EOR PEACE WITH THE NGAITERANGI TRIBE.

5

A.—No. IS.

for an explanation, but Mr. Eice and his companions, Hohepa, "WI Pateno, and Mahi, appeared to have a strong objection to any further light being thrown on the subject—Mr. Eice calling out, " Me korero ki te papa apopo" (Let the talk be at the camp to-morrow), well knowing that Colonel Greer intended to have no discussion there. I, in what I considered to be the exercise of my duty as an officer of the Government, attempted to explain things properly, and said, " It was optional with the Natives whether they surrendered or not. The Governor did not ask them to do so. (Kia te tangata ano tona hiahia me tona whakaaro. To the man was the desire or thought.) Wi Patene said, "Na te Kawana te kupu ki au kia houhia te rongo."* I said, "It is false, the Governor never told me, Mr. Eice, you, or any other man. to propose peace." He then fenced the question by saying, " I penei ta te Kawana kupu c hiahia ana ia, kia ora aua tamaraki " (These were the words of the Governor : he desired his children to live). I said, " Truly, but he does not ask them to make peace. The Governor is willing to make peace, but the offer to make it must come from the Natives." Wi Patene and others attempted to stop me again, and succeeded in doing so for a time. Hohepa was very abusive, repeating the words, "Tangata kuare " (ignorant man), several times. I said after the fighting at Waikato, some Natives being tired of the war wished to return to their allegiance. The Governor then pointed out a road for them ; which was, that if a Native wished to return to the Queen's side, he must deliver up his arms and ammunition to a Magistrate or to a Commanding Officer, and sign a declaration of allegiance to the Queen and agree to obey her laws. That his land was forfeited, and it was for the Governor to return to him sufficient for purposes of cultivation. The Maoris were informed at the commencement of the war that those who remained faithful to the Queen would be protected in their persons, goods, and lands, but the lands of rebels would be confiscated ; therefore, when they went into the war they did so knowing the consequences. Maihi Pohepohe said, "Do not say this peace is not the Governor's." "Ho Kawanatanga ahau, naku te whakaaro kia kumea te iwi ite mate." (I am a Government man. Mine was the thought to draw the tribe from death.) Maihi told Mr. Baker that several Natives wished to leave Tauranga and be placed on one of the islands where oranges, kumera, eocoanuts, &c, grow almost spontaneously, and where no Pakeha will ever bo likely to settle. A Mr. Insley, living at Mangatapu, informed me that ho believed the Natives were of opinion that the whole of the land, or nearly all of it, would be given back to them. We returned to the camp. In the evening, Colonel Grcer sent for Mr. Baker, and requested him to give him his ideas of the proper course to pursue in the surrender of rebels. It was arranged that Mr. Baker should give the subject his consideration during the night, and give Colonel Greer an answer in the morning. On Monday morning, 25th July, Mr. Baker wrote a note to Colouel Greer, in accordance with his request of the previous evening. Whilst he was employed copying this, I, seeing the Natives assembled in front of the house occupied by Colonel Greer, went up to the gate and was refused admittance, on the ground that I must be passed in by Mr. Eice. Mr. Eice not happening to see me, being engaged, and not feeling particularly inclined to be beholden to a junior officer for admittance to a place where I considered myself entitled to enter ex officio, and the Natives of my own district watching and doubtless wondering why I was refused admittance when other civilians, as Messrs. Black, Shepherd, Warbrick, and others were standing inside the enclosure, I therefore turned away. About half-way to the tent I met Mr. Baker, and informed him that I had been refused admittance. Mr. Baker told Mr. Eice, but no message was sent to me. Home time afterwards I walked up again, and stood near to the gate talking with I)r. Council and Captain Marks. Mr. Bice came out and asked why I had not come in. I replied, " Because I was refused admittance." Mr. Eice then returned to Colonel Greer, and Adjutant Covey came and said, " You can go in." I then went inside. I was then told by Adjutant Covey that I would not be allowed to interfere. I answered, "I do not want to interfere, and wish to know why I was refused admittance unless passed in by my junior officer." He replied, " Colonel Greer has a right to admit whom he pleases to his own place." I said, " I imagined the grounds were public on this occasion." I did not interfere in the proceedings in any way whatever. I took a few notes of Natives, arms, &c, for future use. I did not see any declarations taken. I noticed two or three Natives sign the agreement and declaration, which was not read over to them previous to their signing it. I did not observe any one attesting their signatures. About twelve Natives, the names of whom appeared on that document, were called, but did not answer. After all the arms had been given vp —that is, all the arms the Natives brought with them—and a large number of these Natives had accounted for the absence of weapons by saying they left them at the Gate Pa, Colonel Greer, addressing Mr. Eice, said :—" Tell the Natives I have perfect faith in their good intentions, now that they have laid down their arms. They are brave men, and I have perfect confidence in them. I shall report the proceedings to the Governor, and no person shall interfere with them until I hear from the Governor." Mr. Eice proceeded to interpret this speech, but he spoke so low that from where I was standing, at a distance of about six yards from him, I could not hear the commencement of his interpretation. Mr. Baker moved forward and said, " Let us go closer to hear what he says." I did so, and was followed 1)}" Eawiri te Ua. I heard, " Koutou kite korero o tetahi tangata ahakoa ki tana tangata no te Kawanatanga ia, kaua c whakarongo ki ana korero ;" meaning—" You, to the talk of any person, although that person may say he is a Government officer, do not listen to what ho says." I considered the latter part of Colonel Greer's speech as uncalled for; and Mr. Eice's interpretation of it, whether arising from ineompetency or otherwise, as being of a very mischievous tendency, and calculated to degrade the civil servants of the Government in the eyes of the Natives. Eawiri te Ua heard Mr. Eice's words, and I have the honor to enclose his version of them, with a translation made by Mr. Monro. Enoka then proceeded to make a speech, which consisted principally of a demand to see the Governor face to face, with an allusion to the Ngaiterangi having been drawn into the war by Waikato, and an assertion that some of Ngaiterangi had hidden their guns, which was highly probable. The meeting then adjourned to afford an opportunity for taking refreshments. 1 did not return to * Meaning, the Governor told us to make peace. 2