New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 17, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 370, 17 February 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 17, 1849.

Wb have received for publicatioa the following letter relating to the purchase of lands in the Middle Island, made by the Government from the Ngatitoa tribe, in 1847. The letter, which we have accompanied witu a faithful translation, is the genuine and unassisted production of the writer, a chief of the Ngaitahu tribe, who forcibly sets forth their claims to Kaiapoi and other districts included in the purchase, extending northward from Banks's Peninsula to Kaikoura. In' a rapid sketch he explains the origin of Te Rauparaha's wars with the tribes in the Middle Island which were attended with such disastrous results to the latter, and shows that although they suffered many reverses, they eventually succeed- ; ed in maintaining their ground, and have ' held undisputed possession of' these districts where they still remain. -' He reproaches Puaha and the Ngatitoas for their insincerity, since, haying become converts to Christianity they profess to hold their former customs in abhorrence, and yet they do' not hesitate to profit by them when an occasion offers, by receiving payment for lands' to which they assert a title ( by conquest which they cannot substantiate, and complains that fhe "Government should have ;tfeated with them to the .prejudice of the; rightful owners of these districts who have not been consulted in the purchase, and whose claims have been overlooked' and disregarded, and appeals through the Press to the Governor for justice, We do not intend to enter into a discussion of these claims,, since, we desire to act impartially between the two parties, and shall be glad to afford Puaha equaj facilities for replying to these, statements/ But we think we r may fairly refer to' 'this letter as an indisputable proof of the:advancing civilization of the natives. 'Formerly <any, ,djsp.ute as tp.the title t>f, possession of lands was iavariably the preludeto viole^e, and the question was too often decidedlby the law- 'of : .the strongest. Nearly ; all the difficulties that have arisen' in the colonization of these islands! may be traced to- the same soarce. But in this 'instance' we'Btid the natives, believing their prehensions; >to:be ■■"well founded, desirous' 6f ap^ealibg'fd/reason rather than to, fqr.ee, and of submitting 1 theinclaims'to ' the ' tribunal 6f -public^ opi'We J yas% al'sojnfer^rom thisic]t'the -well-grounded confidence which .the natives; entertain in Sir George Grey's sense of jusjttce,, sujic'e they^ mqst.be sa.tis.fied,- in matingthis appeal, that'their claims "will be' fairly considered emd,7decided upon by the Government. Bat' moire than" tttfs/ it evinces on tEeir part a grpwintg*defeiience to the opinion of the pakeha, and' a desire tdfex|if| |n-, him'an active interest questforis'conaecfc- ( ed with the native race. It is thus.cmli^tiott- will' imperceptibly extend its influence

ji^onje^|rn^andLthe different barriers that g^ar^^hje^Wo'j^ces be gradually removed, untirra%^|p||»ar altogetj^^Bejipniing daily more senlffile of tb^a\%ijtfel ! loSg strong Government and oT^n-«ntfertialj«,d-ministration of justice,- on every occasion when they consider themselves to be aggrieved, instead of resorting to violence or takingthe law .into Jheir ownlmpds, they ;lwill Teel^tfe n^o?e dispqSed^ totfefer fiieir dis- ; putes-f6~ the**eßtablished mtranalsfor if the question, as in this case, be not of a nature 'tteadmit of such a reference, to follow the example of the pakeha and appeal to public '-Opinion;"-^ *"" - -" "-r-'-rc^ -«-»~

