TO THE INHABITANTS OF WELLINGTON AND ITS VICINITY, AND TO THE BRITISH SETTLERS IN COOK’S STRAITS.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 95, 27 June 1843, Page 3

TO THE INHABITANTS OF WELLINGTON AND ITS VICINITY, AND TO THE BRITISH SETTLERS IN COOK’S STRAITS.

After the contest at Wairoa, between a party of armed Settlers from Nelson, and a body of the Natives, which has been attended with such a melancholy loss of life, I feel it to be my duty to lay before you a statement of the results of that contest; and. pf. the information which I have been able to acquire. Although I have not at present, any. authenticated accounts of the number, of per* sons who have been slain, I am compelled to believe that it has been very numerous; and there: is but too much reason tp apprehend that Mr. Thompson, the Police Magistrate, and Captain Wakefield, the Company’s Agent, have, fallen. No. one among you can regret tnpre sincerely, than myself this fehrful sacrifice of human life, or can feel more deeply the loss Which the settlement has thus sustained; but . I should fail in iny duty did I not declare my conviction, after obtaining evidence.from all quarters, ; that the affray was not the result of any premeditated;design;on the<par,t ofithe Natives, but that; on thecontrary they, sought by every, means to avert it> : and did . not: fire a shot until five of, their .party had fallen, including the wife of Eangihaiata,.who at the moment bore his own ;Son in ;her, arms. Upon;)receiving; the disas-< trous;,intelligence,/feeling it to be of ;tjie first importance • to obtain = authentic information of ■the, ibtentions of the - natives; I immediatelyput myself in.:cdmmunication with those persons who were ihi- a position to furnish accurate reports on/ the suhject, and I have the satisfaction qf f nforrning you that the natives of Waikanae,.

, at whicii place Rauparaha first landed, refused to allow him to remain among them, lest the friendly relations which had previously subsisted between them and the English Settlers might be destroyed; and that I have every reason to believe these feelings to be shared by almost all the Natives upon the coast. No apprehension, therefore,; of any aggression on their, part need to be entertained; but if frorii any circumstances a hostile purpose should be cherished by them, I have made arrangements which will rinmediately put me in possession of the fact, and enable me to make all necessary preparations to resist it. In order to strengthen this friendly feeling, I have published an . address to the Natives in their own language, and have caused it to be distributed in all parts of the country, which I trust will have that effect, by maintaining a confidence in the justice of the government and in the impartial administration of the law. At the same time I have taken measures for the protection of persons and property in this place, and the immediate vicinity, by increasing the police force to an extent whicli ; will, I trust* be sufficient to meet the present exigency. I have deemed that the recent occurrence was of so serious a nature in itself, and in its probable consequences, as to call for the immediate interposition of the Local Government. I have therefore forwarded to Auckland all the information I have been able to collect, arid I feel assured that* immediately upon receiving the intelligence* a portion, at least, of the troops at the disposal of the Government will be Jsent to this place* that a full and searching investigation will be made into all the circuriistances of the transaction, and that prompt and complete justice will be done.. I will not conclude without expressing my sense of the promptitude and zeal which you have displayed in coming forward to strengthen the hands of the Government, and to bo prepared to resist any aggressions on the part of the Natives, should such have been contemplated. I am happy in being able to assure you that there is no probability of your being called upon for actual service, but should such an occasion arise, I shall feel that I may rely with confidence upon your support, and I shall be proud to place myself at your head. At the same time I would earnestly impress upon you the importance of not doing anythirig which may create unnecessary alarm, or may destroy the’ confidence of the Natives in our justice and forbearance—by leadirig them to imagine that the purely defensive measures in which you are engaged are designed to be afterwards employed in aggressive warfare. Arthur Edward Macdonogh, Police Magistrate of the Southern District of New Zealand and Cook’s Straits. Wellington, 26th June, 1843.

