E.—No. 4

The only effective remedy which can be applied to evils of such a state of things, is by a pacific solution of the question which now divides the two races, and by bringing Natives under the ordinary authority of law. To that end His Excellency's Government is using its utmost efforts, not without reasonable hope of success. To precipitate a conflict of races by recourse to extreme measures in such a case as that to which your letter refers, would, however justifiable it would seem in the abstract, frustrate the object in view, and only lead to consequences in the highest degree detrimental to the interests of the Colony. Whilst, therefore, I assure you that the Government will use all means in its power of obtaining for you redress for admitted wrongs, it is not prepared to take such steps as may provoke a hostile collision with the Natives. I must point out to you that your claim for the interference of Government is greatly prejudiced by the fact that the present difficulties have arisen mainly from the circumstance of your occupying land in direct contravention of the well-known provisions of the law. I have, &c, H. Halse, Asssistant Native Secretary. Kobert Ormsby, Esq., Waipa.

No. 9. EOET. OEMSBT TO ACTING NATIVE SECRETARY. Waipa, 18th June, 1862. SlE — Referring to the concluding paragraph of your letter of the 22nd ultimo, in which you state that my claim for the interference of Government " is greatly prejudiced by the fact that the present " difficulties have arisen mainly from the circumstance of your occupying land in direct contravention " of the well known provisions of the law," I beg leave to state for the information of the Government that I came to reside in this district in the year 1848 ; the law in question had then been some two years on the Colonial Statute Book ; when it was enacted, a number of Europeans were squatting in the Waikato country, yet these persons were neither ordered to remove, nor were they required to take out licenses. Since I have resided on the Waipa, successive Governors, Ministers, and Magistrates have visited the district, but no objection has been made, no European has been prosecuted, and the law, so far as it referred to squatting, has remained hitherto a dead letter. For these reasons I have always considered that the law in question was not intended to prevent squatting, but to give the Government the power of removing in a summary manner any European whose residence in a Maori district might endanger the peace of the Colony. I am confirmed in this view of the case by the conduct of the Missionaries, the teachers of religion and morality in the district. I am quite sure they must have interpreted the law as I did rather by the policy of the Government than according to the strict grammatical sense, for I feel certain they would not wilfully and knowingly contravene any of the laws of the Colony. It will not be denied that the residence of Europeans in Maori districts has been an advantage to the Province, <is regards trade, and in other respects ; I hope, therefore, that the Government will not allow this law to operate to the prejudice of our claim for protection from the iniquitous decision of the Kunangas, and that it will by a timely vindication of the authority of the law, keep the settlers from being driven to desperation. I have, &c. Kobt. Ormsby. The Acting Native Secretary, Auckland.

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