ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. The Hutt, Port Nicholson, September 27, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 332, 4 October 1848, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. The Hutt, Port Nicholson, September 27, 1848.

Sir, — I beg, through the medium of your Journal, to say mj say, with refeience to a work of ruthless spoliation, lately inflicted on my property, at Wanganui. Wishing to trespass, as little as may be, on the patience of your readers, T shall content myself witb observing that it is with extreme reluctance and much pain, that I proceed to question the correctness of the views taken of the case, now referred to, by the officer therein concerned, whose sentiments, as private gentlemen, are entitled to every respect and consideration ; and also thus publicly to protest against the miserable advantage taken of my sorry fortunes by these irresponsible members of society, to whom I shall shortly allude, in kidnapping my timber, during my temporary absence from Wanganui, and in pitifully shirking any acknowledgment. i In July last, upon visiting Wanganui, I found ( that the best portion of the few trees I had, (about three acres of bush in six sections) were cut down, brought to the town, and were, at that time, undergoing the process of being prepared for military purposes : in consequence of which I waited upon Mr. Balneavis, at that time the acting Engineer Officer, on the subject, the substance of whose communication was, j that the trees at my place having seemed to him better adapted for the use required than others which he had examined, and the land question not being finally settled, be considered that the timber did not belong to me, and such being the case, he took it, and on that account, could no admit of my claim to compensation; but referred to Capt. Collinson of the Royal Engineers. On my seeing Capt. Collinson. of the Royal Engineers, I learnt that he could not entertain the question, assigning the same reason as his duplicate at Wanganui had done; and that gentleman, (Capt. Collinson) now informs me, through my Attorney, "that he cannot consent to pay me for an injury done to that section before it became my property." As the expense of a judicial enquiry, under such circumstances, would be too serious for me to undertake, as'well as bearing in mind the inconvenience to which several of my iellow settlers at Wanganui would be subjected, if obliged to give evidence here ; I therefore prefer this mode of answering such objection. In November, 1841, 1 proceeded to these sections at Wanganui with two servants, took possession, and commenced having some land broken up, and other works proceeded with. The natives brought up potatoes for me, and offered no resistance nor expressed any disapproval at my ownership of the: same. On the 24th of April, 18i3, when driving my cattle from here to Wanganui, I met Mr. Commissioner Spain at Otaki, on his return from that district, where he had been engaged, during some fortnight, in a laborious and patient investigation of the native claims question, &c, &c. Mr. Spain distinctly gave me to understand, that the town side of the river was purchased, and that, with regard to my sections," I need not apprehend, from the Maories, any annoyance or interruption, on that score, as they, the natives, had not raised any further ulaim or question, as they considered that portion as finally settled, &c, &c, &c. On May 15th, 1844, Mr. Commissioner Spain, accompanied by the late lamented Col. \Y akeiield, and in the presence of a greater portion of the Wanganui settlers, had an interview with, the resident chiefs at Putiki, Wanganui, on this subject (the land claims, &c., &c.) Mr. Spain, in explanation, told the natives, that the thousand pounds which lie had awarded to them, and which was then ~ offered, was not a sum with which it was intended to purchase the land, but to complete that purchase, and that, after a liberal, handsome rate ; and though they might

not think fit to take this sum with its accompanying stipulations, he should consider the putchase as made, and should direct the said sum of £1000 to he reserved for them; and that, finally, he should advise his Excellency, the then Governor, to issue a Crown Grant, in order that the bad faith which these natives had observed on this occasion (they having written to the Commissioner to come up, as they were wishful to receive the remaining payment and settle the business) might not interfere with the rights of the settlers. On the strength of these assurances, together with the friendly feeling generally manifested towards me by the natives of that district, I removed my family to the place in question, and though times of excitement followed, and discussions, concerning this further payment were continually agitated, yet, during these last four years, pieviously to the final adjustment of these differences, all the native chiefs of that district have respected my rights to this land, urged me to go on with my farming operations, and, until the commencement of the late war, were breaking up land for me, and fencing a large portion in the front of this very grove of trees, over or through which fence a " Fatigue Party" of soldiers, I learn, were daily sent to cut and hack at those trees, (under the pretence that they were not mine) of which, for years I had taken the greatest care, which I had, often to my own cost, spared, and which, during the time referred to, my fellow settlers and native neighbours had sacredly regarded. - These are some, of many facts, which I respectfully submit to public attention ; I shall only add, that my profound respect for the service alone prevents my applying a very ugly epithet to this busines, which, nevertheless, natnrallj' presents itself to one's mind, on suddenly making the discovery of one's things having been conveyed away, without notice, without leave, and without acknowledgment. In conclusion, I may sayi that, what between her Majesty's troops, and her Majesty's turbulent chieftains, ("a plague o' both their houses") I have been but scurvily treated. I remain, Sir, your faithfal servant, Henry Shafto Harrison.