LETTER FROM WIREMU NERO TE AWAITAIA TO HAMIORA NAROPI RELATIVE TO MEETING AT RAGLAN OF WHAINGAROA, AOTEA, AND KAWHIA CHIEFS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1864 Session I, E-14

E.—No. U.

LETTER FROM WIREMU NERO TE AWAITAIA TO HAMIORA NAROPI RELATIVE TO MEETING AT RAGLAN OF WHAINGAROA, AOTEA, AND KAWHIA CHIEFS.

PBESENTBD TO BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY COMMAND OF HIS EXCELLENCY.

AUCKLAND: 1864.

B.—No. 14.

Raglan, Waingaroa, November 17th, 1861. Friend Hamiora Ngaropi — Salutations. We the people of Whaingaroa, the men of Aotca and of Te Akau, have had a meeting; there were 30 men that came together to find out the things which we saw in your letter. Now thin is the conclusion we have come at. It was the Maoris who commenced (war) the evil in this island. It was Hone Heke that began fighting with the Pakeha, and it was wrong on his part. It was Te Rangihaeata too that began his fighting at Kararupea, an,d it went on to Whangamu. The result of that wrong doing was, Te Rauparaha he went to prison. It was the Governor that made the peace of that fighting. At Taranaki it was not commenced groundlessly by the Pakehas, but it was the Maoris themselves who let the land go to the Pakeha. Te "VVherowhero Potatau sold the land, and it went into the possession of the Pakeha; the Governor then remembered that there would be no land for the Maori. It was then divided for the Pakeha and for the Maori, and they dwelt quietly upon it. Afterwards To Rangitake and Katatore commenced theirs, and after that Rawiri Waiau —a murder (who was murdered,) Ihaia te Kirikomara retaliated ; the result was Katatore (was killed) then the fighting of the Maori commenced with the Pakeha ; then the tribes in New Zealand foresaw that the land would be taken, and they set up Potatau to hold New Zealand, and the evil climbed up here, and the Pakeha fought with the' Maori, and Waikato was lost there. At Taranaki they went there for the purpose of getting back the land which had been got possession of by the Pakeha, to set up the mana of the Maori king there ; the Pakeha looked on, and peace was made. The guns of this fighting were left in their own hands, according to the decree of the Governor, thinking that the war would cease. When they returned from Taranaki the land of the Pakehas in Waikato was taken away as far as Waipa, and the fighting began hero in the dnys of Matutacro ; this commenced the fighting when Waikato fell, and the land was taken by the Pakeha. Under this state of affairs a God appeared to strengthen them ; on this account the tribes were determined to persist in (fighting), and would not consent to life. What they are bent upon now is to take this island, and to destroy all the Pakehas, and the Maoris who have stuck to the Pakehas. As for the Proclamation of the Governor for the king tribes to come in quickly with their powder, guns, and weapons, they will not consent. Neither will they consent to peace making, but if the chiefs of New Zealand had consented then it would be right; this is their word, they will not agree to come back again inside of our boundaries. 0 Runanga of the Pakeha and of the Maori dwelling in New Zealand, there is no fault with the Governor, the fault is the Maoris. The kind doings of God and of the Governor's they have trodden under their feet, they did not remember the word, of Christ, " Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall inherit the earth." They met by the way to Christ. That is a word. And thou New Zealand which art exalted to Heaven shall be brought down to death (earth or night). oye Runangas of the Government. This meeting does not seek any wrong doings on your part. 0 you Runanga of England, the Governor has done no wrong to "New Zealand. O Government, here is the thought of the King Tribes. Our tribe is hard (persists) another tribe is striving to Waikato on account of the laws of Waikato and Waipa having become lenient, some people are coming in on account of the laws having become lenient, and now as it is the laws of Kawhia, Aotea, and Raglan will be let become yet more lenient upon the Proclamation of the Governor, for the good of the king Tribes, who arc trampling upon this law ; it were good had they hearkened, for man to live, and the land die (be taken) for payment for them through this island, because our lands have been taken guiltlessly (without fault on out part) in Waipa by Mr. Turton ; but it is well, for the clemency of the Governor is extended to us, to the Maoris. This is the end of the words of the meeting of the Chiefs of Raglan. The great sin was not spoken of; the great wrong done by the Maoris upon the Pakehas. That is all. WiNeea te Awaitaia. Here follow signatures.

LETTER T&01& WIREMU NERO TE AWATAIA TO HAMIORA NAROPI RELATIVE TO MEETING AT lIAGLAN OF WIIAINGAROA, AOTEA, AND KAWHIA CHIEFS.

E.—No. 14.

