PROVINCIAL GAZETTE.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 365, 23 April 1861, Page 3

PROVINCIAL GAZETTE.

New Plymouth, April 15, 1861. The following letter from the Minister for Native Affairs, and its enclosures, are published for general information. G. Outfield, Superintendent. New Plymouth, April 15,1861. Sir, —I have the honor to forward the copy of a letter (enclosure No. 1) addressed by the Native Secretary, by direction of His Excellency, to the Taranaki and Ngatiruanui tribes. No satisfactory answer having been received, it has been thought proper before His Excellency's departure for Auckland, to communicate to them the terms on which their submission will be accepted, a copy of which (enclosure No. 2) I enclose for your information. I have the honor to be, &c, FitEUK. A. Weld. To His Honor the Superintendent, Taranaki. Enclosure No. 1. To the laranalci (or Ngatiruania) Tribe. The Governor came down to Waitara at the request of Hapurona, William King aud other Ngatiawa, to state the terms upon which he would grant peace to them. The Governor is now at New Plymouth, and he is informed that you have retired from the European land to your own country, and that you desire peace. If this be true, he is prepared to state the terms upon which he will grant peace to you. The Governor will return in a few days to Auckland, and you must therefore send me an answer to this by Wednesday morning, the 10th day of April. (Signed) Donald McLean. Bth April, 1861. Enclosure No. 2. To the Chiefs of the Taranaki (or Ngatiruanui) Tribe. Before I leave New Plymouth I will state lo you the terms on which I am williDg to grant you peace. In dictating these terms I cannot overlook the outrages that you have committed. Whatever may have beentn dispute in reference to the land at Waitara it w s a matter with which you had no concern. W hout even pretence of quarrel with the Queer, a Government, or her European subjects, you have taken advantage of the disturbances caused by another tribe to sat the authority of the Quee/i and the Law at defiance; to attack Her iMajesty's troops; to burn, destroy, and steal property; and treacherously kill without provocation Her Majesty's subjects while engaged in their peaceful occupations. Moreover you have driven off the settlers from land which years ago, you have sold and been fully paid for, and have avowed your intention of repossessing yourselves of it and retaining it by force. However much I may condemn, the offences committed by the Natiawa, I look on those perpetrated by you to be of a far more serious nature, and before I can consent to grant you peace I shall require restitution and compensation for the past, and explicit declaration of your intention to conduct yourselves as peaceful and orderly subjects of Her Majesty for the future. ■ I require— (1) Entire submission to the Queen and the Law. . : (2) All plunder now in your possession to be forthwith given up, and compensation made for that which is not returned, and for property destroyed and injured. ' ' (3) That all mails shall be permitted to pass without interruption, and the mail-carriers protected. (4) That people, goods, and cattle shall be allowed to. pass without molestauon. The grave offence of killing unarmed settlers and children is one against the Queen and the Law, and will not be overlooked. Whenever those men who are charged with having committed that offence are taken by the Officers of Justice they will be tried, and the Law will declare whether they are guilty, and, if guilty, what punishment they shall suffer. (Signed) T. Gore Browne, Governor. (From the Taranaki Herald, April 13.) The early departure of the mail steamer will not allow time for extracts from our southern files this week. The week has been full of excitement, though barren of events. On Monday evening the Governor arrived from Waitara, accompanied by Messrs. Whitaker, Weld, M'Lean, and Captain Steward. A considerable number of people were assembled to see him enter the town, who received him without any demonstration, owing to the anxiety and doubt felt respecting the terms of peace. On Tuesday a meeting of settlers was held, as reported in another column. On Wednesday morning an abandoned house at Henui was burned. Suspicion turned on the natives; but no evidence has appeared to show who were the authors of the mischief, or that it was more than accidental. The house had been used by both Europeans and Maoris for discreditable purposes. A deputation of settlers waited on his Excellency. On Thursday an adjourned meeting received the report of the deputation. Major-General Cameron reviewed the force at Waitara and in town on Friday. The Maori prisoners of war were released ' this afternoon. An answer of an unsatisfactory character has been received to his Excellency's message to the southern tribes. "W. Thompson," they say, •' made peace, and the arrangement is with him." A Ngatiruanui chief in town has suggested terms, including, among other things, payment for the injuries to private property. His Excellency and Ministers have ridden over to Waitara this afternoon. While we write the artillery is entering town from Waitara. The bearing of the terms offered to the Ngatiawa is no longer matter of doubt. They are consistent with many practical advantages, and indicate a favorable change ; in the disposition of the natives; though • it is going too far to say, as it has been ■ said, they are the only terms that could have been beneficially determined on., The terms themselves, indeed, do not effect much; but, as it has been repeatedly urged in these columns, the first guarantee for peace and order in the future must be, not in any stipulations of a treaty, but in the fact that war and anarchy have been

