MAORI GAZETTE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 59, 22 November 1845, Page 3

MAORI GAZETTE.

The New Zcalander, after complaining of the way in which " this literary production of the Protectora c" is conducted, says : — We have been much astonished to find in the last uumber, dated the 25th of September, altlrtjttgh containing letters of the 27th. intelligence respecting the warfare in the north, which has not yet been promulgated by the Governmentto the Europeans! The very article — the leader in fact — nfo.-ms the natives! " There is nothing new from or about the Nga Puhi. " The soldiers are at the Waimate, awaiting the coming of Heki, who is calling to make peace; but whether he is sincere or not, is very doubtful. It is very probable, there will be mutual dissatisfaction between both parties. Two letters have been written by Heke to the Governor, and his Excellency has acknowledged them. Heki i^ inclined for peace provided Kawiti is to be included in the terms of the trea y; but the missionaries at Waimale have interfered, and tlu answer sent through them to the Governor, is so ambiguous, that it cannot be properly understood." I An I the leader ends with the real meaning, in | Anglo S.ixon, to Heki, lor whom we suppose | this Government Gazette was really published. " 1 have the honour to acknowledge the receipt ofyour letters, and the contents not being well understood : — the correspondence is for the present lieouano" the intetpreiation of which we presume, is well understood by the veriest tyro in the Maori language. But seriously, we consider this publication to Le most important, and the question naturally arises, — why is it, that the natives are thus officially and by authority, informed of this correspondence between the Governor of the Colony, and the native rebel Heke, — while complete silence and reserve, regarding every tiansaction, are observed towards Europeans? The greatest anxiety and alarm pervade the whole colony; persons refrain from almost every enterprise or any undertaking, agricultural as well as commercial, conceiving their residence and safely, quite uncertain and precarious ; and feariug that further combinations among the natives may lead to sudden, general destruction, and plunder of other European settlements. To allay such fears, as much as possible, is the bounden duty of the Government ; and we conceive, that if the Maories are to be favoured in their Gazette by such information, the European settlers are not less entitled to be acquainted with actual facts, and passing events, through the medium of the Government Gazette.

Native Outrage on the River. Thames. —We regret to hear that the Natives at the settlement of Opito, about a fortnight since, taking advantage of the absence of Mr. A. Warbreck and his crew from their vessel, boarded her — broke open the boxes, and stole property to the amount of £30 from the owner, besides all the seamen's clothes. We trust that the next publication of the Maori Gazette will disseminate this outrage, with a Government reward for the felonious act.

The New Zealander, after publishing the substance of Col. Wakefield's letter respecting the issue of the Crown grants in this district, which appeared in the 46th number of this Journal, concludes with the following observations :—: — " We certainly are of opinion that the ex-^ ceptions in the deed of grant are unjust inthe extreme. Bearing in mind, the sensible declaration of Governor Hobson, — that the claims made persons not actually settled on the spot, should give way in favour of persons actually occupying the land, the Company compensating the absentee valid claimant, —we entirely concur with Colonel Wakefield, " that to concede grants of land, which has acquired a greatly enhanced value by the outlay of the capital of others, to individuals whose case has been otherwise specially provided for, is well calculated to embroil the community in strife."