PAPERS RELATIVE TO HOROWHENUA.
F.—No. 8,
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tell you what our intention is. Wanganui and Turakina do not intend joining in the work of Te Keepa and Hunia. Aperahania is in the forest, cultivating. If they fight, these people will not join. This is my letter. Mete Kingi.
No. 72. Mr. J. T. Edwards to the Hon. D. McLean. (Telegram.) Otaki, 18th July, 1871. I have been to Horowhenua. Kemp and Hunia, with twenty-five armed followers, are still there. Ngatiraukawa are amusing themselves by building apa at Poroutawhao. Fever has not ceased to exist in Otaki since it first broke out. I will inform the doctor as to medical comforts. J- T- Edwards, E.M.
No. 73. The Hon. D. McLean to to Major Kemp. Feiend Major Kemp,— Wellington, 19th July, 1871. I am trying to find out what your and Kawana Hunia's intentions are in remaining at Horowhenua. My opinion is that all the people should return to their respective homes. Tou Bnd Kawana Hunia come here to Wellington, so that this trouble may be discussed. It is not right to talk about fighting. From your friend, Donald McLean.
No. 74. Major Kemp to the Hon. D. McLean. To Mr. McLean, — Horowhenua, 22nd July, 1871. Salutations to you. I have received your letter dated the 19th instant. I wish you to know there are no people of Ngatiapa or Wanganui here—there are none —not one. There are only twenty-six men (here), besides the old men, the women and children, and those men, those old men, those women and those children belong to this place. John Knocks saw them on his second visit to this place. There are only the two of us here, that is to say Major Kemp by Tanguru* of Muaupoko, who fought against Te Eauparaha, Ngatiawa, Ngatiwhatua, Ngatimaru, Waikato, and other tribes, and Kawana Hunia, by Kaevva, and we are both of Muaupoko. The messengers, whom you sent with your letter to me, have seen us, and you can ask them if they saw many men there. That is all about that. Mr. McLean do not give heed to the false statements which may reach you. They (the Eaukawa) have given us this offence, and that accounts for our badness towards them. Their offence was in taking our place. The Eaukawa have built their pa at Poroutawhao, and also they are living upon the disputed boundary. Is this course a right one ? We do not think that it is right that the disputed boundaries should be occupied. We object to it; we do not like to see them on the boundaries of our place walking about armed at night. Were they to come close to our pa, they would be fired upon, and so evil would result. As it is, we are acting in accordance with Major Edwards' word to us, and were we to see a proper opportunity for going to you, we would go; at present we will not go. There is great trouble, and soon it will come to the worst. Sufficient. Major Kemp, Eangihiwinui.
No. 75. Te Watene Tiwaewae to the Hon. D. McLean. To Mr. McLean, — Horowhenua, 22nd July, 1871. Salutations to you, the man to whom were expressed the thoughts of all the chiefs who are dead and of thoso who are still in this world, for it is through you that our condition has been improved during the past years and up to the last year. In this year, 1871, this affliction has come upon me through the acts of these people, Kemp and Hunia. Friend, hearken, lam in great distress of mind on account of my houses having been burnt. I thought that had these houses belonged to Europeans the offender would have been imprisoned. According to the old custom of our ancestors, were a house to be burnt, a man would be taken in revenge : this was our old custom. Now we are under your law. However, perhaps, these are Maori houses and so not thought much of. Give heed, as although ours might be very indifferent houses, in former days a man was taken always (when one was burnt). Now, under your law our old custom no longer exists. I wish you to know that if you come to Otaki, I will not go there. I want to see you here at Horowhenua: we are waiting for you here, I and my friends Tamati Maunu and Hetariki of Muaupoko. These men support me on account of the course pursued by Kemp and Hunia. Sufficient. Tour true friend, Te Watene Tiwaewae.
No. 76. Mr. J. A. Knocks to the Hon. D. McLean. Sib, — Eesident Magistrate's Office, Otaki, 24th July, 1871. I have tho honor to report that, relative to the Horowhenua land dispute, although the Natives in this district are disturbed, all excitement has disappeared, and they are quietly waiting for * I think Tanguru was Kemp's uncle. —J. E. T.