Page image

NATIVE INSURRECTION.

E-No. 3

That the Treaty of Waitangi, by which the Native Chiefs ceded the Sovereignty of the Islands of New Zealand to your Majesty, has been most scrupulously maintained on the part of your Majesty with reference to your Majesty's Aboriginal subjects. That whilst no other assistance has been rendered to the Colonists than that usually given in all your Majesty's ( olonies, your Majesty's Representatives, animated by your Majesty's benevolence, have, by loans of Public Monies from the Colonial Revenue, assisted your Majesty's Aboriginal subjects to erect Flour Mills, to purchase Vessels, and in various ways to engage in Trade and Agriculture. That it is the belief of your Petitioners that many of your Majesty';! Aboriginal subjects have latterly misinterpreted these evidences of your Majesty's benevolence, and instead of regarding them as the manifestations of y< ur Majesty's interest in their welfare, have long ceased to consider them in any other light than the tribute which weakness pays to power. That a growing contempt for your Majesty's authority has for some time been manifested by the Maories, to which tlie patient forbearance of your Majesty's Representatives, and the small number of Troops stationed in this Island, have not a little contributed. That this unhappy feeling is evidenced by the fact that the Maories have lately stopped your Majesty's mails ; and have grossly insulted your Majesty's Representative (Governor Gore Browne) ; That by electing a King to whom they have transferred their allegiance; they have combined to exercise sovereign rights over large territories in order to prevent the sale of lands by individual tribes or persons to your Majesty's Representative, thereby violating the Treaty of Waitangi. That your Petitioners believe that the present outbreak at Taranaki is a natural consequence of «uch violation of the Treaty of Waitangi. That for the maintenance ol your Majesty's supremacy, and for the defence of their lives and propeny, large numbers of your Majesty's subjects in this Province of Auckland have formed Volunteer Companies —Rifle arid Cavalry, —and 'hat your Majesty's Representative lias further made a levy en masse in the parts of this Province most likely to be endangered, and to which almost the whole population capable of bearing arms have loyally and cheerfully responded. That, in consequence of this unsettled state of affairs, the trade of your petitioners is suffering severely ; —that large numbers of people are leaving tie Colony; —and that, unless your Majesty's supremacy in this Island be speedily and decisively enforced, your petitioners believe that still larger numbers will lesve these shores; —that the interests of your Majesty's subjects, both European and Maori, wll be deeply injured;—that immigration will be arrested; —that the influx of capital will be gre'itlv retarded; —that an angry feeling "ill be engendered between the two races much to be deprecated; —and that the peaceful and prosperous colonization of the North Island of New Zealand will be indefinitely postponed. That your petitioners, therefore, earnestly beseech your Majesty to take such measures as will best maintain your Majesty's supremacy, thereby promoting the harmony, security, and welfare of your Majesty's European and Maori subjects. And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c, &c.

No. 52. COL. OOLD TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR. New Plymouth, 30th June, 1860. Sir,— I have the honor to forward for the information of your Excellency the enclosed copy of a correspondence en the subject of the recent engagement at the Waitara, together with the list of casualties sustained on that occasion. I have, &c, (Signed) C. E. Gold, His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand, Colonel Commanding the Forces. Auckland.

No. 262 L

Enclosure 1 in No. 52. MAJOR NELSON TO MAJOR OP BRIGADE. Camp, Waitara, 23rd June, 18C0. Sir,— I have the honor to report for the information of the Colonel Commanding the Forces, that observing this morning a fire burning in rear of a belt of fern S.E. of the Camp, and Natives apparently employed in cutting wood and carrying it to the " Pukitukauweri" Pah,* and having reason to believe that they were aggressing upon Her Majesty's land, I directed Lieut. Mould, R E., to proceed and reconnoitre the ground;—this Officer accordingly left the camp, supported by an escort. He found it to be a raupo swamp, (not a deep one), from which the hostile Natives seemingly obtain all the materials for the wharries in their new Pah. The spot is on a portion of Her Majesty's land.

* Referred to in my former letters as the Sadjle-back Pah.

47