ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2430, 20 October 1866, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Our columns being impartially opotr we do not hal.l ourselves respoasiblo for tho opinions cxpiossed by om- ooyrespoudants. (To the Editor of tho Wellington Independent.) Masterton, Wairarapa, Oct. 15th, 186(5. SIE. — WiU you favor me with a small space in your valuable journal, to refuto a gross attack upon the settles in this district, by a correspondent in the Independent of Thursday last* He writes : — "Roporfca have lately appeared in tho Wellington newspapers (ho must mean the Independent) of hostile demonstrations by natives in this valley, and of a degree of excitement on the part oi Europeans in consequence. Those reports aiv exaggerated, and havo emanated from certain pakehas resident hero, whose niofcivos are apparently to irrifcafco natives, cause -excitement, and appear ' big' in the eyes of their fellow-country-men." This is nofc only a slander upon your correspondents, but upon every settler in the valley. Then he goes on to say :—" and who aro utterly regardless of tlio welfare and feelings of others, having, as far as they are concerned, no great interest at stake, no families to provide for and protect, and who are provoking natives to war. ' This is another gross fulaehood. Now, what say? your own correspondent, and correctly too? "An armed troop of Hau Haus was organised, drillod and counter-drilled, (this is illegal) ; and tbat two hundred Hau Haus, of whom about eighty are armed, aro travelling from place to place." Sixty Hau Haus, mostly armed, were met; in tho Forty Mile Bush, by Mr. Board and party. It is well known that the settlers' cattle, sheep, and pigs have boen killed at their very doors, and their horses stolen ; " not only Mr. V. Smith's houso and Mr. Bannister's were simultaneously to be broken into one night and arms and ammunition taken," bufc every settler's house was allotted amongst thorn, at the commencement of the King movemonfc, and yet this malignant correspondent charges the settlers with " provoking natives to war." "An armed party of Maoris passed Masterton last week to visit their friends ; it comprised about forty of Wi Hapi's followers." Here, again, the cloven foot is fcen, bocaußO the number was sixty Hau Haus with Wi Hapi's. Ono of the most invetorate Hau Hau rebels in the provinco — " Ngairo and two or three others from fcho West Coast." Falsehood again. Now, what saya ono of our oldest settlers and an oyeVitness ; he counted two hundred, all armed, as they crossed Mr. Bannister's fence, one by one. "The majority of the Wairarapa natives protested against the carrying of arms, bufc were overruled by the others, who. assigned tho reason for audi conduct to bo a quid pro quo." I havo hor<J quoted his Latin. However, they did tako them. According, therefore, to hia own account his statement is untrue, because tho strangers from fcho West Coast and our own Wairarapa natives made up the number stated, aa soen by the old settlor alludod to, " and, also, that thoy are threatened by fche pakehas to be attacked, seized, and shofc." This is no doubt tho dangerous information they receive from thia' smooth faced oily tongued pakeha Maori, who can thus write. " This arrogance and offensive language is used towards them to irritate and gall, having given no provocation for' such, honco, in a great measure, tho causes of disaffection." Hero again ho shows his true colors, for the settlers ; generally, seldom see them, as thoy never visit the sottlers homes aa formerly ; bufc on passing fche farm of Mr. C thcslip-pannels wore left down, fche crops trampled upon, and overy man as he passed the houso pointed his gun at tho pooplo who had assembled to witness this half starved and somi-naked mob. He says, " the Maoris have become disgusted by the illtreatment and the abuse of reckless mon, and if Kapeno Poai (Captain Boys), or any ono else, wish to display hia valor, the Governor should direct him, or them, to choose his man (a Maori) and sefctlo tho question, pugnis ct calcibas ; bore again we have another sample of unparalleled cti'ronfcry. "If the Wairarapa natives had nofc boon peaceably and generally well disposed, they would havo retaliated "long since." Why, ifc is a well known fact thafc a very large majority went to the war, where many of them are left never to return, which shut up that insulting bounce, in a great measuro ; and, that so far from jjta being the peaceable disposition of theso bouncing Maoris,- it has been the very great forbearance of tho settlers. Who is this man, that dare to so unscrupulously malign tho aottlcra ? A man of education, no doubt, by his latin quotations, and all the moro dangerous for that, because his education and talents aro directod towards miachiof. His attack upon Capfc. Boys is uncalled for, although lub enthusiasm may havo carried him a step too far, in tho estimation of some ; bufc ho is certainly a very efficient officer. I deny on tho part of myself and the settlers a wish for war. I again ask who is thia wolf in sheep's clothing ? I am, &c, A Settler. . *.