Correspondence.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 211, 28 October 1859, Page 3

Correspondence.

■ : ~^ " ~ rinr —: " -'■Toth* Editor-of tht Colonif^, ' ;SiR,-T-Haviug seen in last week's. Examiner some allusion to a report which' is said to be current here, to the effect that certain natives of •Queen. Charlotte's Sound are ?about proceeding to Tarauaki to join the '•turbulent Chief Wiremu Kiogi," and likewise having been fn quently questioned on the subject during the past week, I wibh to state what I know of it. , A number of natives belonging to the'Ngatirahiri tribe, or Hapu, residing at Onakiwa, in the S.W. arm of the Sound, havje resolved to depart and return to the land of their fathers, whence they were driven many years'ago by the conquering Waikato tribes; but they have no sympathy with Wireinu Kingi, thufc chief being principally connected with the Puhetapu tribe, a branch of which resides at Ohamaru, in the north entrance of the Sound. From long and intimate acquaintance with the Queen Charlotte's Sound natives,lam only surprised that they have not all, long ago, returned to Taranaki. Not a year has passed since 1843 without a; lengthened discussion of this (to them) most interesting question, and each year I several families have left, and are constantly en- ! treating their relations to follow them to their fatherland; or, as they emphatically callit, " Te Kainga'VaTAilToOTe." . ■ The natives of the Sound have consequently grad&lly decreased duriug the last 15 years, and I am of opinion that shortly very few will be left in that district. The wonder is that they have remained so long there, seeing that they have so little land suitable for cultivation, and that they possess abhndance of good level land at Tarauaki. where they can have the help of the plough, instead of the spade and the hoe. Another strong reason why these natives wish to leave, is, they have discovered that the spot on which they reside, and have their principle cultivations, ia within the boundary claimed by, and awarded to, the late Joseph Toms, and since sold by his executors to Mr. Augustus Hood, of Queen Charlotte's Sound, and as they have now no farther right to the place, they have ceased to feel any interest in it, and have resolved to go where they can peaceably settle down on their own lands, which their fathers held in bygone years. During the last few months frequent conferences on the subject of their departure have been held, both in the Sound and at Motueka, where a part of the Ngatirahiri tribe resides ; and as the deputations have gone to and fro, I have been made acquainted with their deoisions. And I oan safely assert that I believe the natives of the. Ngatirahiri tribe are the most industrious, inoffensive, and well disposed of any in the Nelson province, and that they entertain the highest respect for the Government, and are decidedly opposed to the Native King move-, ment, regarding it (to use their own expression) ss " a child's plaything." Nothing, therefore, is to be feared from their return to Taranaki; and I have no doubt, I should they be at a loss for a vessel to convey them thither, Mr. Hood would very naturally offer no obstacle to their departure, as ho would only be too happy to get possession of the valuable and beautiful spot on which they at present reside, and which belongs to him by purchase, as before mentioned. It appears that many of the natives of Motueka are about leaving in company with their friends of Queen Charlotte's Sound, so that only few of the Ngatirahiri tribe. will remain in this island, and they will probably ere long follow their relatives. Although it may appear desirable that large i bodies of natives should not concentrate in the I neighborhood of Taranaki while the old Chiefs are living, the presence of such industriously disposed natives as the Ngatirahiri will prove a benefit rather than an injury to the European | settlers. ; t am, Sir, yours, &c, W. JENKINS, Native Interpreter I . _ ;—. . i ■ To the Editor of the Colonist. In infancy our hopes and fears Were to each other known, And friendship in our riper years Entwined our hearts in one. —Old Song. Sic, —Such might truly have been sung by the I settlers of Nelson in the early days of their i meeting. Those days, however, it would appear have passed away, and with them the feelings they prompted. Master Wairau, according to his view of things, has arrived at maturity, if not to yean of discretion; and has called upon his guardians to hand over to him a share of his mother's property, that he may set up au establishment of his own. This said venerable old gentleman, who, we all know, likes a quiet life, fearing to be in- | volved in a dispute between two parties for whom he never cared two straws, made short work of it by giving over, absolutely, the best half of the estate to her hopeful son, before the old lady could even be apprised of the proceeding; and in such a hurry was ihe whole business despatched, that not the slightest consideration was bestowed upon the various difficul- [ tics with which the estate has been incumbered duriug his minority, or any calculation made as to the very. easy terms upon which the tenantry were allowed; to occupy the finest -pastoral portion of the qid-jady's estate, to the great detriment of th« rest of her children; bo that he wili hail his'steward-elect as a second, or as some would say^ a third Adam. Such being the fact, let us see what has already resulted from this stolen march, and what may not be fairly expected from it. One thing is, that before the ink is dry, and the wax cold on the Deed of Separation, some of the tenantry began to.suspect that they had been " taken in and done for;" and, like the wise-acre who shut his door after his horse was stolen, apply to the old gentleman, begging he will cancel the Deed of Separation, and exeoute another, upon the ground that they, have been deceived, aud that they have no confidence in Master Wairuu and his boon companions; and that certain restrictions and limitations may be imposed upon the young geutleman to prevent his appropriating all the proceeds of the estate to his own special gratification; and without reference to the numerous engagements under which their various holdings were entered upon to secure their right* and interests. Suob being the state of thing 3at present, it would appear that the poor old guardian, by lii 3 precipitancy, may be said to have jumped out of the frying-pan into the fire ; and all the harm I ■wish him or tie Executive is, that they may come out of the fire without burning tbeir fingers, and remain^ . •"■■/ Yours, &c, ,'.;<',', V BEfIEX ALBUS.