DESPATCH FROM GOVERNOR GREY

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 280, 5 April 1848, Page 4

DESPATCH FROM GOVERNOR GREY

Government House, Auckland July Ist, 1847. My Lord, — In reference to my despatch, No. 58, of the 11th of May last, reporting the disturbances which had broken out at Manawatu and Wanganui, on the southern coast of this island, I 1 aye the honour' to report that, in pursuance of the intention I expressed in that despatch, I proceeded upon the 20:h May from this place to Wanganui, accompanied by the grenadier company of the 65th regiment ; that upon my arrival there, I found th.it some of the hostile natives had murdered a straggling soldier, and that upon the 19th of May they had made an attack upon the settlement of Wanganui, which was most gallantly repulsed by a detachment of 170 men out of the 58th regiment, under the command of Captain Laye, of the same corps. Upon this occasion no casualty look place upon our side, whilst the enemy lost Maketti, the chief in command of their force, and had two other men killed and about fourteen wounded. I also found that the origin and progress of these disturbances were as follows :—: — A midshipman of the Calliope accidentally shot a native wiih a pistol through the upper part of the head, and the wound appearing likely to prove fatal, it was found impossible to persuade the natives, who were highly excited, that a deliberate attempt had not been made to murder their relation, and they called out that blood should be taken for blood. Whilst in this state of excitement, and in accordance with their customs of revenge, six natives committed the horrible murder reported in my despatch of the 11th of May. Five of the murderers were immediately seized and given up to the military authorities by some natives, with whom they were only distantly .related. Hitherto the native population upon the river Wanganui, who amount probably to at least 5000 souls, have always had the Europeans completely under their control and have never practically recognised our laws nor admitted our authority. The murderers being nearly related to the most powerful chiefs on the river, and the British force only amounting to about 180 men. The relations of the murderers determined to rescue them,, and immediately collected as large a force as they could, amounting to about 600 men. Martial law was at tins time in force at Wanganui, and Captain Laye, under these circumstances, thought it advisable at once to try the murderers by a court martial, which found them all guilty, and four of them were immediately executed. Their friends then determined in revenge to destroy the settlement and British force at Wanganui, and having previously murdered a straggler of the 58th regt., made ,the attack on the settlement which I have above reported, in which they received so severe a repulse. They then retired a few miles up the river, where they strongly entrenched themselves, in a difficult country, full of deep ravines and morasses, waiting an opportunity ot doing further mischief. This was the state of affairs when I arrived at Wanganui. I further found that the total number of fighting men on the river Wanganui might be estimated, at the least, at 1400, whilst the Ngatiruanui tribes, immediately to the' north of the Wauganui, could bring about 700 fighting men into the field ; and that the whole of this force was ready to act in co-op-eration with the Government, with the exception of the 600 men who were with the war party (many of whom had also been inadvertently drawn into the affair) ; and that nothing was wanting upon my part but a requisition upon the principal chiefs to bring a force into the field which could have exterminated the insurgents. As, however, the murderers had all been punished, and the enemy had received so sharp a repulse, I felt unwilling to disturb the peace and prosperity of the country by rousing the native tribes to war, as once persons in their barbarous condition become excited it* is very difficult to foretel where the disturbances will end. "I proceeded, therefore, to Wellington to bjing up some artillery, and a sufficient reinforcement to dislodge the enemy from the position they had taken up, and having obtained the necessary reinforcements, and having ascertained that the whole of the native population between Wellington and Wanganui were

