WORDS OF WARNING FROM WANGANUI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 813, 15 August 1870, Page 3

WORDS OF WARNING FROM WANGANUI.

[Chronicle, July 30.] Oke of our gallant native allies, Major Kemp, has preferred a claim to a large t portion, some 40,000 acres, of the land , lying between the Whenuakura and Waitotara rivers. We do not know what the uature of Major Kemp's claim may be ; it may be as good, for aught we know to the contrary, as some of tho 33 enumerated by the author of "Old New Zealand," but wo shrewdly suspect that we should have heard very little about it, were it not for { the circuit:stance that it is only made against the Pakeha, and that the real owners, the Ngarauru, have forfeited their rights, and are at the present time under a cloud. However that may be, had it not been for one little circumstance connected with this, we should not on this occasion have felt much inclined to pry into the mysteries of Native title to land, but should rather have preferred to leave its; settlement to that great Maori doctor who rejoices in the office of Native Minister. We cannot help, however, connecting with something like alarm this claim of Major Kemp's to the land, and a petition which he has late'y presented to the House of Representatives, praying that the Pakakoe tribe may be released from imprisonment and placed under his care. Is it possible that the gallant Major contemplates the settlement of that bad tribe on the Wairoa block ? And does he think that the deadly injuries which the settlers have suffered at the hands of those Maoris, and which ought to have been punished by death, are already forgotten by the people of this place ? If he does think so, we can assure him emphatically that he is much mistaken. The settlers still remember their murdered friends and blazing homesteads ; they remember too how often these natives have proved their hatred and treachery towards the white people ; and the instinct of self preservation will for years to come cause them to look with mistrust upon any attempt of the Maoris to settle again in fclieir neighborhood. We do not say that Major Kemp intends to locate those friends of his —those enemies of ours —on the Wairoa block, but putting the land claim which he has preferred, and his petition to the House together, we do say that it looks very much like it. It is certain that if the Pakakoe Maoris were given into his charge that he could not keep them at Putiki, unless the Government supplied them with food. Where then would he be more likely to take them than to this land which he hopes to get at Wairoa ? Let our readers imagine for a moment such a settlement formed between Waitotara and Patea. What would be the consequence ? First of all there would be an entire loss of confidence in the future on the part of the European settlers ; there would also be I the risk of Major Kemp's watchful care [proving insufficient to prevent this villainous tribe going back to their old love, ii. [indeed they have ever left it, and there j would be the certainty of an excellent I commissariat being prepared for some! future inroad within our borders. It is possible that many people will suppose that there is little chance of Major Kemp's claim to the land being entertained by ttie Government, and still less that his petition .till bo granted by the House. Unforfortuuatcly, we are not sure of that. Almost any native land claim is held good against the pakeha, and if Kemp had not received some encouragement from members he would hardly have petitioned the Assembly. Anything more disastrous to the welfare of tiiese districts could scarcely happen than tint the prayer of that petition should be granted by the Assembly. We solemnly warn the Government aud the House tUatif these murderous wretches are allowed to come back and settle again iu this neighborhood, evil consequences will resuit from it. We also recommend she Government, if it finds there is anything valid about Major Kemp's claim, to settle it by a money payment, aud not to give him laud in that district which he may possibly attempt to occupy, and then gather around him his Ngarauru and Pakakoe friends.