PIGEONGRAMS.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3348, 15 September 1879, Page 2

PIGEONGRAMS.

OHXNEMURL

(feom ovr own cobbesfondent.)

Paeboa, Sunday.

I " pigeongraplied " a brief digest of tbe decision of the runanga on Saturday. I am now in possession of a copy of the decision. It is Very lengthy. The clause referring to the action of the Ngatihako is as follows :—They hare done wrong, as blood has been shed. This committee is clear that the survey in which the European was shot was the Ngatikoe's ! surrey. That is proved by Mr Wilkinson, who states that nearly .all the Ngatikoe tribe took money on the land, which they sold under the name of Pukehanga. Mr Wilkinson says: '■ Those of Ngatikoe who were able to do so gave the boundaries of their land, and those who could not give the boundaries listened whilst others of their people did so for them, and none objected. The name they gave for their block was Pukehanga." Mr Wilkinson gave the names of all who had taken advances on the block, and they turned out to to be all Ngatikqe people, therefore the committee are satisfied that Ngatikoe were the cause of the surrey, and that the survey was for the Pukehanga block* The committee see that the surrey was being made by Ngatikoe and the Government conjointly, consequent on the Government buying native lands before they have passed the Court, and it was on account of.this system of land purchase that the trouble has arisen, and through this that the chief surveyor authorises his surveyors (o make surveys of land on which the Government hare advanced money. Had not the Government made advances on this land, which is not through the court, this trouble would not hare arisen, and had ,they not paid money to Timiha, and the rest of the J^gatikoe, and authorised the survey, Timiha would not have had any money to hare a survey of the land made, nor would the chief surveyor have authorised his men to survey it, therefore the committee consider that,both Ngatikoe and the Government are to blame; and they also consider that the Ngatikoe should give up 200 aerei of the Pukehanga block for the European that was shot, as atonement for'their wrong in surveying the landi /Fangitehu and Kirituoa (adjoining Pukehanga), which are owned by the Ngatihakos. The committee consider that the .shooting of the pakeha was wrong according to. the English law, or according to the law or word of Hauraki,which provides that no blood should be shed within the Hauraki district. But the committee, on looking at tbe matter, consider that there was a reason for shooting the European, which was the surveying by the Ngatikoe and the Government of a portion of the Ngatiliakos'land without their consent. Many survey parties had been turned off previously by Ngatihako without their discontinuing to survey, but they at last got tired of turning them off, and although they used to take the surveyors' instruments ,they still persisted in surveying the land ; and the reason why they shot a person in this case was in order to stop the system of surveying. The committee consider that the act would have been justifiable had the person who was shot down been a Maori; but as it was a pakeha, the committee consider the act was wrong." , After the reading of the judgment there was a long discussion. On the runanga formally demanding the surrender of Epiha and Pakara to justice, the Ngatihako refused, their chief Pineaha and a fiaubau Tohunga named Tiwai, endeavoring to lead the conversation into a debate in the question of land purchasing. This, however, was frustrated by Mr Wilkinson who informed them it was impossible to speak on these matters till the culprits were handed over, and Mr Puckey warned all outside the Ngatihako hapu, not to interfere in any future action the Government might decide on. Pineaha then said that his people would return to the hapu, and if they are wanted the Europeans could come and take them by force. He warned them that if Pakara arid Epiha were lodged in gaol, when they were released 'the whole tribe would take up arms and devastate the country. -With this threat the discussion ended, and most of the chiefs of the runanga left last night. To-day Tukukino and Pineaha had a long korero, and the latter has evidently Ranged his mind, as it is now given ouT that ho will consent to Epiha and Pakara being tried by European law. It is, however, expected some days will elapse before the arrangements are completed. For my own part, however, Ido not think the difficulty is at an end. Later.