E—Xo. 1 Sec. 11.

authority that the Natives of Mataitawa, who have not yet accepted the terms of peace, and who have claims on the Waiongona side of the land intended to be subdivided, are not only unwilling to allow their claims to be interfered with, but will resist any survey which might be attempted, by force of arms. I have therefore given up as hopeless for the present the idea of succeeding in the duty which the Government have been pleased to assign to me, and shall, in the meantime, carry on the ordinary duties of Mr. Parris' office in his absence until I am further instructed by you, whether in the present state of feeling in the Native mind, I shall proceed to the South or return to Auckland.

I have, &c,

John Rogan.

No. 10.

COPY OF A DESPATCH FROM governor sir GEORGE grey to his grace the duke of NEWCASTLE.

Ko- 23.

Auckland, New Zealand,

23rd November, 1861.

My Lord Duke, — I have the honor to transmit for your Grace's information the copy of a letter from the Rev. P. Riemenschueider, of the 30th September last, which has been forwarded to me, and which gi veg a v iew of the causes which, according to the statements of the Ngatiruanui people, led to their becoming involved in the Taranaki war. Your Grace will probably be aware that these people organized a plan for stopping the road through their district, and preventing the passage through it of Her Majesty's mail and of Her European subjects. You will now find that they alleged that they were forced into this measure, inasmuch as, whilst remaining in peace in their own country, they were not permitted to enter the Taranaki settlement, and were not allowed free access to its markets; none of them being allowed to enter the settlement without having first obtained a passport from the fort nearest its border; whilst a passport was not granted to the person or persons requiring it until they had first signed a document on parchment in attestation of their allegiance to Her Majesty. They state that this proceeding led them to believe that they were not only regarded as aliens, but treated as enemies to Her Majesty and to Her Government. 2. Having made enquiries on this point, I find the enclosed instructions were ssued to the officer commanding the garrison at New Plymouth, and to officers commanding blockhouses in that _ 3. It will also be found that the Taranaki tribe allege that when the late Governor visited them n1859, they sent a message to him to give him an explicit assurance on their part that in having recently raised a Maori King's flag they meant no disloyalty to Her Majesty's Government, and no hostility towards it or to the Europeans generally: that, on the contrary, they simply meant to maintain peace and order amongst themselves, and to secure lasting and uninterrupted peace and good understanding between themselves on the one part and the Government and the settlers on the other part. To this, it appears, the Governor answered that it was a subject beneath the dignity of Her Majesty's Representative to take notice of. It appears that this reply was not given to the Natives, as it was imagined it might produce a bad effect on them: and they were merely informed that it was not for their messenger to put questions to and to ask for answers from the Governor.

c.m-iiii-1 No. i._Letter from Mr. Riemenschiieider to sir Wm. Martin,

Enclosure No. 2.—Mr. itichmomi to Mr. Atkincommanding garrison, New riymt.uth, loth

4. This matter is of some importance in regard to the present state of this country, as the Natives very generally ergue to this effect: —" When the Maori King movement began, we were not told that it was wrong, and that it must at once cease. It is unjust in the Government now suddenly to make this a cause of quarrel against us, and when we have become involved in an affair from which we cannot speedily retreat, to say if it does not forthwith cease we shall be attacked by troops and forced to fight for our lives, our families, aud properties. Some time should be allowed for the settlement of a question which has now gone so far." 5. I simply here give the arguments as they are used. How they are to be met, and what I think should now be done, shall be discussed in a despatch upon the general state of this country. 6. But I ought at once to state that persons well acquainted with the Ngatiruanui Natives and their conduct for some years past, think that they have not by their proceedings established any claim upon our consideration, and that arguments such as they use come with less force from them than they would from other tribes. I have, &c, His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, k.g., G. Grey.

&c, &c, &c.

Enclosure 1 in No. 10.

New Plymouth, September 30th, 1861.

Honoured and Dear Sir, —

Your last communication, dated August 16th, for which I beg you to accept my sincere thanks, had reached Nelson per s. s. Airedale on the 10th instant, but, unfortunately, too late to overtake me there, as I had shortly before come over here in her on her forward trip to Manukau.

22

DESPATCHES FROM GOVERNOR SIR G. GREY