perfectly well disposed, with the exception of about forty men who were with Rangihaeata, I returned to Wanganui, accompanied by Lieut.-Colonel M'Cleverty, the officer commanding the troops in New Zealand. We; were accompanied by a small native force,, consisting of the principal chiefs of the Ngatiawa tribe and some of their most active men. Wakanene and Te Whero-whero, the gteatest chief in the northern island, who had come down with me from the north, also leturned with me to Wanganui with this force. On my arrival a second time at Wanganui, I found that the war party, who consisted of the inhabitants of only three villages, had •abandoned their position, and had retired further up the liver, and, after several reconnaissances of the country, it was agreed upon by Lieut.-Colonel M'Cleverty and myself that the only object of the enemy now was to endeavour to draw the troops into some ambush, , where, having cut off as many as they could, taking cure at the same time to expose themselves to no loss, they would retreat to their own villages up the river, which are quite inaccessible to regular troops. Our views on this subject proved to be correct, as upon the 10th ult. they attempted to surprise a small reconnoitring party of the 65th regt., who were thrown out in an apparently careless manner, while strong reserves were held ready to support them. | The result of this attack was that the enemy were surprised themselves, and lost upwards of twenty killed and wounded, whilst no casualty occurred on our side. For several days after this, nothing further was seen of the enemy, and as the disturbance now bore an altogether unimportant character, I returned to Wellington, where I had much busiuess to transact. Pieviously to my leaving Wellington for Auckland, I received a letter from Lieut.Colonel M'Cleverty, a copy of which is enclosed, dated 16th ult., from which it will be seen that the " Taua" or war party were dispersing and retiring up the river, plundering friendly natives as they went ; but as this is in accordance with their custom and a well undeistood practice, theie can be no doubt that the friendly natives will take care to leave their really valuable property in a place of safety, so that while they suffer little, they will become more hostile to their ill-disposed countrymen. Upon the whole, I think that it may be considered that the disturbances at Wanganui have terminated in a most satisfactory manner, and that it has been clearly ascertained that nearly the whole population of that part of the colony are warmly attached to the Government. I should however add, that the speedy and satisfactory termination of these disturbances must be in a great degree attributed to the firm and vigorous manner in which Captain Laye acted. The conduct of her Majesty's naval and military forces throughout the whole of these operations was most creditable to all concerned, and I have the honour to transmit for your lordship's information, the copy of a letter which I addressed to Capt. Graham, the senior naval officer on this station on this subject. In reference to the disturbances at Manawatu, I found upon my first arrival at Wellington, a messenger from Rangihaeata waiting for me, with a parcel containing some bank notes, sovereigns, bills of exchange, and other securities, with a message stating that Rangihaeata having found that the party who accompanied him to Kapiti, upon the 18th of April, had taken not only ammunition and arms from the house they plundered, but also this money and some apparently valuable papers : he bad at once sent in the money and papers to me, lest he should be regarded as a common thief, whereas his only object had be^n to obtain from the owner of the house which he had attacked, gunpowder, which he had left in his care, and which had never been returned to him. Not having heard the statement of the other party concerned, I cannot tell how true this story may be, but certainly Rangihaeata's attack was what might be termed an ordinary New Zealand outrage, and indicated neither disaffection nor malice on the part of the natives, who were quietly employed at their villages in cultivating wheat to a large extent, under the belief that there would in the ensuing summer, be a large demand for this article in the Wellington market. I have, &c, (Signed) G. Grey.

Wanganui, 16th June, 1847. g IR) — I have the honour to report, for his Excellency's information, that I detained the Governor Grejtill this day, in the expectation of hearing tidings from a son of Raugitanira, who had proceeded the day previous up the river. Since bis Excellency's departure, nothing could be learned of the enemy ; their fires had disappeared from the creeks at Tutieka and Amaroa, and I suppose them to be at Papaite 'and that neighbourhood.

Rangitanira's son returned last night, and from him I learn (if it can be depended upon) that thirty of the rebels were wounded in the skirmish of the 10th — three of them mortally ; amongst the former is a young chief named Wellington. The rebels have retired to Tunahaere and its vicinity ; they have four hundred men. Three of the natives of that place have come down to complain of the Taua, who are plundering their cultivations and killing their pigs. The main body are at Kaiwaeka, on the opposite bank of the river ; Mamaku, with advanced posts around Tunahaere, with scouts in that direction, that chief being with a party higher up than the rest ; and the canoes and women nearer Tanihinihi. I am apprehensive that the Taua will retreat higher up, and plunder as they go ; it will be impossible to get in their rear, but they have found little satisfaction here. On the 10th, Mamaku, with three hundred men, occupied the swamp over which the troops passed on the reconnoissance of the Bth instant. — I have, &c, (Signed) W. A M'Cleverty, Lieut.-Col. Commanding Troops, New Zealand

Government House, Auckland, 3rd July, 1847. Sir, — In reference to the orders you were good enough recently to issue to Captain Stanley, the senior navafofficer in the southern district of this colony, to afford me every assistance in suppressing the disturbances which had broken out at Wanganui, and in securing the safety of the southern settlements, I think it right, on my return to Auckland, on the termination of those disturbances, to state, for your information, that Captain Stanley, in obedience to your orders, rendered me every assistance in his power ; nnd that I am also much indebted to Commander Hoseason, commanding H. M.'s steamer Inflexible, tor the great promptitude with which, at a very critical juncture, he always rendered the service of that vesiel available for the purpose of co-operating with H. M.'s troops, as well as for the manner in which the boats of that vessel, upon other occasions, co-ope-rated with the military. This service being performed in the most satisfactory manner. Upon three occasions, during the service, slight affairs took place between our forces and the rebels, in which the conduct of all concerned, was very praiseworthy ; but it appears to me unnecessary to allude, at any length to these affairs, as they were so slight that the officer in command of H. M.'s military forces has not thought it requisite to forward auy report of them. — I have, &c, (Signed) G. Grey.