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XV

of Titokowaru himself was a standing menace to the peace of the settled districts at New Plymouth. In May, the Taranaki Native Board, consisting of leading European settlers whom Sir D. McLean had appointed to assist the Government with their advice, began to remonstrate with the Ministry, and to urge that some understanding should be come to with Titokowaru, as the peace of tlie Province was being seriously endangered by his followers being left to wander among the Waitara tribes who barely tolerated their presence. At first the Government thought favourably of the views urged by the Board, so long as these should not go the length of practically abandoning the confiscation; but nothing was done. At the Parihaka meeting in September, where Titokowaru was present, an attempt was made to get some indication of the intentions of the Government with regard to his return, but it failed; and the Taranaki Board renewed their remonstrances, on the ground that, while the intentions of the Ministry as to Titokowaru remained unknown, his movements from place to place in the neighbourhood of the settled districts continued to cause every one great anxiety. Meanwhile the Government were pushing on the road-works on the coast, and endeavouring to enlist the co-operation of Te Whiti. At last, at a meeting at Parihaka in December 1870, Te Whiti and his followers suddenly made up their minds that the road-work should be carried on, and agreed to join in it themselves. This question of opening the road between Warea and Umuroa had long been depending on the decision of Te Whiti; and upon his now declaring in its favour, the improved relations between Te Whiti and the Government seemed to offer a new chance to Titokowaru, who resolved on returning to his former settlements on Waimate Plains. The Civil Commissioner at once Warned the Government of what was sure to happen, asking whether it would not now be wise to be prepared, especially in the defenceless state of the outpost at Opunake. Orders were immediately given to build a blockhouse at Opunake, to" serve as a rally in g-point in case Titokowaru should carry out his design in a hostile spirit; but no decision whatever was announced as to whether his return to the Plains should be encouraged or forbidden. Yet a decision was each day becoming more necessary : for while the settlers around New Plymouth were pressing the Government in one way, the Patea settlers were as firmly urging their own claims in exactly the opposite direction. The Taranaki settlers were (naturally enough) anxious that Titokowaru and his troublesome followers, who turned up at unexpected times and places with arms in their hands, should be got out of the way. The Patea people w rere (quite as naturally) determined not again, if they could help it, to have these Natives upon their hands. Stringent orders prevailed in the Patea country about intercourse between any Natives on the north and the south banks of the Waingongoro River: restrictions which pressed all the more hardly upon Hone Pihama and others who had remained loyal, because we had ourselves taken them to live at Oeo on the north and at Taiporohenui on the south. The Native Board, taking advantage of the improved aspect of affairs after Te Whiti had promised his co-operation for the road-works, once more brought to bear whatever influence they had to get the restrictions removed: and in March 1871, passed another set of resolutions, complaining of the two conflicting policies that, were being pursued upon the Coast, which they said w rould lead to the renewal of hostilities. This repeated advocacy of the same views could not fail at last to attract the serious attention of the Ministers. In a clear and decisive minute, the Hon. Mr. Gisborne declared his own opinion that, how xever necessary the action of the Government might have been at a previous time, both north and south of Waingongoro, the march of events had now rendered it absolutely indispensable to take a new departure if we were to secure peace. "The anomalous position of the Natives," he said, "in respect of land, of ourselves, and of each other; the uncomfortable attitude of Titokowaru; the paralysis of settlement on account of the unsettled land question ; the exceptional state of the district south of Waingongoro, complicated by the future claims of Taurua's tribe now imprisoned in Otago; all these are elements of discord which cannot with safety any longer be ignored, and must be peacefully settled without delay. The resolution of the Board, though it seems

1870. Native Board Eosolutions, 30th May 1870,70/614.

Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Minute, 11th June 1870.

Native Board Eesolutions, 4th October 1870, 70/1417.

Parris, Eeport, 16th December 1870, 71/681.

Parris, Eeport, 18th January 1871, 71/838. 1871.

Resolutions of Native Board, 23 March 1870. Appendix A No. 9.

Minute, Hon. Mr. Gisborne, 10 April, 1871. Appendix A No. 9.