i .Q Poneke* Huue 24th, 1843. E hoa ma —Ki arongo koutou ki nga korero a te kaiwakawa e noho ano ki Poneke, e pai ana te tikanga mo nga, tangata Maori katoa kia noho pai marie nga tahgata katoa. He kiipu aroha tenei' na te kaiwakawa na nga Pakeha katoa ano tenei malii kino ki Wairau. Ekore e riri nga Pakeha ki nga tangata Maori. Elioa ma kia ata rapua marietia te tikanga o tenei he kia kawea ki a Te Kawana te ritenga o tenei he kaua e wehi nga tangata ki te,Pakeha, me noho noaiho, i tona kainga me liaere mai ki Poiieke kite lioko hanga mo Kei nga Maori o Poneke te ritenga, mo ngjytiuagata katoa. Heoi ano taku korerb ki a koutpu,, Ehoa ma na to koutou hoa aroha Na Makirojsorie, Na te Kaiwakawa. Poneke, June 24, 1843. E hoa ma — -Ki a rongo koutou kite tikanga o enei korero kei pohehe koutou; e pai*ana te wakaaro o nga Pakeha e rapu ana i te tikanga, nawai ranei, nawai ranei, na te Pakeha ranei, na te tangata Maori ranei, otira .kia mohio koutou ki enei; kaua e rapua hehe mo tatou, araa uake xiei kiakite tatou i te he otira kaua e wakanuia te korero kite ngutu o te taiiigata otira ki a mohio nga tangata katoa, o nga kainga katoa o nga Maori. Heoi ano a matou korero. Ki a koutou, Na to koutou hoa. aroha, Wiremu Tako, Moturoa, WairahaPa. Translation. Port Nicholson, June, .24,. 184$, Friends —Listen to what I the Police Magistrate of Port Nicholson have to say to you, Remrai'' on the subject of this lamentable event at Wahjiu; for I, and all the white people;of ;this place, regr.et .mosfcsincerely this painful occurrence, ,We are :':'nst about to make war upon you. I wish! merely ,to , real truth of the affair, tt> the Governor, that he may cause it to be investigated. 1 Do not fear that ahy white man will injure any of y ou in the slightest degree, Remain, at your several positions, and pursue your, intercourse wifli ‘the people (ofiPori:rNid|blson as, usual. All the Chiefs of ,port ( Nicholson;, understand-what I have.v said above .to' be ’bur! feeling towards them.. Friends—This is all I have to say to you. '' l " •" ■' u.■ ■ (Signed). : MacKqn.o^; Police . Port Nicholson, June 24,-FB.ißNps-rTListen.to the above,sayi n S» awl do not mistake. Good is the saying; of,the white man; to, search out the. truth. .ofwiio is to . blame: perhaps it is .|he white mau ; ; perhaps it is the Maori. Do'not spread false reports Respecting the teatter: ■ do not talk Rndch

about it. Ami lot all the Maories at every jilaee know this. From your friends, > (Signed) ‘William Tako. Moturoa Wairarapa.

