To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 97, 4 July 1846, Page 3

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator.

Sir, —l shall feel obliged by your finding room in your journal for some gleanings gathered from it as well as from the Nelson Examiner, respecting Te Rauparaha; the subject is per haps hacknied amongst ourselves, but the information may be new to your military and naval readers at present resident amongst us. -■

Te Rauparaha. Te Rauparaha is not a chief of any standing, but having distinguished himself as a fighting man, was allowed to assume that dignity after the location of the Kawhia natives at Kapiti. Te Pehi (the father of Hiko) was the chief of the whole tribe, who, having followed the Ngaitao tribe under Tuawaike to near Banks' Peninsula, advanced with a small force, leaving the main body in charge of Te Rauparaha, who took that opportunity of displaying his treachery. Being urged to join in the fight, he pretended to be waning the result of an augury, saying that if the smoke of the fire should turn towards the sea h^ would then join, being assured of complete success. He well knew at what time to expect the sea breeze, which shortly set in, when he and his party retired leaving Te Pehi to be overpowered and slain. Rauparaha was now chief. Hiko was too young to be influential, but there was nevertheless dissatisfaction in the tribe as to the manner.in which his father met with his death. To divert what threatened to become a division in the tribe, Rauparaha

proposed an expedition against the Ngaitaos to revenge Te Pehi's death. The barque Elizabeth, Stewart, master, was engaged to convey about 50 of the Kawhia tribe fiom K.apiti to Otago. to be remunerated for such service in flax and whalebone. On arriving in that harbour Rauparaha and a few others landed, and advancing towards the pa with an appearance of amity assured those whom they met that being now missionaries, they had taken the earliest opportunity to effect a reconciliation, and had even engaged a ship for the purpose. They concluded the customary discussions with an invitation to some of the principal people to repair with thenqjm board to partake of a feast on the occasion. Unsuspicious of the object of the visit, the Ngaitao natives accompanied them to the ship, where they were immediately overpowered by the major part of the Kapiti people who had remained concealed an board. The principal chief was secured to the deck, previous to his murder, by a hook which was passed through his throat, and the others were treated with equal cruelty, until the ship was clear of the land, when a general slaughter took place ; , and the bodies, having been cookedin the ship's coppers, were eaten during the voyage. The two daughters of the chief weie taken to Kapiti, where they were tied up by theheeb, Te Rauparaha himself cutting their throats and drinking their blood. Rauparaha kept his faith with the master of the vessel in his usual manner, and the latter personage was glad to leave New Zealand without getting either flax or whalebone. |His next exploit was to attack the Ngatitnmata "Kokiri tribe inhabiting the shores of Blind Bay, whom he entirely exterminated, then followed tlie Rhangitani natives of the Sound and the Pelorus river, who were also annihilated (with the exception of a small remnant, who were driven to the lakes). Te Rauparaha's next achievement was a quarrel with the whalers at Kaptti, whe.e he got the woist of it. Whilst speaking to them he flourished his tomahawk over the head of a powerful Irishman, who immediately floored him with his fist, and holding a harpoon to hi&. throat was very near dispatching him. He wjtsr' glad to retire with his men, but subsequently renewed his attacks. They were however^ without success, as the whalers always beat him off. After this Te Raiiparaha commenced a regular system of pillaging all the small coasters by boarding them under pretence of trading, and overpowering' the crews whenever he could. He was severely beaten on an expedition ot that kind in 1839, and obliged to take to flight. Subsequently he fomented a quarrel between the natives at Waikanai and the Ngatiraukawas and was present at a fight resulting from his machinations. As usual, however, he took no part in it, and was standing aloof when the Waikanai natives, to whom he had professed friendship, enraged at his treachery, attacked and would have killed him, but for the Ngatiraukawas, who defended him to the water's edge, whence he escaped to his canoe by swimming. Shortly after this occurrence, the New Zealand Company's vessel the Tory arrived, and at first nothing could induce Te Rauparaha to go on board, although anxious to sell his land. He imagined thd Tory to be a man-of-war sent to punish him for the various outrages he had committed, and he was afraid of being caught. His character has been described by Colonel Wakefield in the following words :—": — " Notwithstanding the many bad qualities of this old man, his blustering meanness and unscrupulous treachery, he possesses some points of character worthy of a chief amongst savages. He is full of resources in emergency, hardy in his enterprises, and indefatigable in the execution of them." " Making every allowance' for his condition, and knowing how his intercourse with the refuse of European society has affected him, it is impossible for the moat charitable to have any feeling towards this old fellow but of aversion. It will be a most fortunate thing for any settlements formed hereabouts when he dies; for with his life only will end his mischievous scheming and insatiable cupidity." Mr. Commissioner Spain in his report states, that he could everywhere trace the insidious counsels and underhand machinations of Te Rauparaha. These are the general features of the public character of this Maori chief. The private character corresponds with his public one. He is a notorious and habitual liar, a greedy beggar, and a thief who never misses an opportunity of stealing. Need it be said that such a man is incapable, ot gratitude, and who will be surprised at learning that the crowning outrage of his life, viz. — the massacre at Wairau was perpetrated in his presence, on those who had uniformly treated him with unbounded liberality and kindness. So much for the public and private character of this Maori wretch, whose second visit to Wellington has forced me to address you. His first visit was made last year, when Dr. Selwyn brought him to arrange the disputes about land in the Hutt. We know the result of that device. Te Rauparaba could do nothing, because the Maories spit at him and spurned his intervention, and, therefore, I ask^ why has he been brought amongst us a sec ond time ; and more especially I ask, why does the Superintendent and other Government officers as well as the naval and military officers make so much of him? Is it not too bad that this cannibal should be treated as he has been since his arrival in the town, and w ill the fact of his having been so treated be believed by Englishmen at home ? Will they believe that he arrived with a sort of guard of honour, composed amongst others of Major Arney and Lieut. Pedder, that, he was conducted to a house hired for his accommodation, by Major Richmond, by whose order also a policeman was stationed there as a guard, and that he was rationed likean officer besides being supplied from houses in the neighbourhood? \V ill Englishmen at home believe that he has been paraded about town by Major Last the commanding officer of the district, CaptainStanley of the Calliope frigate, and Mr. Ironside who buried those whom this murderer caused to die at the Wairau:? Lastly, I would ask, what is the object in view by those who have thus courted, petted, and pandered to this miserable old man? He has long been powerless as a chief; nothing could have given him the semblance of power but Capt. Fitzroy's behaviour to him at Waikanai respecting the Wairau massacre, and therefore he has no influence over the Maori population.

The friendly Maories hate and despise him, and he has been detected in supplying the hostile Maories under Rangihaeata with the very food given him by the Government, therefore, I ask, what good can he do? The policy of the treatment of this monster is, however, a question which I will leave to the decision of his Excellency the Governor, and of those wise rthn whose advice ha 3 lately guided him, but I feel sure that such treatment is a gross outrage on decency, morality and public order, and must reflect lasting disgrace on all concerned in it. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, A. M'Donald. Wellington, June 29th, 1845.