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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 3, 15 February 1858, Page 1

The present number of the "Karere" contains a proclamation of his Excellency the Governor having reference to the disturbances at Taranaki. We shall here endeavour to explain its meaning and object to our Maori readers and tbe motives which have led the Governor to issue it. Since August 185*, the Taranaki natives have been engaged in a deadly feud. Its otigin, as is well known, was the death of *' ho * as sh <>* by S&y&gr&J while attempting to cm a boundary on land in dispute between them. For morethan three years hostilities bad been going on, many lives had been sacrificed. Tbe government bad not thought fit to interfere because the Taranaki natives were not sufficiently enlightened to understand English law, or to give their support in carrying it out.

Had-an Englishman done what ]fmaVU*fl AiA the law would have punished him. Englishmen would not be allowed to take up arms and figUc among themselves as was done by the Taranaki natives to avenge the death of flajyrj. The law would punish any person who should attempt to do so. Every hostile encounter between the contending parries it Taranaki was a breach of the law.* The Maories do not yet understand this. The Governor did not interfere lest his doing so anight increase the difficulty. It was hoped that the evil might end sooner if the Maories were left to tbemteves tbej were therefore only urged by the Governor to make peace and bury the past They were also required to confine the quarrell to themselves and not interfere with the settlers. Of late there seemed reason to think that peace would bei restored and that both parties were tired of the contest While indulging this hope we are startled by the pews of another and more frightful murder.* Katatore and his com. rations are waylaid, savagely mUdereT by iiWMf- on 'he public road, before the eyes or the Pakeha seuTers, on land which has been acquired by the Government Hostilities are resumed, the flames ef strife rage more fiercely than before. Blood is ypilt on land which the Queen has granted. This cannot be allowed to psss in silence. The Governor has therefore spoken bis word. He still says «• I shall not interfere. Both parties are doing wrong, but it is not my present intention to employ force agauisteitherwhHetheykeepoutsidethelimiu of the English settlement, bat I will allow neither to come armed withintbeselimits. i SS fig^D * la ™y Presence." The proclamation of which we have spoken is issued to let the Taranaki tribes and all persons in New Zealand know that the Governor will not suffer fighting parties to come witbintbe boundaries of the settlement •created in the Schedule. If they come after this warning their doing so will be regarded as an act of hostility and defiance The Magistrates will proceedl againsiam' * US?JfttfinF I 8 ofreped tbe * the aid of the Military will be sailed in. The object of this is to protect the neaceabfe fleets of the Queen and *jZ£SFS& becoming involved through accident' or

otherwise, If the tribes who are resolved upon carrying on this contest do not wish to be treated as enemies of the Queen let them keep outside the boundaries named. The Governor has called upon- them to< cease their strife. They have' not obeyed. He now says •* You shall not fight before my face upon the land which the Queen has granted to her peaceable subjects and when they nave a right to ask for her protection. We think it unlikely that this ppoclama. tlon will have to be put in force against any of the Taranaki natives both because the retreat of Ihaia to* the Waitara has removed the scene of hostilities, and also, because wc believe neither party wishes to* involve the Europeans. We hope, however, that our readers will now understand the motives which have induced His Excellency to issue it. That it is his wish to prevent strife between; the Pakeha and the Maori. He is greatly pained to see the Maories at Taranaki and other places quarrelling and killing each other. He would suppress these feuds If he could do so without risk of aggravating the evil by- interference. But unlit the majority of the people are sufficiently enlightened to see the advantage-of interposing- the authority of the Queen for this purpose?, until they are sincerely desirbns that this should be done and are prepared to assist, be can not attempt it. His Excellency would gladly see the Maori people generally willing that the Queen's authority should, be thus interposed, believing that k would be greatly, foe their own* benefit. We add a word of caution* Do not listen to idle reports or believe that any change can take place in the intentions of the- Queen's Government towards the Maori people. The Governor will always be their protector and friend. He can not better shew himself to be so than by taking care to prevent strife between the Pakeha and the Maori. This is a principal object in issuing the tion, we have tried to explain^