[Ki te pai Ngatito aki te whakfahbki kupu ki nga.korexo o .tenei pukapuka, me homai ki a auTcuTtaTa' ki "ro'to" lei tetehf *Supepa*Na Te Toki. Te Aro, Pepuere 7, 1849. He tohu tenei no tamatoukorero, kia rao'hio(ia, ai c nga pakeba, te tikanga, tah»e,» Ngatitoa, i o matou kainga. £ boa c kawaha ketei,, kia rongo -koe, kia rcngo hoki nga.pakeha^ katoa oja wahi o ia wahi ki <te timat* ngamai, oteßauparaha, ki enei wenua, teraano tona kaipga, a Kawhia, kuarlro noa.atu, i Waikato. Horo ke'mai nei ki Kapiti, riei noho ai, ka rongo nga iwi nona c nei '* wenua. He tihi ngairigoa o nga hapu ko, Ngati Kahu hunu. Ko Ngatiepa, Ko Ngatiera, Ko Ngatimoe, Ko Ngaitumatakokiri, Ko katikuia, Ko Rangitane, Ko te huihuinga tenei o enei Iwi, E wa nga hapu o enei kainga o Kapiti, o Porirua, o Poneke, o Wairarapa, no ta wahi no Arapaoa etor'u -nga Iwi huia ana bei riri kia Ngatitoa," mate tohu 'iho ka langata o enei wenua ki Waiorua, i haere i runga I te wawai, he tonu iho, mate tome iho, enei Iwi, katoa. Ko nga orariga o tenei, parekura, i horo ki te nga herehere ko etahi ki Waicarapa, ko etahi i horo ki ta wabi ki Arapaoa ka rongo nga tangata 1 me nga wahine katoa o rangitane, kua mate katoa te Iwi, no konei i puta ai te kupu ma te Rauparaha kia pangakia ki' te tukituki aruhe. Heoi ka rongo a Ngatitoa he kanga mo, te Rauparaha, ka tabi ano enei iwi ka tohe tonu ki tera motu, E boa c Kawana, kia rongo koutou nga pakeba ko te take tenei i taeaake ai.to matou •motu, ko le kanga mojke, Rauparaha. Ho ake ana c Ngatitoa, et^gltffis*, kqtuki^uki patuaruhe, muri iho ka rongo a Waipapa, a Kaikoura he tangata kaha a te Rauparaha, ki te riri ka tahi ka kiia mai E Rerewaka ku h^ea te kopi| o te Rauparaha, ki te niho mangabeoi ka 'rongo a te. Rauparaha, Jie kanga mona, heoti ano te take i taea ake ai nga tangata o Ngaitahu; c noho ana i runga i ona oneone, ko te niho. manga, ko te puremu tanga a te kekere£u^ .1 nga wahine a te Rangihaeata ; ko te iakV'tonu tenei i taea ake ai maua. Haere ake ana te taua, heie-> herea ana mai etahi, patua iho etahi. He aha ra a te Rauparaht ratou ko ona tamariki kaua c kai i te tangata ka haere ake ai ki Kaiapoi, kaore kua mate ake nga tangata nunui o Ngaitahu baere ake nei 1 ki te tiki mere pounamu i Kaiapoi, ki te hereheie mai koki i nga tangatata o reira. Katahi ka ron^oa Tamaiharanui, o Rongotara, a Wakauira, kd mate ko te Pehi, ko te Pokaitara, ko te Aratangata, ko etahi* hoki i mate iho 'Ri Eaiapoi. Kei hea ia nei koutou. e nga"- Pakeba katoaiwakaFongo, koutou ki te -trkanga a Rawiri Puaha, nana ano i ha ere ake ki te kai tangata i tera motu, mun.iho I ka,.wakawa ia, he kojiuru. he kohuru. Muri iho ka hoki mai te taua ki Kapiti, nobo ai — Ka'u tekaipukeo *Kapane Tuari, ka tikina ake a Tdmajharanui, ka mate. Heoti *ano ka wakaaro maua nga tangata. o tera motu ko te £ehi» .ko Tamaiharanui, raua nga hanga rangatira, otira ; kihai koki c nei i« v I ,i rite kia maua i te infea e.tohe tonu an'a ; e nei nga iwi'ki te wawai. ifaere ake ki te patu i nga tangata o Kaupoi,.ote Wakataupo, o -Akar,qa. r ,Qtica,, e.Kawana, kia rongo koe, no konei ahau Lwakaiika- ai kbie fapu utu mo' oku tupapaka^nadk' ii wbVnua k\toa, katabtano, c hoa^m^v ultu tdua'i baere mai. ai kite riri ki /a r Ngat}tqa, ' ki, , Ngatiawa. Hinga tonu iho ia mana ko Waiharakeke. A pipitia e ahau ko te paruparu, ka apititia iho ko te parekura ko Raumoa. E hoa, E Kawana, kia,rongo koutou katoa nga pakeha o jianga^ari^ata^p/lfgaifabu te mutunga ote riri. J£, hpa, » k^ rongo koutjpu katoa ki te, kpurp ;p; ; p ; tenei j, pukapuka, na te Raupar-aha^te, timatanga o te whawhai ki a Ngaitahu, }na .vjijgaiujju ano:i.,w^h*kamutu te riri. Koia ahau i wakaaro ai, - kahore arii>'!b . ; ifla i tbaoKaih§a^T riro noa fa. -Ngatitoa.,,. KeiA-aunfttou^aiioOte i^tkafaro ki B':matotf nei'qrieon'e': nou apo ,te* pohehe kiYejko'pji i k f °Stavfiri Pqaha] ii 3 tnea'atu ai -kia;:.k<)e^hona '-e^rajltaj^gaf' ,3^al?pre no matou ano o matoufwheniia.? v:Eboa r ma, wakarongo koutou kite korero o tenei pukapuka. '^a^ltinPitolNft ka he tenei tika%ay i Ka pti'te^tatfgVra^e-w'aft'o Ui whe'fiaai'^ara ko h^ti'tu" i a R'4w-iri/ J kb J £g! *tammm* *)™a®?& o^ $**- iW& a'A-uc;!! te.he^^^ejpeifiißak^aw. .Koia ahau c boa, c Kawana, ka tuhituhi ai i Uenei

