PAPEES RELATIVE TO HOROWHENUA.
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No. 10. Whatene Te Kaharanga and others to Mr. McLean. To Me. McLean, — Horowhenua, 4th October, 1869. 0 friend, —Salutations.—This is my word to you. It is about a certain European who is living here at Horowhenua. He is a European who is causing us trouble at this time. His name is Hector McDonald. Formerly he had a lease, now he is simply squatting. His time expired on the 24th of May last, in the year 1869. He is now only squatting. Our desire is to have the land surveyed, and that European tells Muanpoko that the chain for Horowhenua is not to be allowed to be brought here. Therefore I say that you must send some person hither to tell him to go away; for in the event of his not going away, if my hand strikes him I will have done no wrong. Therefore I say to you, send some person hither to tell him to go away lest that European remain here and the trouble increase with us the Maoris ; so that the trouble may be left for us, the Maoris, alone, and then it will be right. 0 friend, Mr. McLean, we have applied to you to send away that European, because through this trouble we are on the point of taking up arms. That European tells the Muanpoko not to allow the chain for Horowhenua to be brought hither, and we wish our land to be surveyed, that it may be brought properly before rthe Native Land Court. But that European, together with Muanpoko and also Ngatiapa, is making a disturbance about it. If this letter reaches you, reply quickly. Do you hearken. The disturbance about our land is growing into or will result in a great crime. Sufficient. This is a list of names. From Whatene Te Kahaeanga. Karaeaina Whawha. Tauteka. Indeed from all of us, Ngatipaeeeaukawa.
No. 11. Me. G. S. Coopee to Mr. H. McDonald. Sib,— Native Office, 23rd October, 1869. Complaints have been made to the Government to the effect that you have been inducing the Muaupoko people to obstruct the survey of land at Horowhenua, the title of which is unsettled. lam directed by Mr. Fox to request that you will cease to interfere in this manner, as the execution of a survey is the only way in which the land can be brought into Court, and the title of the opposing claimants settled. I have, <fcc, Mr. Hector McDonald, Horowhenua. G. S. Coopee, Under Secretary.
No. 12. Mr. H. McDonald to the Hon. W. Fox. Sie, — Horowhenua, 25th October, 1869. In answer to your notes to me about inducing the Muaupokos to obstruct the survey of Horowhenua, it is false. I defy any of the Muaupokos to say that I ever told them to do anything of the kind. I will try and explain to your Honor all about it, as far as I know about the land. I rent a run of the AVhatanui, and lived on it for the last twelve years ; the Whatanui died last January; as soon as he was dead, two women —Caroline, living with a man named Albert Nicholson, andTautika Matene, Te Whiwhi's wife—claimed the land and tried to turn me off. Caroline and Tautika were three days at my place, pulled down my fence, and threatened to burn my house down over my head. I wrote to Dr. Featherston about them; he gave my letter to Mr. Eichmond, who came up and heard all what the Muaupokos had to say ; they, the Muaupokos, say they are owners of all Horowhenua, with Whatanui, and will not admit any one but Whatanui's daughter and her husband to be owners of Horowhenua ; Whatanui told me many times before his death that all his things and lands were theirs after his death ; his daughter and her husband, Wiremu Pomare, a great chief of Mahurangi, are coming next month to take possession of the land. I have five letters from them to take no notice of these women, the land was theirs, and when they came, I should have the place as long as I liked; no one had any business to turn off the pakeha that Whatanui left on the place. Tour Honor, instead of me trying to stop the survey, I stopped the Muaupokos from breaking Mr. Swainson's glasses and chain. Mr. Eichmond could tell you all what the Muaupokos said to him about the dispute. Those women and old Matene are angry with me for not acknowledging them as my landlords. Nicholson and old Matene are at the bottom of it all. I can prove that Nicholson told those women to burn my house and kill my sheep, to turn me off and give the run to him. It was Nicholson and Swainson that caused all the row with the Natives, in persisting to have the land surveyed in spite of the Muaupoko. Tour Honor, it is only a few weeks back that those women got a Native, a brother of their mother, to try to turn me off. He claims the land, but the Ngati Huis told him they had a letter from Whatanui'3 daughter and Pomare to look after me, and to leave me alone till they came : he has said nothing to me since. I hope your Honor will excuse this long letter, but I wish to clear myself of the complaint laid against me, for I defy any one to prove that I ever told a Native anything but what I thought was right, or in any way to obstruct the sale of land. I have always been on the other side, and given what little influence I had with the Natives to Government, and not, like many as I know and beard, doing all they could to stop selling land, the same as at Eangitikei. Hoping again, your Honor will excuse me, but I am very much put out about this complaint, and I hope your Honor will not believe such a charge as is laid against me. I will also get all the Muaupokos to write to your Honor to clear myself. I am, &c, The Hon. W. Fox. H. McDonald. 2