THE HAU HAU FANATICS ON THE "WEST COAST.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2218, 13 June 1865, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE HAU HAU FANATICS ON THE "WEST COAST.

CRITICAL ASPECT OP AFFAIRS. (Wellington Independent, June 6.) Theough the return of Mr Henry Anderson from a visit to the West Coast, we are in possession of some important and authentic information relative to the proceedings oi the Hau Hau fanatics at Manawatu, which, aa will be seen from the subjoined communication, threatens an embroilment between them and the loyal Otaki natives. Our inormant states as follows : — ■ "I returned to Wellington on Sunday night, having left Otaki that morning. On an early occasion I will give you a full account of my torn-, but at present it is imperatively necessary to explain, as briefly as possible, the state of affairs which exists on the West Coast, through the proceedings of the Hau Hau fanatics. For a month or two past a body of these people have beou located a considerable distance up the Manawatu river, where they have been exercising the rites of their faith, to their heart's content. Some others of the same persuasion have also been present somewhere inland in the Rangitikei. So long as they did not come into close proximity with the settlers, very little apprehension was felt, but a Cow days ago, the first mentioned party came down the river, close te the inland village of Manawatu, where about thirty European settlers are located, and announced their intention of going to Otaki with the assumed object of having a tangi in honor of an old woinan who had died there, but their real intention was undoubtedly to disseminate their pestilent doctrines, and add fresh adherents to their cause. Native expeditions of this kind are proverbially slow, so before the party started the loyal natives of Otaki had been warned of the intended visit, and at once sent a deputation to the Hau Haus, emphatically forbidding them to enter the district. At the meeting which took place between the two parties, the subject was fully discussed, the Otaki delegates strenuously insisting that the Hau Haus were not to come, and the latter rejoining that they would do so if they thought proper. The JJ.au Man leader adopted a similar kind of statement to that used by the fanatics on tho East Coast on previous occasions. ' I have, 1 he exclaimed, ' dreamt a dream, and seen a vision, in which I have been commanded to go to Otaki in defiance of all opposition — therefore to Otaki I will go. I hare also been commanded to