pukaputta kia'koe, kia'thobia attkoe kl eneiutuflga waka*mtatunga «' mtfioii whenua. ■ 'Me vrakam'utxi^fi'oatti kt« : Rawiri Paaha,ehgari kia wakairbrigo koe r lti «r kotero o'tineipuka- 1 puka. ! K'fa v rnau"te pupUfi i nga utum matou^ k«ingar : ' { 'K'o%kuiiipa-tenei kia koe, c Ka--waoa I^erei, itfo'to'pohehe'kictfe tikanga tahae f wlifefiuV a RaWit-i Puaha, i rongo tonu ai koe koiast^'take o Kaiapoi, o <te Kobai,' o Waipara, o'Tahato, o Matiinatf, teHurunui, o Pauapkaa'}' d Waiau, o Rangatirav E hoa, cKaWkrSa, c mea ana ahau, kei a raatou aolote wakaaio mo eneikainga; kei a Whak»tau boki, fe wakaaro mo Kaikoura. He oti ano te kajju kia KawanaKerei. " ' " ' He tobu mo te.tikanga tabae a Ngatitoa. r Na haku r tepei pukapuka,,^ • Mfel « v •'^' I #tou^VarSh JJ a r ,

*'■ ' J ' [TRANSLATE OtfrJ^ T'» ' '^-■9y e Aro;FeVr&kry7, 1849. Tmsis^a prq¥est" lCf cOTidefnmg t£ bur matters^ tha^&ej whites may ' understand the clandestine iaM ' of our laQcT by Ngatitoa :- : - Friend, Governor Grey,— Do you, and" all the whites in every place,- hear the truth, of Te Rauparaha's connection with the lands in these parts. Kawhia was his land ; it has passed into the hands of Waikato . He came to Kapiti and dwelt, {here. The tribes who owned these lands heard of this. The names of the sub-tribes are innu'mWable, — Ngatikahntiunu) Ngatiepa 1 , Ngatiera, Ngatimoe, Ngaitumatakokiri, Ngatikuia, Rangitane, these are the tribes. . There were four tribes connected with these parts, — Kapiti, Porirua, Port Nicholson, and Wairarapa. There were also, jhree tribes belonging to Arapaoa on ths. other , side/. These tribes assembled to fight with Ngatitoa. The men of these parts were defeated at Waioriia. They renewed the fight, but all these- tribes were always defeated and killed. - Those who survived ; this defeat fled to, th,e bush, some to Wairarapa, others to the opposite side to Arapaoa. When the men arid women belonging to Rangit|ne heard that the whole tribe had been killed," then they cursed Te Rauparahaj saying, let his head be broken with (atukituklaruhe) an instrument used for crushing , fern root. When Ngatitoa heard of this curse on , Te Ranparaha, then these tribes (Ngatitoa and Ngatiawa) determined upon attacking the Middle Island. Friend, Governor, do you and the white's hear^ the reason why our Island was invaded was, this curse on Te Rauparaha. Ngatitoa ( and Ngatiawa crossed over to Tukitukipatuaruhe. Afterwards the people of Waipapa and Kaikoura heard that ' Te Rauparaha was a great warrior 5 ; then Rerewaka cursed him, saying,' let Te Rauparaha's belly be ripped up with the tooth of a- Manga. Well, Te Rauparaha heard that he had been cursed. These are the reasons why the people of Ngaitahu, who were dwelling on their own land, were attacked, that is, the curse of the Manga' $ tooth, and the adultery of Te Kekereru with the wives of Te Rangihaeata — these were the reasons' why we were attacked. The fighting party came against us, killed some, and made captives of others. , Why did not Te Rauparaha aijd his followers first eat the men, and'th'en^go I ' to Kaiapoi?' No, the leading men of 'Ngaitahu; were dead alrfea*dy; they went id Kaiapoi !to fetch mire' pounamus, and to bring away captive the men of that place. -And no^wTaradiharanui, Rongotara, and Wakauira, hear of, ij,^ Te Febi, Te Pokaitara, Te Aratangata, .and othtrs also, are killed at Kaiapoi^ "^JvTiere are you/ iJ all you whites ! Hear the' proceedings ofTtawiiTPuaha! He went to the other island to devour men, subsequently he condemps it, and calls it,, murder ! murder ! Afte r rwaYds the'^fighting* 'party returned to Ksfpiti/ and' dwelt there. But 'Captain Stuatt ? s 'ship went and brought" away Tamaiharanui 1 , who was killed! Well', 1 we the men of that island thought that Tamiharanui was equal to Te-Pehi-^-they were both t chiefs. : These tribes, however, ' did r ''not think'so.'they persisted in carrying on the war; they 'proceeded to kill the peopi© fi 'of Kaiapoi, Wakaraupb,' and Akaroa. 1*«B1 * «Bu r t", Governor, do you: listen 1 ; I now determined to' revenge my dead', ; and r seek'a paymefrt for all my lands. l Now, r myFriehds, it v/asthat my 'flgnfirig^ party carife'' tot attack the Ngatitoa and Ngatiawa. Waiharakeke tfnd I Were defeated. We fought again at Paruparu ; we fought another battle at Raumoa. Friends, Governor, do* airypu^hiteß 8f this island listen; the m,en of 'Ngiaitahu' p : ut> tin ■end to this fighting. Friends, do you all attend to' the contents p'f ;{iaper^ „;Te Rauparaha' began hostilities against Ngaitahu;' but Ngaitahu /put an end, to the war: wherefore, I confelude that our lands > were 1 not conquered by Ngatitoa : . we «till have a right to treat about 1 our own lands : you it was who -made a mistake in giving credit to the statement of Rawiri Putfha, when;, he told' these lands were his. No, our.i lands are our own. Friends, listen to the "cbntents