Wiiat is an Esquire? —On the Chelsea list being proceeded with, a gentleman named “Pitts” applied to have his description altered from “ gentleman” to “esquire,” on the ground that he had been a captain in the St. James’s volunteers, and he laid before the 'bench his commission, signed by the late Duke of Pert- ' land, as lord lieutenant of the county of Middlesex, in which he was designated as “James Pitts, Esq.,” the designation preceding • the appointment. The chairman said, , in his ' opinion, the alteration ought to be made, as he thought that when once a person was called an “ esquire” by the King, he remained an esquire during his life. Captain Bague said he differed most materially from the chairman on this point. . A volunteer officer was quite different to even a militia officer, and would not be entitled to such a designation except on actual service. Mr. Tubbs inquired if the St. James’s volunteers had not been some years defunct ? Mr. Pitts admitted that such was the case, but said that they were liable to be called out, and, in fact, an offer of their services had been recently made through Earl Amherst, their colonel, to the Horse Guards. Captain Bague advised Mr. Pitts to write to the Duke of Wellington, and obtain the opinion of the Horse Guards authorities on the point. Mr. Frere thought that would be useless, as it was a question of law and not of military etiquette. The question was then put to the vote, when four of the magis- * trates voted for the alteration and four against it, and the numbers being equal, Mr. Pitts said > he must then move the judges for a rule to compel the magistrates to make the alteration. Mr. Tubbs said that would be the most proper ■course, as it would settle all such claims. The chairman, however, expressed his doubts whether Mr. Pitts had sufficient grounds to apply to the courts above, there having been no decision against him. Mr. Tubbs said the question was set at rest by the vote as far as that bench was concerned. Mr. Davies considered the question was still open (no decision having been come to), and could be again brought forward on the adjournment day. Mr. Tubbs ‘contended that it could not; and Mr. Frere then moved that ’ it be considered on the adjournment day. Mr. "Scott seconded the motion, which on being put to the vote met with the same result as the previous motion, the numbers being again equal, when Mr. Pitts was told he had better go to the “judges.” Mr. Strother, the high constable, on the Kensington list being proceeded with, presented a letter from Captain Francis Welsh, who also wished his designation to be altered'from “ gentleman” to “ esquire.” The chairman said Mr. Welsh was in a different position to Mr. Pitts, he being an officer in her Majesty’s “ actual service.” Captain Fitzgerald said Mr. Welsh had “ sold out,” and, therefore, being no longer a captain, , was not entitled to be designated an “esquire.” The chairman contended that he had. He had lately consulted one of her Majesty’s secretaries of state on the subject of the right of volunteer officers to be termed “ esquires,” and had asked if persons who, for the purpose of filling certain offices, were created “ esquires,” were, when such office was at an end, deprived of their rank as “ esquires ?” and the answer was, “ Certainly not.” As well might it be said that when a gentleman was made a knight by one administration, in order to fill the office of attorneygeneral, on being removed by a new ministry he was no longer a knight. Captain Bague contended Mr. Welsh’s case was quite: different, as, when he sold his commission, he sold also all the honours pertaining to it. After a lengthened argument on the point, Mr. Cornell (the magistrates’ clerk) said there was a wide difference between the cases of Mr. Pitts and that of Mr. Welsh. The crown was the fountain of.honour, and “whom the King delighteth to honour,” he had .no doubt such honour had nothing to do with the military rank, and that, therefore, such person remained an esquire. The .crown could not, however, delegate the conferring of-honours, and therefore the cases were different, inasmuch .as the commission of ..Mr. Welsh was direct from the King, and bore his sign manual, while that of Mr. Pitts was issued by the lord lieutenant. Mr. Tubbs said Mr. .'Cornell’s explanation was most clear, as the Duke of Portland’s order was to make Mr. Pitts a captain, and not an “ esquire.” Mr. Scott differed in toto from Mr. Tubbs. He might as well say, then, that a deputy-lieute-.nant was not an esquire. Mr., Tubbs -replied, he did not consider he was entitled to the title of esquire from being a deputy-lieutenant. The further consideration of the question was then postponed until the adjournment day. Perils of Dress. —A young man, who gave his name Charles Dixon, of very smart appearance, being dressed in a military frock coat, trousers, and boots, and a dashing cloth cap with a gold lace band, chin strap, and other giving him a certain-degree of fierceness just sufficient to captivate 'country damsels, was charged on .suspicion, of Being a deserter from the army.. Police--196, stated that on the previous evening, being

struck by the martial "bearing of the .prisoner, but not considering it exactly officer-dike, he asked him a few questions, and said that he strongly suspected >him do be a deserter. The prisoner denied that vhe was, .even in desire; a, soldier, and declared he was a labouring man., This assertion was so unsatisfactory-to witness that he detained him until full inquiries could be made. Mr. Jeremy: Why, certainly that smart. military cap is not the sort of thing generally worn by labouring men. Are you a military, man ? Have you ever been in the army ? Prisoner : Me in the army, your worship ! never in my life, and I hope I never shall be. (Laughter.) Mr. Jeremy: Then how do you come to wear such a cap as that ? Prisoner : I’m sure I’m very sorry indeed, if I have done wrong in wearing it. I’ll get rid of it directly, I will, indeed. But I thought I might wear it for the look of the thing. Mr. Jeremy: Oh, I don’t mean to say that you have no right to do so.; but if you assume a military garb, you must expect to be treated as a military man. The inspector said he had ascertained the prisoner was a plasterer, and had been at work at the new chnreh at Sidcup. Such caps were quite the " go, 7 ’ and shopmen, who were allowed to wear a moustache or an " imperial,” passed as genuine military officers, keeping carefully out of the way of the military. (Laughter.) Mr. Jeremy : Well, those who act so foolishly run the chance of being taken up as deserters, or perhaps having to fight a duel. There is no evidence to justify the detention of the prisoner, and so he may go. Prisoner : I thank your worship. I’ll take care not to be mistaken again. The plasterer then left the court in double quick time, with any but a military step, his cap carefully buttoned up under his coat, a friend having bought him a 4s. 9d. gossamer at a neighbouring shop.