, and Waikato on the Horotiu side. They stood for a while, and then sat down. Paora Te Ahura stood up to make a speech, — " Welcome, my child ; welcome all of you, your ancestors, and your fathers. Come to see your fallen tribe and your broken cause. My fighting has caused peace to be made." After him Tikaokao stood vp — " Come, my child, come to see y°ur fallen tribe and your broken cause." Then Patera te Tuhi .stood up — " Welcome my brother. Come' to see your fallen tribe and your broken cause." Then I, Te Wheoro, stood vp — " Welcome me, Omy father ; welcome me, Omy brothers. 'I am come here to see the fallen tribe, and the broken cause. It cannot be helped. It is right, O my fathers, that peace should be made. I have nothing to say. I did not come to speak ; but the speech is in the letters. Do not let us make speeches ; but be quick and answer tbe letters." They sent to Tamahere for Tamihana. They met in Council. They came to me, (and said) — " If we give up the guns we shall perhaps be made prisoners. We don't clearly see how to answer the Governor's letter, because we are afraid of the steamer and of the soldiers, which are coming this way. For this reason, we came on here from Paetai." I said to them — " I have nothing to say you. I was not sent here to deliver a message." In the morning, Ngatimaniapoto came to cut down the flagstaff at ISTgaruawahia ; Waikato would not allow them. The quarrel was great. Both sides fired without aiming. Then Tamati Ngaporo, Mohi Te Ahiatenga, Patara te TuM, Paora te AKuru, and W. Thompson gave it (the flagstaff) to me with these words : — " Wi ; we give over this flagstaff to you, with those buried here, and Ngaruawahia, for you to give over to the General and to the Governor. Especially, let not the remains of the buried bo ill-treated by the soldiers. As for Ngaruawahia, the cultivations, leave them alone, wo are going away through fear." Moses gave his " hoeroa ' for the General for a pledge of peace, and the flagstaff for a pledge of peace. I returned with the letters for the Governor. These were all the chiefs who were present: Tamati Ngaporo, Mohi Te Ahiatenga, Wi Tamihana, Tikaokao, Paora Te Ahuru, Patera Te Tuhi, Kai-Ngarara. Enough. From your friend, Wi Te Wheoro. , Pene pc WAarepu to Ids Excellency the G-o~ vernor. Te Kauri, December 9, 1863. Oh Fbiend the Govebnob, — Salutations. Your letter has reached me; William Te Wheoro brought it to me. It is right, yes. The Queen's flag is over us. Yes, I am pleased at it. Now let us talk. The first letter you wrote to me I have not seen. This ends my letter. — From Pene Pc Whabepu.