I of- this paper. this mode of proceeding is wrong: men, are treated as ; if they were land, that is, 1 Rawiri has received the payment, and the owners of the land are treated as if they were land. Alas ! how utterly wrong is this mode of acting ! For these reasons it is, Governor, that I write this letter taJQU,' that you may understand these ought to be the last payments for our Llands. Cease toipay Rawiri Puaha, rather attend to the statements contained in this letter, and withhold any further payments | for our U*nd.s. 'This is what I have to say to you, Governor Grey, in reference to the mistake; you n\ade;as to Rawiri Puaha's dis-, honest claim 'to land's,' in' supposing ,him to be Jhe .owner, of Kaiapoi, Te Kbhai, Wai- ' para, Tahatu, Matanau, Te Hurunui, T Pauapirauj Wairai}, and Rangatira. ' Friend, Governor, I say, that the disposal of, these" lands rests with^us,;, and that the disposal of Kaikoura. rests with' Whakatau. This ,is all I haye t to say to Governor Grey. This is. a protest'againsj/tbe, dishonest proceedings of the Ngatitoa. This letter is written by me, by your lovang .friend, Matiaha Tiramorehu.

Thr Scotia arrived on Thursday from Sydney, which she', left on the <*Oth inst. She has brought the September mail. The latest English news received at Sydney was to the 9th October. The Schooner Rainbow had sailed /or Wellington 2d February, and the Schooner Henry, and Brig Bee, were advertized to sail in a few days. The Louis and Miriam arrived at Sydney on the 24th January and was to sail for this Port on the 9th inst. A ship of from 500 to 800 tons was advertized 1 for in the Sydney Morning Herald to convey stock to New Zealand. The Star of China arrived last night, from Sydney the 6th inst. She brings the October mail.

Mechanics' Institute. — We are informed that a subscription has been opened for the purpose of raising funds for the erection of a hall for the above Institute, a very neat design for which has been kindly furnished by Mr. Cridland. Subscriptions for the present will be received by the treasurer, Mr. Duncan, Pipitea Point, or by Mr. Lyon, Lambton Quay. We are also informed that a meeting of members willing to join a debating class' will take place at the rooms of the* lnstitute, on Monday evening next, at 8 o'clock, for the purpose of forming this class.