THE RIVERTON BOUNDARY DISPUTE.

Southland Times, Issue 1978, 20 December 1872, Page 3

THE RIVERTON BOUNDARY DISPUTE.

Sib, — As considerable excitement prevails amongst us, the Natives residing at Biverton, as to the action taken by certain irembers of tbe corporation of Biverton, and other parties, in cutting and breaking down a fence recently erected on our boundary line, also a dividing fence on our property, it is our wish that the public should i understand the reason, and that we have done no J more — Bnd intend to do no less — than we are t advised by the highest authorities that wo *re ) empowered and entitled to do. " The Native , Beserve," as its name implies, is not. and never was, the property of tbe Qneen of England. It is held by us under " the Treaty of Waitangi ;" and under which treaty the Queen obtained a pre- , emptive right to purchase other lands, became protectress of the Natives', and " gnaranteed" to us protection in all our reserved rights (vide Treaty). "Wh cannot yet thini that the gentleman whom Mr Duncan Campbell set forth as his adviser in the overt acts recently done by him, can be ignorant of our rights as Natives. If he ia, it would have been well for him to have made some enquiry before recommending such a wanton and mischievous course. We have been grossly wronged for yenrs past ; our crops have been destroyed, and our grass etten, by the white man's cattle, we being unable to obtain redress. When Biverton became a municipality, we hoped the corporation would have done their duty, and that the townspeople's cattle and horses would no longer have annoyed us. But Messrs Instone and Mills, two Councillors, (from whom we expected better things.) actually chop down the fence and urge others to do the fame. Two of our Native Chiefs recently by deed conveyed to the authorities a road for the public use, so there is not the plea of necessity for these malicious actions ; and we have shown our willingness in other ways to accommodate the Fakeha, by exchanging lands to give & park and recreation ground for the use of the town. We are willing to oblige Pakeha neighbors, but the law, not of Otago, but of nations, gives us the right to hold, use, and retain our property, and to dispose of it when and how we please. I enclose the 2nd and 3rd articles of the Treaty of Waitangi, which you would oblige, by publishing. Your inserting this in your next will oblige yours, Ac, Geob«b Howell. Kiverton, Dec. 16, 1872.

TREATY OP WAITANGI. Article 2nd — Her Majesty the Queen of England confirms and guarantees to the chiefs and tribes of New Zealand, and to the respective families cud individuals thereof, the full, exclusive, and undisturbed possession of their lands and estates, forests, fisheries, and other properties which they may collectively or individually possess, as long as it is their wish and desire to retain the same in their possession. But the chiefs of the united tribes, and the individual chiefs, yield to Her Majesty the exclusire right of pre-emption over eueh lands as the proprietors thereof may be disposed to alienate at such prices at may be agreed upon between the respective proprietors and persons appointed by Her Majesty to treat with them on that behalf. Article 3rd — In consideration thereof, the Queen of England extends to the Natives of New Zealand her Royal protection, and impart* to them all the privileges of British subjects.