proved a losing and painful game by the natives. So far from its being true that •' the quarrel can never be settled by arms, and must therefore be turned over to diplomacy," it was utterly hopeless to have obtained any concession by negotiation, which we were not in a position to exact by force. The departure of the Waikatos snggested the belief that they had been beaten; and the fact has become perfectly certain since, from their own admission that from and including the attack on the redoubt to the end of the war 200 of them had been killed. The statement is not likely to be an exaggeration, and Hapurona's tale of the 300 f.om first to last is confirmed by it. Three hundred men out of a force not amounting in the gross to more than fifteen hundred, and many wounded besides, is a loss which might well lead to a piactical confession of failure, though Maoris seldom admit so painful a fact in terms. The temper in which Wi King left for Waikato is that of a conquered if sullen man. He alleges that he is bound not to make peace without his allies, and goes as their slave. His influence is utterly broken; but, as he and his adherents have had liberal treatment, no anxiety need be felt respecting need be felt respecting their ' movements. They have no injury to rankle and the dream of Maori independence is not one that will make a freebooter of the indolent and sensual ex-chief of Waitara. The first and most immediate guarantee of peace we have, then, not in the terms, but in the events which made them acceptable; and and his Excellency's Government are alive to the necessity of securing the second and permanent guarantee —the enlargement of the settlement by prompt purchase from the natives whilst the impression of the present ciisis is fresh. Heie, again, the terms give nothing, but indicate are and consistent with what we most need. It is probable that, not only is the land-league broken in Taranaki, but the desire to hold land is gone^ and will not revive in the Ngatiawa tribe, j except, indeed, that portion of it which is under the spiritual guidance of the Veil. Archdeacon Hadfield. For the poor ignorant Maori is sadiy betrayed by reason ; he has not the noble tenacity of purpose which clings till death to the word once uttered. He is sadly too ready to accept the actual facts of existence, and once convinced that the British colony is an inevitable circumstance, and that law will be carried out within that colony, he will even hug his chains, and become as unconscious of his piteous state of degradation as Canning's knife-grinder. Thistorriblecallousnesstothe rights and wrongs which Bishop Selwyn and his allies imagine and " claim " for him may alienate those friends of humanity, as in the case of the knife-grinder, but will prove the third guarantee for our future peace. It is not too sanguine to believe that the Ngatiawa tribe, with its feuds set at rest, will be the first really to enter into the British Empire. - Attention-then turns itself to the southwards. The message of the Governor to Ngatiruanui was to be answered to-day. Some unsatisfactory reply has already been received, it is said, Irom Taranaki. The hope lingers still among the insurgents that, the union of their several tribes may be tolerated. There is too much reason to believe that, in this effort to maintain union, they are backed by the advice of some of the clergy, if not of Bishop Selwyn. We give what publicity we can to this statement, which we have no doubt is based upon fact. The colony has a right to ask a disclaimer, where it is possible, from the clergy of the so-called Philo-Maori party who have been most prominent in their advocacy of the native claims. It is idle to speculate on the course that will follow the adopiion of such advice as we have just referred to. No doubt the utmost speed is for some reasons desirable in bringing the question to trial. No time for preparation should be given the enemy if it can be avoided. But, on the other hand, more force is yet expected in the island ; and if the tactics of the insurgents should be to open a war of destruction in seveial places together, their knowledge of the passes of the country, and celerity of movement would enable them to do great mischief unless a force competent to take the field against the greater part of them can be brought to bear in three or four places. These are things we must be content to leave in other hands; the main difficulties are indicated here that no reader may be impatient or suspicious if the course ot Major-General Cameron is not at first so rapid as his character and special mission Jead us to expect. With respect.to the terms to be offered if asked for, we hazard the conjecture that on the south the repayment of the settlers' losses, the formation of a road, and the establishment of one or more military posts along it, will be the main features. ' While on the north, the lowering of the king's flag,. the acknowledgment of the.royal authority j and the formation of roads may be perhaps held sufficient submission ior the bold race who have already suffered so severely. It is however doubtful whether the formation of a special settlement in the interior under military protection would not in the end be the most secure, and therefore humane, way of bringing the tribes of Waikato within the pale of the British empire. In all the questions arising out of the adjustment of the present quarrel, it must never be lost sight of that the interests of the two populations are really identical. Once let the , point be conceded, which, under cover of a cloud of dust of his own raising, Bishop Selwyn and his coadjutors are really fighting; once admit, that is to say, that the independent sovereignty of the Maori in this island cannot be, and the next object must be to establish the confidence and organise '.he efforts of the Waikato natives who aie by far the best qualified to give a tone to the race. . We must let them feel that we deeply confess the truth of the sentiment of our greatest poet-

