E.—No. 2,

9. They refer to the manifesto issued by the Government in February 1860, declaring the causes of the war against the native race ; and they affirm that the most important statements contained in that manifesto are not correct, although promulgated with the authority it was, and circulated throughout Her Majesty's possessions without the possibility of their replying to it, or of their reply being heard; whereby a great prejudice was created against them. And they contend that there was no resort to arms on their part until from this and other causes they were convinced that their destruction was determined on, and that their only hope of safety lay in their courage and strength, if an armed force was sent to dispossess them of their homes. They do not understand why, if the Queen buys the houses £>nd private properties of Her subjects, Her Majesty has more right to enter upon such properties than any of Her Majesty's subjects ; and they say that until they were sure armed force was intended, the survey of the Land claimed by Teira was only interfered with by women, who without violence interrupted the surveyors on portions of land which were then their own property, or that of their husbands. 10. Their general statement with regard to all this, is, that the people of the Waitara were driven from their homes at the point of the sword ; that a great crime has been committed against them; that through all future generations it will be told that their lands were forcibly and unlawfully taken from them by an officer appointed by the Queen of England ; and they are particularly excited at a wellknown native murderer having been adopted as the friend and ally of the Government in some of these alleged proceedings, this confirming their belief that the real object of the Government is to get land, and that any instrument, however bad, will be used for this purpose. The strength of the language they use on this point would hardly be credited by those who had not heard it. The result is, that leading native after leading native has told the Governor that they will, under no circumstances, aid the Government in any attempt to hold the land at the Waitara, if any war should arise in reference to that block of land. And large numbers of other influential natives have declared to the Governor, that the whole native race will engage in a general and simultaneous war upon the several European settlements of the Northern Island, if any further war should be engaged in by the Government on account of the Waitara question. 11. The natives will not agree to any investigation of the title to the land at the Waitara alone. They say they do not want that. That a great wrong has been done them, which has entailed great suffering on them, and they ask for an enquiry into the whole affair, in order that it may be shown who is really guilty of the evils which have sprang from the late war. 12. These are the arguments and assertions made use of by the native race ; their truth or the contrary can only be ascertained when full means of forming a judgment on the subject have been obtained ; but in order that the Government may arrive at a just decision on the questions now under consideration, on the right solution of which such great interests depend, it seems fair to both races that the reasonings and pleadings of the Natives, which they have no adequate or proper means of giving utterance to themselves, should be recorded and considered. 13. The Natives throughout the island are also now in a state of chronic discontent and revolt, giving as their grievances those which are stated in this minute. Many of them have in consequence renounced the Queen's Sovereignty ; numbers of them declare they have been so wronged that they will never return under it. 14. The Governor has exhausted on them every argument and influence he could use, without in any way moving their dogged determination in reference to the Waitara question, and he regards it as hopeless now to look for any success in this matter, or to think that he can lead them to be satisfied with a mere investigation of the title. They say that is quite clear, and well known. What they want is an inquiry into the whole affair, and into the fact of who is to blame for the evils that have occurred. 15. The Governor now proceeds to consider his own position in reference to the block of land at the Waitara. 16. He is informed that, since the war, no complaint whatever has been made against the natives of the Waitara district; and the Governor's powers in reference to the block of land, stated to be claimed by Te Teira, are narrowed down within the limits prescribed by his predecessor, as follows:— " The investigation of the title, and survey of the land at Waitara, to be continued and completed without interruption." "Every man to be permitted to state his claims without interference; and my decision, or the decision of such persons as I shall appoint, to be conclusive." "In conformity with the declaration made on the 29th November, 1859, the rights of those who may prove their title to any part of the piece of land at Waitara will be respected." 17. The Government is thus to be at the trouble of investigating every claim to this land, —to put each owner in possession of his own piece of land, —and to retain the residue of the 980 acres (if any) for the Crown, paying for the same the sum of £880, in addition to the £100 already paid. 18. Since the Governor has arrived at Taranaki, from inquiries made by the Native Minister and himself, the following facts have come to light in reference to this piece of land which have hitherto (if known) never been reported to Her Majesty's Government, or in any way made public, which are of the most important nature, —and, in the Governor's belief, alter the whole character of the transaction. They are as follows : — The block of land of 980 acres, said to have been bought from Te Teira, has never been paid for : a deposit of £100 has been paid. The block was originally to have consisted of 600 acres, for which £600 was to be paid. Teira expects therefore to receive £980 for the present block. By the arrangement made with him, he would be entitled to this sum. This block of 980 acres of land now appears to have been inhabited, at the time Teira undertook to sell it, by William King and between two hundred and three hundred of his people They

11

THE "WAITARA.