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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume III, Issue 1, 12 February 1863, Page 1

Our Native readers will find in another column " The decision of the Governor in the dispute between Matiu and Te Tirarau," which important paper was read by the Native Minister to the Chiefs and people concerned, assembled before Government House on the 7th instant. It will be remembered that Matiu Te Aranui, and Te Tirarau, for a lengthened period had been disputing as to the ownership* of certain lands on the Mangakahia stream in the Kaipara District; and that the differences between them had unfortunately in May last-led to hostilities, resulting in the loss of malfy valuable lives. The belligerents were immediately reinforceci by the Mahurehure' tribe and others from Hokianga and various localities, and formidable

preparations were made on both sides to renew the contest—to commence a sanguinary war. At this juncture His Excellency Sir George Grey stepped in between the combatants as mediator, and suggested the settlement;of the difficulty by arbitration, which humans proposition was at once acceded to, and the hostile armies quietly returned to their respective settlements, express-1 ing their gratitude to the Governor for his paternal solicitude—for his! timely intervention in staying any further effusion of blood. It was subsequently arranged that the disputants should choose their own arbitrators, four in number, and that the Governor should act as umpire and decide the case, providing the arbitrators could not agree. • The gentlemen chosen by Te Tirarau were Messrs. Walton and Heath, and those chosen by Te Hira Mura Awa, representative of the late chief lifatiu, who died in December last, were Te Hemara, Native Assessor of the Ngatirango, Mahurangi, and Eruena Te Paerimu, of the Ngatitiatua, Orakei. As the arbitrators were unable to agree, the case was referred to His Excellency, whose decision will, we are sure, be read by all the Maori •with the attention which such an important subject demands. The Native tribesjiave been in the habit hitherto their disputes by a series of battles, the stronger party beating back : the weakjor annihilating them; but it haa bcfenreserved.forthe Governorof New Zealand, in 1863, to initiate another

mode of action, by which the old feuds and death struggles of the Maori are averted, and their land quarrels justly and amicably settled. That Sir George Grey would be able to withdraw the combatants temporarily from the scene of strife was expected ,* but that he should succeed in inducing them to settle their complicated land dispute by arbitration, was hardly anticipated by the most sanguine of his friends. It is, however, now a great fact, and all the friends of the Maori look upon the transaction with unbounded pleasure, being the commencement of a new and interesting era in the history of Maori affairs —alike honorable to the Government of the country and the Maori people. The Maori, it will be seen, have become sufficiently enlightened to discover that an appeal to arms is simply to lend themselves to the worst passions of human nature, which are ever trying to gain the ascendancy. Their appeal to a court of enquiry in the present instance evinces a spirit of manliness, and is a step in advance which cannot be too highly praised. It is unnecessary here to enter upon the details in this case. The evidence taken before the arbitrators will no doubt be published, when it will be seen that no ordinary duty has devolved upon His Excellency,, fraught as these land questions are

with difficulties that the Natives themselves are unable to unravel. "We trust that we are now bidding adieu for ever to all fighting about lands, and that the new process of settlement introduced by Sir George Grey, namely, arbitration, ~will be adopted in future by all Native tribes disagreeing about their land titles; and we need scarcely reiterate that the choice of this simple but effectual plan will, we are bold to assert, be highly conducive to the interests, moral as well as political, of the Maori race. "