Oh it is beautiful To havp. a giant's strength; Lut it is tyrannous To use it like a giant At the same time we must never assume that all that we should feel ourselves if we were in the position of a vanquished race, will be felt by the Maori; still less that the claims or ideas of Bishop Selwyn and his followers are really those, of the natives. A wonderful frankness, as we have said, in accepting a /ait accompli, distinguishes the Maori, and the higher members 'of the race have that geniality which Englishmen recognise as belonging to real courage; they can sit down in good temper by the side of an antagonist as soon as the fight is really ended. Add to this, what cannot be too often repeated, that the wrongs of the Maori exist only in the distempered fancies of a few most unpractical tninds; and there is some ground for believing that the immediate colonisation of Waikato, on terms as honorable and favorable to the natives as can be devised, would be a practicable and politic course.

On Tuesday last about one hundred and twenty persons, including those most active in tae public affairs of the place, assembled at the Boathouse, and the Superintendent was called upon to preside. His Honor read the requisition calling on him to convene the meeting, and stated the object to be to obtain such information as His Excellency would give respecting the arrangements for pacification now under consideration. He considered that under the circumstances the meeting would do well to appoint.a deputation, and then adjourn till the deputation should have waited on His Excellency. At present they were in the dark, and to get information first and discuss after would be the wise plan. Mr. Hulke hoped there would be no attempt to narrow the subject which the meeting was to consider. They had much to discuss besides the peace. There weie the wrongs of the militia—and the old abuses were kept up in town with respect to the natives who were not subjected to the same law as the settlers. Mr. Gledhill was hardly andible, but spoke generally to a similar effect. Mr. J. C. Richmond hoped the settlers would take a business view of their position. His friend Mr. Hulke seemed rather warm, but it was surely better for a small and weak community to take a conciliatory tone. We could uot afford to lose a friend or make an enemy. In considering the terms recently published he thought we should do well to leave all talk about the honor of the country to others. The Quean's dignity was only in a very small degree committed to our keeping. The civil forces had done everything they could do to maintain it. Waireka was after all the darkest and brightest page of the war. Let the settlers confine their criticisms and enquiries to their own special concerns in the peace. Indemnity for past losses, and security for the future, were the tilings to be sought. He was himself at ease; he was satisfied from conversation with one of his Excellency's advisers that the policy of the Government when fully exhibited would be satisfactory to the settlers generally. He did not wish however, to anticipate the enquiries of the meeting, but thought they might be hopeful. Mr. Gledhill moved—" That a deputation be appointed to wait on his Excellency to lay before him the state of the settlement, and to enquire the views of the Government as to its future prospects." The motion being seconded Mr. Upjohn said he thought the motion was not explicit. He moved that the words " respecting compensation for the settlers' lotses " be inserted. After some desultory discussion the amendment | put and lost and the original motion carried. - It was then moved and carried that the deputation consist of five persons to be named.' Many names having been proposed the chairman called for a show of hands for each, which was in favor of the following gentlemen—Messrs. Richmond, C. Brown, H. Atkinson, Good, and Hulke. The meeting then separated. On Wednesday the deputation waited on his Excellency, and a written paper was read by the foreman, containing the views and inquiries of the deputation. His Excellency replied verbally to the following effect: • He was sensible of tne difficulties alluded to by the deputation, but would not be induced by any pressure of opinion, either in the colony or elsewhere to swerve from his duty. He desired to do tha strictest justice to the settlers of Taranaki, whose sufferings had his warmest sympathy. To answer the main questions raised in the paper just read more definitely would be to disclose his plans prematurely, which would be mischievous. The terms granted to Ngatiawa were determined on with a view to simplify the issue in the present struggle.' It had been called a land quarrel; but though it arose out of a land quarrel it was itself a question of jurisdiction. It was thought right by himself and his Executive Council to rid the issue of this extraneous matter at once, and he thought the settlers would see shortly that this was right. The land lengue, he, believed, was broken up for ever in Taranaki; and as the natives, mow that its pressure was gone, were desirous to sell land, all that was necessary for the consolidation and security of the settlement would, he had great hopes, be very soon obtained. WKingand his people held very little of the conquered land, and he saw no important principle to be satisfied in taking that, but great benefit in the plan he had adopted. He would not say what terms would be offered W. King hereafter. He had sent messages to Taranaki and Ngatiruanui, saying he had heard they-.wanted peace, and if so they must ask for it, and they should be told on what terms it could be had. No great time for negotiation would be allowed, and if the terms were not quickly accepted,.he should put the affair in Major-General Cameron's hands, and ask him to do his best. It might be that peace would riot be asked for; in that case he would prefer to have kept his terms secret, and if any were granted at a late date they would not be the same. With reference to the return of the families, he thought it premature to enter on the subject. We might be only half through the war, but at any rate it was for the Commander of the Forces to decide on that subject. He (the Governor) thought they were best away at present. The reorganisation of the militia under la9t year's amended law was under consideration, and that might meet the wants of those who wished for their discharge. Tha men were to be classified, and a part would form a reserve. He presumed that no one wished to be without a musket to repel an attack. He had given instructions that British law should be enforced strictly for the future among the Ngatiawa tribe, not only as between natives and Europeans, but between native and native ; and the caution which the deputation suggested had been given to the officer in charge of the native department. He hoped however there was no fear that any scandal would arise from the want of self-control on the settlers' side The request that the town pa should be abolished had been anticipated. It was impossible that the existence of a pa in the town could continue. The loyal proprietors would be compensated and the shares of the rebels taken from them. A commission was already valuing it Mr. Whi'aker, on the part of the Executive Council, stated his belief that the terms printed were judicious, but he wished to reiterate that they had no reference to any other than the Ngatiawa men. It was an error to have published them without this caution, which was contained in a •letter to the Superintendent enclosed with them.

