WAIRAU MASSACRE.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 25, 24 January 1844, Page 4

WAIRAU MASSACRE.

(From the Wellington Spectator , Dec. 6.) WE think it well to revert to this melancholy event, on the departure of another vessel direct to London. The papers carried by the Nelson, will have shown our fears of the mischief that might be expected to arise if immediate steps were not taken to bring the perpetrators of that cold-blooded deed, to justice. Our papers now daily aftord evidence of bad feeling increasing between the Natives and the settlers, and there is no avoiding the conviction that the indifference shown by the authorities respecting the Wairau Massacre, is inducing the Natives to pursue a course which will lead to hostilities from | which great mischief must arise. The arrival of Captain Fitzroy is looked for J now with much anxiety, from the conviction that he will take the steps necessary to destroy the bad feeling now so rapidly on the increase. While at Sydney, he will have heard of the readiness with which boththe'Governor of Van Diemen’s Land and of New South Wales listened to our appeals for assistance, and will feel that with aid so readily extended, the Auckland Government have had the power of taking such steps as justice demands. They cannot plead the want of power, and we presume therefore, they will attempt to excuse themselves, by declaring their reason for abstaining to bring the murderers to justice, to have been a fear of embarrassing Captain Fitzroy’s proceedings, or the policy it was probable he might see fit to adopt. Should this be the excuse offered for pursuing a course which will in all probability heap great difficulty upon Captain Fitzroy’s Government, we have no doubt the new Governor will furnish a reply, the force of which will be well merited. He may with truth ask them whether any other course can be pursued than that of bringing the murderers to justice. The Auckland Government must be weak indeed if they suppose Captain Fitzroy will not be able at once to distinguish between the question whether the attempt to arrest the Natives was or was not a legal act, from the punishment due to the Natives for having slaughtered in cold blood two and twenty of our countrymen who had given up their arms, while there was no reason to fear any attack from them, as the remainder were scattered, and had fled in various directions. We are confident Captain Fitzroy will feel that the coldblooded murder must be revenged, and that any excuse the Auckland Government can offer for not having done their duty, is equally a shame and a disgrace alike to their heads and their hearts. The friends of the murdered men at home will find by the matters recorded in the New Zealand papers, that no apathy has been shown by the Settlers. They have been of one opinion ; they have urged upon the Local Government the necessity of taking immediate steps; they formed themselves into a militia to be prepared to strengthen the hands of the Government, and were in consequence insulted by that Government. They sent memorials to the Governors of Van Diemen’s Land and New South Wales, which received immediate attention. Indeed every step that could be taken to revenge the dead, and render their memories sacred has been adopted. We copied articles relative to the Wairau Massacre, into a late number of our journal, from Van Diemen’s Land papers. We haye no doubt they have been read with feelings of great indignation towards, and contempt for their authors, who doubtless have their motives for stating what they knew to be a tissue of falsehoods ; sucb statements fortunately carry their antidote from such a source ; for in reading them every man whose word is likely to have any influence will naturally have the following questions suggest themselves to his mind. Are these articles from the pens of men in Van Diemen’s Land, the only Colony possessed by Great Britain in which a native population has been wholly exterminated, and that in the short space of thirty years ? And is it not a fact that the New Zealand Company’s system is the first and only system, which was and is marked by its benevolence towards the native population ? The Company have been successfully thwarted in carrying out their views by the Government to whom

their plans appear to have been offensive, because inexpensive and likely to redound to their credit.

In copying the wicked articles from the Van Diemen’s Land papers to which we refer, we had in view showing to the Settlers, what they may expect when news of the accounts of the Wairau Massacre having reached England is received here. We believe a certain class of English papers, will hasten to write such articles as have been put forth in the neighbouring Colonies. But the truth will prevail if efforts are made with that purpose ; and we do hope, that, persons will give the right version of the sad affair in their correspondence with their friends ; adopting this course would go far to correct the mis-statements we may expect to be industriously put forward in the London press. r i here is now a duty to be performed in England, which we have no doubt will be most easily accomplished. Efforts will be madd to create a feeling that the murd< red deserved their fate. We shall hear of the innocence, gentleness, and kindness of the Maories. Statements to the effect that they have been cruelly wronged, and at last were goaded into resisting their oppressors, will be put forward, and the silly will believe the statements; and the bad having an interest in such statements prevailing, will, for ihe power it will give them over the silly, pretend to be horror stricken with the cruelty which has been practised towards the natives. But it is a fact which cannot be got over, that the natives murdered twenty-two of our countrymen in cold blood. This must be kept prominently forward, until justice is satisfied. And we take this opportunity of stating, from infoimation which has been derived from native slaves who were present at the massacre, that there is reason to believe that the unfortunate men were not killed for two hours after they were prisoners; that they were told theyshould be killeffpsnd every insult was offered to them while alive, and that they were cruelly tormented, if not actually tortured. It must be kept in mind that we have had very imperfect evidence about the massa** ere, and that no white man present lives to tell the tale. Not until the chiefs are taken can the slaves be expected to state what they were commanded to do ; for were they to do so now faithfully in a court of law, they dare not return to their countrymen, for assuredly as they did they would immediately be murdered. But show the power of the white man by pursuing the chiefs, and the slaves testimony maybe obtained; and it is alike needed in justice to the native and the settlers character. We know no better mode of vindicating the memory of the murdered, than for their friends to give a short account of the principles and career of the principal men killed on that day. Any who have known Captain A. Wakefield, Messrs. A.Thompson, Howard, Patchet, Cotterel, and Richardson, will admit that such men would be an honor to any age or country, Each of these lamented gentlemen must have at home influential friends who, we are convinced, will protect their memories from the insult which endeavours will be made to heap upon them. After the course pursued by the Auckland Government, all will feel convinced that the version of the Wairau matter forwarded to the Colonial Office will nave been most unjust. We have already seen how mnch the advantage of a communication with the Colonial Office has been abused, and we think in justice some memorial on the subject should be sent to Lord Stanley. Statements from the colonists, addressed to the Colonial Office must be sent through the Local Government. But statements to our disadvantage are sent home by the Governor direct to the Col, Office, and no means of a reply is afforded until it may prove out of season; in justice, Lord Stanley ought to discourage insidious attacks upon persons and settlements so frequently forwarded by the Auckland Governmant. Mr. Hanson’s letter to the Aborigines Society is a case in point, of great importance. That ought not to have been received at ihe Colonial Office until it had been made public in the Colony. True, a copy was communicated to the Company but they could not possibly be in a condition to furnish a reply, it had therefore to be answered Borne twelve months later in

the Colony, And though that answer is most full, in the meantime we believe Mr, Hanson’s letter to have been almost fatal to the Colony. Though the answer will we are convinced, be admitted to be com« plete, it never can undo the mischief of which the letter has already been the cause,

Our friends in England will remember that, to this hour, we have only been able to publish the depositions relative to the Wairau Massacre taken at Nelson, and that those taken on the scene of the murder and in this port have been suppressed by the authorities ; consequently, no opportunity for comment on them has been afforded. It must be palpable to every impartial mind, that a desire to prevent the colonists from putting forward their view upon the whsle of the evidence, and so to weaken their statements, must be the sole cause of keeping us thus long imperfectly informed.