obey whatever future orders I may receive from the same source. If, therefore, lam told to kill any person, I will Jo it: if I am told to oat the body, I will do it.' There was of course no reply to this kind of argument, and so the Otaki deputation returned homewards, aud informed the loyal natives of what had transpired. A fresh messenger was at once despatched to the Hail Hans again forbidding them to enter the district, but he also failed to alter their intention, and on Friday the party proceeded as far as a native settlement, five miles from Mr Cook's, of Manawalu. where another halt was made. j " i was in Manawatu on my downward journey on Friday, and became, naturally enough, anxious to reach Olaki before the Hau Haus, who it was at that time supposed j might have gone right on by the sea beach. On Saturday morning, I started by the beach for Otaki, and kept a sharp look-out for the fanatics, who, it was alleged, were i nearly all armed. Natives never interfere j with travellers under ordinary circumstances, ; but in the present case, there was no telling what those pestilent fellows might do. It was just possible that the before mentioned! leader might have been commanded by his su-per-natural mentor to offer up as a sacrifice the first peaceful traveller he met, and I certainly had no inclination to be the victim. However, all that is neither hero nor there, it is sufficient to state that I got to Otaki on Saturday night, where both settlers and natives were somewhat excited b} r the circumstances which had arisen. A largely attended meeting of the loyal natives was held in the Court-house at seven o'clock thatnight, winch 1 attended, and had the general drift of the speeches kindly explained to me by an interpreter. "What should be done if the Hau ! fans came, was the subject under consideration. iMauy speeches were- made which j evinced that there was considerable diversity of opinion in the loyalist camp. Itaunaraha — I forget hisotherpatronymics — strenuously upheld the Queen, and proposed that a petition should be sent to thu Government for arms and ammunition, with a request that a gunboat should be placed on the Mauawatu river to establish a blockade, while others thought that more time should be afforded for ! consideration before any decided steps were taken." Then the question arose "should soldiers or i Colonial Defence force men be asked for, the general opinion being that they were not urgently required at the moment* and that their presence as yet would be premature. Ultimate- j ly a requisition for arms, ammunition, and a steamer, was agreed to be signed by all the influential Qucenites, and I ' dare say will ' shortly be sent down olh'eially. I had a copy in Maori ofthis with me, kindly writleuoutby Mr C. It. Davis, but, I fear, it may not be translated in time for your first issue. There are clearly two parties in Otaki, one completely against the Hau llaus, and the others directy in their favor. The ne,v superstition has evidently made considerable progress on the West Coast, aud many, should' a favorable opportunity come, will be prepared to declare in support of it. At present there is, perhaps, no immediate danger, but the time is critical, and prompt action is required at the hands of the Government. " When I left on Sunday the Hau Haus were expected in Otaki on the following day. Old residents do not apprehend any immediate collision between them and the loyal natives, while it is expected the spread of the doctrine will be coniiued to the younger men in Otaki. " Although I have seen nearly every influential settler on the coast, and" have been made acquainted with everything that has transpired, yet it is with great diffidence I venture to express any decided opinion. Such as it is, however, you may have it. I think, then, that a steamer placed on the river would be of little practical use, except as a refuge iv case of danger. Those natives whose loyalty has been approved might safely be supplied with arms, and valuable allies thus secured, but that would not be enough. If the Government seriously desires to cope with the evil, let them try either negotiation or force. An able man despatched to Otaki might do much at present— perhaps succeed in getting the Hau Haus to leave quietly. But I do not think the Wairarapa affair managed in this way waa a Tory groat success, though Mr Dudley Ward did all he could. For myself, I believo in physical force, promptly displayed. A hundred troopers could capture those sixty fanatics iv a few days, and bring them down to Wellington, there to bo lodged in prison for seditious practices. A hundred troopersfifty stationed at Otaki, and fifty at Manawatu — could move rapidly as required, protect the settlors on forty-five miles of coast, ami preserve peace. I don't know what the Government may intend to do, but I sincerely hope at a time so critical, that no impotent display of force will be made. It will be much worse than useless to threaten and not to smite. Let us have either negotiation or force, not a mixture of both. With the former alone we may succeed, but if the latter be employed at all, then those sixty fanatics should be seized forthwith iv terms of Sir George Grey's recent proclamation." Wo subjoin a translation of the Native documeut prepared at the meeting to which Mr Anderson refers : — OUki, Juno 3, 18G5. FiJiExn Mr Maxtkll, iS v/iCTATION'ri. — Tlu'h ii a (ruUifu] communication which we now make to you; but perchance you may be. wearied by it "length. On the 3 1st May, lust ]):14, we heard that the lT:ui Ihuu at Rujiyitikei and Oroun, had commenced travelling, that 111 oy hvvo coming on to Olaki ; that, they had arrived at Atanawutu, heedless of Iho letters sent by Tnmihaiia to Raupavahu and others to prevent their coniinir. Qn this very day, certain of us went from Otaki to Manawatu, lo send back that llau ilau people, according to the proclamation of the Governor, which lias been promulgated regarding that fanatical creed; but they derided that proelainiition loom* faces, on account of the, non-fulfilment of the Governor'a other proclamations. Our reason for being urgent in sending tli«m back was through fear, and because it would hare grieved us deeply that they should come to Otaki to draw away men women and children to their evil practices and subvert the worship of the great God ; after which, thej' would turn round upon and murder \\<, together with the isolated Europeans. The evil of tlmt creed linn manifested itself in the murder of certain natives at Taranaki. llennre N^at.olu, his wife and their children, Rio, likewise, and the European at Waitotara, and tho Rev Mr Volkner, at Opotiki. These Hau Haus state, that the cn*c of Mr Volkner was not a murder, because, God commanded that he should bo put to death ; in fact, they would not listen to us, but continued obstinate, and wo returned homeward, with grief in our hearts. They are coming on towards Otaki. Now during the six years that are passed, in which they persisted in their maori king movement, urnl carried

arms (o intimidate us, using harsh words, we bore with them, even as a dog ; we cannot forbear i (longer.) This is our cry to you, if the C+overnmcnfc really feel favorably inclined towards us, grant us a .supply of arms, and place n steamer on the Maim- ] watu as a barrier against those lawless people, j that, they may know that the government of Iho I Queen in 2\ew Zealand, has a- care for alt her ' subjects. ! The end. —From your friends in tho sovereignty of our Q.uce.i.