Eakarana, "WTiaingaroa, Nowema 17th, 1864. E hoa c Hamiora Ngaropi— f ena koe kua huihui matou nga tangata o Whaingaroa nga tangata o Aotea, o te Akau, c toru tekau nga tangata 30, i huihui mai kite kiini i nga inea i kitea ito pukapuka, koia tenei. Na te M aor ano i timatate he ki tenei motu. Na Hono Heke ano i timata te whawhai kite pakeha ame tona he ano. Na Te Eangihaeata ano i timata tana whawhai ki Kararupea tae noa ki Whanganui, te tukunga iho 0 tera he, ko Te Rauparaha haere ana kite whare herehere. Na Te Kawaua ano i hohou te rongo o tera whawhai. Kei Taranaki c hara ite mea pokanoa na te pakeha. Engari, na te tangata Maori ano i tuku te whenua kite pakeha Na Te Wherowhero Potatau i hoko te whenua riro ana ite pakeha. Mahara a Te Kawana. Kaore he whenua mo te Maori. Katahi ka wahia mo te pakeha mo te Maori. Na noho pai ana ratou i runga. Muri iho ka timata eTe Eaugitake raua ko Katatore, tona muringa iho ko Eawiri Waiaua he Kohuru, utua ana c Ihaia Kirikumara ko Katatore, Ka timata te whawhai a te tangata Maori kite pakeha, ka mahara nga iwi c noho ana i Nui Tireni ka riro te whenua, ka whakaturia ko Potatau hei pupuru mo Nui Tireni. Ka piki te kino i konei ka whawhai te pakeha raua ko te Maori ngaro atu Waikato ki reira ki Taranaki; i haere atu ratou he whakahoki mai i nga whenua kua riro i te pakeha, he whakanoho i te maua o te Kingi ki runga, titiro ana te pakeha houhia iho kite rongo, ko ngapu katoao tenei whawhai waiho tomi c teTure o Te Cawana ki o ratou ringaringa, kai hua c mutu te whawhai, te hokinga mai i Taranaki ka tangohia nga whenua o nga pakeha i roto i Waikato putanoa ki .Waipa, ka timata te whawhai ki konei. No nga ra ia Matutaera tenei timatanga whawhai ka mate a Waikato, ka riro te whenua i to pakeha. I runga 1 tenei tikanga ka puta mai ano he Atua hei whakakaha ia ratou. Na konei ka pakeke nga iwi kingi ki te kino, ekore rato.i c pai kite ora, heoti ano ta ratou c tohe nei, ko tenei motu kia riro ia ratou, ko te pakeha me te ma iri i pin kite pakeha kia mate katoa ia ratou, ko te panuitanga a Te Kawana kia tore mai n<ra iwi kingi me ana paura mo ana pu, patn, ekorc ratou c whakaae, ekore ano hoki ratou c whakaae kite ron"o mau ; mehemoa na nga rangatira o Nui Tireni i whakaae katahi ka tika. Ko ta ratou ki tenei ekore ratou c whakaae kia hoki mai lei roto ki o tatou rohe. E nga runanga ote pakeha ote maori c noho na ki Nui Tireni, kahoro a Kawana he, na te maori ano tona he. Ko nga main atawhai a te Atua a nga Kawana takahia iho c ratou ki raro ki o ratou waewae, kihai ratou i mahara ko ta Te Karaiti kupu, " E hari anate hunga ngakau marie ma ratou hoki c noho te whenua," i taki ratou i te ara kia Te Karaiti, he ki tena. Ko koe o Nui Tireni c whakukea nei kite rangi ka tukua koe kite po. E nga Eunantm ote Kawa'iatanga, kahore tenei c kimi i o koutou nei hara. Etc Eunanga o Ingarangi kahore aTe Kawana he ki Nui Tireni nei. Na tenei motu ano te lie. ETe Kawanatanga tenei ano n< ra whakaaro o nga iwi kingi, ko tetahi iwi c pakeke ana, ko tetahi iwi c tohe ana mai ko Waikato. Na konei kapai nga ture o Waipa o Waikato. X haere ana mai tetahi tangata i runga i nga ture ngawari, ko tenei ka tukua kia ngawari iho nga Ture o Kawhia o Aotea o Eakarana, i runga auo i te panuitanga a Te Kawana mo te pai, ma nga iwi kingi o takahi tenei Ture c pai ana, mci rongo ratou ko te tangata kia ora ko te whenua kia mate hei utu mo t-i ratou he tawhio noa tenei motu. No te mea kua tangohia harakoretia o matou whenua i Waipa eTe Tetaua. Otiia c pai ana. Whakaputaina te aroha oTe Kawana kia matou ki nga tangata maori. Ko te mutunga tenei o nga korero ote huihuinga o nga Eaii"-atira ki Eakarana. Kihai i kiia-te hara nui kite pakeha. Na te maori ano te hara nui. Hcoi ano Na Wi Nero Te Await.ua. Ko nga ingoa tenei o nga tangata ka tuhia iho nei o ratou ingoa ki tenei pukapuka. Wi Nero Te Awaitaia Hetaraka Hone Pirihi Hemi Matini Hepata Hakopo Eeihana Kepa Hami Te Ao-o-te-Eangi Te Waaka Wetini Wi Ngaweke Eihimona Inoka Hemi Hone Eawiri Hapeta Mohi Kewene Epiha Taneti Manahi Pene Eopata Eruini Hone Hone Mohi Pari Hemi Karena

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LETTER RELATING TO MEETING OP NATIVE CHIEFS.