MEMORANDUM BY CHARLES HEAPHY, C.E., ON THE NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1864 Session I, E-09

E.—No. 9.

MEMORANDUM BY CHARLES HEAPHY, C.E., ON THE NATIVE LAND QUESTION.

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OP THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY COMMAND OE HIS EXCELLENCY.

AUCKLAND: 1804.

E.—No. 0.

MEMORANDUM BY CHARLES HEAPHY, C.E. It has been asserted in publications, and stated in Parliamentary speeches in England, that the war in New Zealand has been caused and prolonged by the apprehension on the part of the Natives of the white people dispossessing them of their lands, and by the existence of an actual pressure arising out of the spread of colonization. That these statements were not founded on fact will appear by reference to the attached map [a], upon which are shown (colored pink) the land purchased by the Europeans at the commencement of the war. and the locality and extent of the districts (coloured green) from which the rebels came to the attack of Auckland, and to fighl in the Waikato and at Tauranga. By an inspection of the map it will be seen that the green tint—indicating the rebel territoryextends, almost exclusively, over districts where no settlements have been formed by the Government, Taranaki being the only exception. In the Thames valley and near the Mokau River some block appears as having been purchased by the Government, but these have not been settled upon or taken possession of, and their alienation could have produced no feeling of apprehension to the Native sellers ot a pressure of white neighbourhood. To the North of the Manukau about half of the whole country, it will be seen, has become white property. In these districts agrarian pressure might, if anywhere, be supposed to exist, but from these districts no Natives have joined in the Avar. Prom the district of Wellington, where the relative extent of ceded land is large, but very few Natives have joined in the war ; and from Hawke's Bay, where the proportionate amount of sold land is the greatest, no Maoris are known to have joined the rebellion. The inferences to be drawn from these facts are either that the Natives living amongst the settlers were so degraded and weakened as to be unable to rise in opposition to the Government, or that being in better circumstances, more contented, and better informed as to the intention of the Europeans, they were indisposed to disaffection. That the tribes living amongst the settlements were not so degraded or weak is proved by the notorious and admitted fact of their material prosperity. Near Auckland, "Wellington, the Bay of Islands, and Napier they possess freehold property, secured to them by Crown Grant,-they own well enclosed paddocks, let at high rates to market butchers ; their names are on registers of clipper vessels, they own abundance of cattle and horses, and hare sums of money to their credit in the savings and other banks. About Wangarei and the Bay of Islands their numbers are sufficient, if banded together, to enable them to surprise every one of the scattered settlers, and the country is such that after an outbreak they might retreat to almost unassailable mountain fastnesses. The other inference, therefore, appears the one to be adopted. It is not to be denied that the risk of losing their property, or at least of depreciating its value may have been amongst the causes which kept them from participating in the rebellion, but such a fact would but be a proof of their materia] prosperity. They seem to have been willing to subordinate the wish for a separate nationalitj' and a King to the desire of promoting their individual and tribal prosperity. They are perfectly aware thai the duties levied upon the tobacco, sugar, and other articles which they consume, aid the revenueivhich supports the "Waikato Militia regiments, and they have not made objection to the system. That these people, who are fully aware of their own requirements in respect to extent of land necessary for cultivation, do not feel an agrarian pressure is proved by the fact of their having offered tor sale since the commencement of hostilities large tracts of land at the Bay of Islands, Kaipara, Wangarei, Mongonui. and in Hie Wellington Province. In the las! named locality a block of 300,000 acres has been sold to the Government within the last four months, and an adjacent one of equal size and value is under negotiation. The sellers of these blocks were not under pressure through needy circumstances, being amongst the most prosperous Natives in the island. Auckland, November 17th, 1864. Chari.es Heaphv, C.E.