AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 244, 1 December 1847, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

Sale of Gunpowder to Natives. — We are informed by a person lately from the northern part of the island, that within the last few weeks there have been at Wangaroa, two American ships (whalers) and one French ship, which by the" natives account was a man of war. Some of the officers belonging to these ships took upon themselves to cause letters to be sent to several of the principal chiefs resident in the neighbourhood, and particularly to Heki and Kawiti, assuring them that in the event of their rising again in arms against the British Government, they would receive assistance from their people and government, and not content with this, the American ships

sold arid delivered to the natives ten kegs of gunpowder. The native chief, (a relative of Heki) who gave this information to the'jparty, from whom Wf derive it, laughed heartily at, the affair, and ridiculed the idea o£;th*e Governor's being able to prevent the natives from buying as much gunpowder as they pleased from their friends, the Americans. From the circumstantial account which this chief gave of the affair,* the kegs having .as he stated, been landed in large kits or baskets, in order to couceal them from observation, there can be no doubt of its accuracy, and we regret exceedingly that so barefaced and shameless an act should have been committed with impunity. Much, and as we believe, unmerited obloquy, has been thrown on the British inhabitants resident in the northern part of this island, relative to the sale of gunpowder to the natives, and they have been proclaimed to (He rest of the world, and to the home government as habitual dealers in arms and ammunition to the natives, which arms and ammunition have been used against British troops. Even the inhabitants of this town have been branded as having been engaged in this illicit traffic, and have been requested, in' the most public manner, to desist from it, although it is firmly believed that at the time this notice appeared in the Government Gazette, the evil had long since ceased ; but it was a clever manoeime, and an excellent opportunity, under a fictitious plea, to malign and damage them effectually with the Home Government. It is possible that some few individual outcasts from society might be found in this country, base enough to engage in such a traffic, as unprincipled individuals are to be found in every country, who will do anything for gain, but we believe that such a charge cannot be brought against the people of Auckland as a body, and we are also convinced that for one pound of gunpowder that has been sold at any time to the natives by one of these wretched - individuals, at least a dozen kegs have been sold to them by our American friends. In fact, it is notorious that in the northern harbours of this island, the trade is carried on as briskly as ever, and yet nothing is done to put a stop to it ! With three men-of-war lying idle in our harbour, it is surely incumbent on the authorities to use some exertions to put a stop to the traffic in the north. The natives boast now that they are well supplied, and rely confidently on their American and French friends for fresh supplies ; they say, however, that they are rather short of fife-arms, but no doubt Jonathan, or their new allies the " Oui ouis," will soon supply them. — Southern Cross.