THE PATEA SETTLERS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 17, 20 May 1871, Page 5

THE PATEA SETTLERS.

The “Taranaki Herald” of the 11th has the following reply to an article which appeared in the “ Wanganui Herald” on the question of natives returning to their lands in the Patea district:

His Honor the Superintendent has recently visited Patea, for the express purpose of ascertaining the wants of the settlers in that district. Whilst there, a deputation of gentlemen waited on him, and during th# interview, amongst other subjects, the question of allowing the loyal and friendly natives to return to their land at the Waitotara (which they never forfeited by any act or deed of theirs) was broached Now this interview has formed the subject of a leading article in the “ Wanganui Herald,” which we regret to say is rather of a scurrilous character. It contains assertions which are represented as facts, but which are devoid of truth; and as Mr J. Hirst states in his letter, which appears in another column are made purely from interested motives. We cannot think that the editor of our contemporary would be guilty of wilfully making such statements knowing them to be false, but we believe he has been misinformed on the matter. We therefore may state for his benefit, and those who may have read the article, that his Honor did not propose that Titokowaru should have his land restored to him, but pointed out that it would be safer to have the natives nearer the coast, where the Government could watch their movements, than in

the bush, where they would gain strength, and on the least provocation, unknown to anyone, might probably come down and destroy the Europeans. With regard to the Native Board, the editor is again in error, and as he may not be aware of whom " the miserable junto of nobodies,” as he terms them, consist, we publish the gentlemen’s names whom his Excellency the Governor, on the 15th day of November, 1869, thought fit to appoint to advise the Government on native affairs in Taranaki. They are as follows His Honor the Superintendent, M.H.R., Major C. Brown, Thomas Kelly, Esq., M.H.R., William Halse, F.sq., Robert Parris, Esq. (manager of the Bank of New Zealand). Our contemporary, we hope, will follow out the intention he stated in an issue some short time ago of investigating the matter, and he will find that the settlers of Patea (with the exception of perhaps a few, who from selfish motives would be glad to see fighting again) see the necessity there is for peace if they are to make any progress in their settlement. The nonsense about having “ long rifles and stout hearts, and no regard for the lives of the rebels,” together with the idea of two or three hundred settlers deciding for the whole island whether it should be war or peace, is perfectly ridiculous. The settlers of Patea as a whole, we believe, are for peace ; but to maintain that peace they must act as the settlers of this part of the province have done. The settlers here have suffered far more than those at Wanganui and Patea. They have tried the “ stout heart and rifle” policy, but have found the peace policy has been far more effectual in gaining the end they sought, namely, the settlement of the country.