The Foreman observed that the reply his Excellency had given did not quite meet the

anxiety of the settlers. They saw no means by which the wrongdoers could repair their destruction of property but by a surrender of territory, and they road the 7th article of the terms to Ngatiawa as announcing as a general principle that land was out of the question, was in fact tapiu His Excellency replied that those terms were quite special—he had never held such an opinion as that land was tapu —but he could promise nothing, because if he had taken territory from the natives, it was not in his power to give it to the sufferers, —the General Assembly, they wereaware, had control in that. Besides, it would be promising to dispose of a bird which was yet in the bush. Mr. Whitaker, in answer to a question from the deputation, said that to answer directly was to expose the intended terms to the rebels. If there wtre no other means of restitution but the land, to say that compensation was part of their policy would be to promise to confiscate land which it might be inexpedient to do. The Foreman had not said land was the only means : he knew there were large (he could not say how large) herds of cattle down South. The sufferers had no right to indicate what was to be the source of their relief: all they desired was relief, and it would remove anxiety to know their claims were admitted. They felt that complete compensation was unprecedented, but justice did not require a precedent. Of course they could not expect impossibilities, but they would be satisfied to know that compensation was part of the present policy. His Excellency agreed that it was most unjust that loyal inhabitants should be left to suffer great loss whilst the rebels went over scot free. . Mr. Hulke observed that the town pah was not the only valuable property held by rebels in the settlement—there was land held under a Crown Grant} in the Hua Block—would that be confiscated ? His Excellency could not confiscate land held of the Crown. The land of a rebel convicted of high treason by the Supteme Court would be confiecated of course. He would refer the deputation to the Attorney-General. Mr. Whitaker could not promise that the Government would prosecute lor high treason. The Cabinet must consult on such a question —it was a doubtful and delicate one. He would make a note of the circumstance mentioned. Mr. Hulke said there was other land reserved for the use of rebels, not under a Crown Grant, which he hoped the Attorney-General would make a note of. After thanking his Excellency for his patient attention, the deputation then withdrew.