WELLINGTON.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 136, 21 August 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

WELLINGTON.

THE SUPERINTENDENT AT OTAKI.

The Superintendent has published the address he delivered to some 200 Queen and King natives at Otaki, together with a brief report of the speeches made by the King natives in reply. There is nothing very satisfactory in the remarks of either. Unlike the settlers at Turakina, the Superintendent did not tell the natives that he should hold them responsible for any outrages that might be committed by natives on the West Coast, unless they gave timely notice of such contemplated outrages; while he consented to an arrangement which was dictated by them, under threat of immediate war, that neither soldiers, militia, or armed constables should be sent into the district between Paikakariki and Manawatu. He told the meeting that the King movement had produced nothing but anarchy and confusion—war and bloodshed. Those of them who approved of such proceedings, and intended to carry out the orders of the King to plunder and murder would be—what ? Dealt with according to law—be imprisoned, hanged, or transported, or have their lands confiscated ? Nothing of the sort. But that they would not be regarded by the settlers as their friends ! But in the light of men against whom we must be on our guard, and against whose treachery we must take every possible precaution. And this is the way the head of the Province humbles himself and the Province before men who have disowned allegiance to their lawful Sovereign, and apologises to them for the settlers having adopted measures of selfdefence. Those who intend to plunder and murder are men against whom we must be on our guard! How very mildly spoken, to be sure !■ The Maories have compared Sir George Grey to a mole, did they think of puss and her velvety paws when listening to the honied words of the Superintendent ? Wi Tako admitted that he had received a letter from the Maori King, Matutaere, calling upon them to rise, and commence war at once on the Europeans ; and Heremia said that the Waikatos would send them to different points when war would commence. He would give his European neighbors timely notice to quit the district. He would go and tell them that they might go quietlyto Wellington ! And this is the satisfactory state of the Province, and the peaceful inlentions of the natives, of which we have heard so much! Heremia further said, — “ Keep away the militia from Porirua along the coast to Wangaehu ; if they are moved on the coast, there will be war. I tell you we have received a letter from the King to commence war at once on the Europeans; the Waikato are to send men to different points ; at that time war is to commence. Your questions require thought. I will answer them at our meeting at Otaki. I will give my European neighbours notice when they must leave ; you need not fear murder ; it cannot be done without our knowledge. No war party can come from Waikato without our knowledge. We have too many friends there. lam a bad man ; attend to what I have said. Keep away the Militia.”

And hear Hopi. He said, “Fighting is no part of our plan, but if the Governor says that there shall not be two heads in New Zealand—if he attacks the King’s right—if he intends to put down the King, then wo shall go to support the King. We won’t give up the King. Keep your soldiers in Wellington.” As soon as a deputation of Waikatoes or other emissaries of the Maori King appear on the West Coast, the whole of the European population are to abandon the district. They will not be plundered or murdered if they will quietly abandon their homes and leave the district to the undisturbed possession of the adherents of Potatau 11. In the meantime neither soldiers, militiamen, nor even mounted constables, are to be stationed at the European settlements on the Coast, for the protection of either blacks or whites, of either loyal natives or British settlers! And to this humiliating arrangement the Superintendent of the Province permitted them to believe that he gave his assent. It is possible that he considered the arrangement, under the circumstances, satisfactory, We were told that all the settlers would require from the Government would be the loan of & few carts; and he himself tells us that he told these rebels “ he should probably advise that no force be at present stationed at Waikanae, Otaki, and Manawatu.” Such is the result of the Superintendent’s visit to the West Coast!

The Supeeintendent’s Doings. —The Superinreturned from his visit to the West Coast on Sunday afternoon. The King natives would not consent to any of the Defence Force being stationed in their district. They told the Superintendent that the whole native population were in a ferment at what they believed to be the intentions of the Governor, and were prepared for resistance. This information, we understand, was deemed by His Honor satisfactory, and he forthwith jumped at the conclusion that it was the attitude taken by the Governer and settlers which frightened the Maories, and, in his opinion, Mr. Ludlam’s proceeding at the Hutt, in establishing a night patrol, and the Governor in calling out the militia, were calculated still further to frighten them. He looks, wo believe, on the organization of the Defence Force as an impolitic course, calculated to excite the natives, and to impose on the province an unnecessary expense. The following is the official version of the visit as given in the Independent :— “ The Superintendent met the Waikanae natives on Friday, and the Otaki natives on Saturday. Despite the predictions of those most learned in native matters, Wi Tako, Heretnia, and the Kin<* natives generally, assembled in the Runanga House belonging to the Queen’s natives. They had never done this before, but they did it then, as an expression of confidence. They all admitted that the whole of the native population was in a ferment, arising out of their alarm at what they believed to be the intentions of the Governor. They heard of troops and ships, and river boats, and looked upon them as the means whereby they •were to be exterminated and their lands confiscated. They were prepared for resistance, the resistance of desperation. The Superintendent did not disguise from them that troops, ships, and

other appliances in any number and to any exten* were placed at the disposal of the Governor to put down rebellion, and that it would bo put down at any cost. That only those who assisted the rebels would be implicated in the overthrow that awaited them : those who remained at peace would be left at peace. The Superintendent pointed out the folly of supporting the King as a means for the preservation of law and order—that the King was the author of murder and robbery, and that if they do his bidding they must take the consequences. That, independently of whether they remained peaceable or not, it was necessary for the settlers to be prepared for any raid from the Waikato or other lawless tribes, and that they would go on arming and taking every means for their own defence. He was glad to hear the chiefs say that they would give warning of the war party from the north, and hoped they would do so, but nevertheless soldiers, settlers, and troopers would be on the look out also. In answer to their request that troopers might not be sent on the coast, or to the Rangitikei, the Superintendent told them that they would certainly be stationed at Rangitikei, as that was the principal point where a taua would be most likely to come; to the reasonableness of which they fully assented.”—Advertiser, August 4. Aems. —Four hundred arms have been promised as soon as they can be collected from the Volunteers in the Southern Island: 200 from Nelson and the like number from Canterbury. A portion of these are directed to be sent to Wanganui, and a portion to Napier; only about half are to be retained in Wellington.— lndependent , August 1.