NATIVE AFFAIRS. RETURN OF PATARA TO TARANAKI.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1869 Session I, A-19

A.—No. 19

NATIVE AFFAIRS. RETURN OF PATARA TO TARANAKI.

Return to an Order of the Souse of Representatives, of the -ith day of August, 1869. That there be laid upon the Table of this House—" Copies of all Correspondence between the Civil Commissioners at Taranaki and Tauranga and any other Officers and the Government respecting the return of Patara to Taranaki." (Mr. Richmond)

WELLINGTON.

1869.

A.—No. 19,

No. 1. Copy of a Letter from Mr. E. Parris to the Hon. the Native Minister. (No. 94.) Sir, — New Plymouth, Ist June, 1867. I have the honor to inform you that three Natives have just arrived from Opunake, and report all quiet in that district. I have received a letter from Wm. King Matakatea reporting that Patara has paid him a friendly visit at his place at Umeroa. Patara is tho man of East Coast notoriety whom the Auckland papers constantly represent as being at the present time at the head of a party carrying on hostilities in the Tauranga District; whereas it is over four months since he returned "to this district, and has never been out of it since. I have, <fcc, The Hon. the Minister for Native Affairs, R. Parris, Wellington. Civil Commissioner. P.S. —There is a large meeting now taking place at Te Ngutu-o-te-Mauu, which Hone Pihama has been invited to attend. It is near Pungarohu, the residence of Tamati One Oraukawa and the Ngaruahine Natives. E. Parris.

No. 2. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Eollestox to Mr. H. T. Clarke. (No. 304-1.) Native Secretary's Office, Sir,— Wellington, 12th August, 1867. I have the honor, by direction of Mr. Eichmond, to request you to be good enough to report at your early convenience whether you are in possession of any evidence of Patara's complicity in the murders at Opotiki, Whakatane, or elsewhere. I hare, &c, W. Eollestok, The Civil Commissioner, Tauranga. Under Secretary. Similar letters to the Eesident Magistrate, Maketu ; the Eesident Magistrate, Opotiki; Thomas H. Smith, Esq. ; J. A. Wilson, Esq.

No. 3. Copy of a Letter from Mr. H. T. Clarke to Mr. Eolleston. (D. 423.) Civil Commissioner's Office, Sir, — Tauranga, 29th August, 1867. In reply to your letter of the 12th instant (No. 304-1), requesting to be informed whether I am in possession of any evidence of Patara's complicity in the murders at Opotiki, Whakatane, or elsewhere. With regard to the murder of Rev. C. S. Volckner, I have the honor to inform you that Patara was not present when the murder was committed. It is a well ascertained fact that he was about twenty miles from Opotiki at the time. It is also a well established fact that he assisted Kereopa to instigate the people to destroy their missionaries ; at Whakatane he declared openly that if he found tho missionary at Opotiki he would kill him. After the death of Mr. Volckner, he affected to disapprove of Kereopa's act. After Mr. Fulloon's death, Patara visited the murderers and took away with him Mr. Pulloon'a breech-loading carbine and revolver. From a long personal acquaintance with Patara, I have no hesitation in describing him as being a man of dangerous character, thoroughly unprincipled, and in his insidious and plausible manner capable of doing a great amount of mischief. I have, &c, The L Tnder Secretary, Native Department, H. T. Clarke, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

No. 4. Copy of a Letter from Mr. W. K. Nesbitt to Mr. Eolleston. Sir,— Maketu, 29th August, 1867. In reply to your letter of the 12th instant (No. 306-1), inquiring if I am in possession of any evidence of Patara's complicity in the murders at Whakatane, Opotiki, or elsewhere, I have tho honor to inform you that I have looked over all the papers in this office having reference to the murders at "Whakatane, including the informations and warrants for apprehension, and that Patara'a name docs not appear amongst those accused. There are no papers relative to the murder at Opotiki in this office. I do not know of any one in the district whose evidence would be available. I have, &c, W. K. Nesbitt, The Under Secretary, Native Office, Wellington. Eesident Magistrate.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO RETURN OF PATARA TO TARANAKI.

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RETURN OE PATARA

No. 5. Copy of a Letter from Mr. W. J. Mair to Mr. Rollestox. Sir,— Whakatane, 14th October, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (No. 306-1, 12th August, 1867), requesting to be informed whether I am in possession of any evidence implicating Patara Raukatauri in the murders in the Bay of Plenty or elsewhere; and in reply beg to inform you that upon the occasion of Patara's visiting Te Whanau and Apanui, and other tribes near Cape Eunaway, he boasted of the murder of Mr. Yolckner, and said that he had been the prime mover in the matter, but that the onus of it would attach to Kereopa. It is also well known that he was the leader of the party of Whakatohea who murdered the friendly Native Hotene Muritakaka at Ohiwa, on the Bth January, 18G6 ; he was not actually present at the murder, but left Waioeka the day before, with the avowed intention of laying ambuscades on the beach for both Europeans and Natives passing between Opotiki and Whakatane, and on his return had in his possession some of the property of the murdered man. I have, &c, The Under Secretary, Native Department, W. J. Mair, Wellington. Resident Magistrate. No. 6. Copy of a Letter from Mr. T. H. Smith to Mr. Eolleston. Sie, — Greytown, Wairarapa, 22nd August, 1867. In reply to your letter (No. 431-1,12th August, 1807) requesting me to report whether I am in possession of any evidence of Patara's complicity ia the murders at Opotiki, Whakatane, or elsewhere, I have the honor to report that I am not in possession of any such evidence. I would suggest a reference to Mr. Clarke, Civil Commissioner of Tauranga, for the purpose of ascertaining what evidence can be procured on the subject. The Under Secretary, Native Department, I have, &c, Wellington. Thos. H. Smith.

No. 7. Copy of a Letter from Mr. J. A. Wilson to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sie,— Whakatane, 9th September, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th ultimo (No. 430-1), and in reply beg to state that I am in possession of evidence against Patara on one point only. It is a fact easily proved that Patara, before he went to Opotiki, expressed his intention to murder Mr. Volckner, if he found him at that place. This he said while endeavouring to persuade the Ngatiawa Natives to kill Mr. Grange, the Roman Catholic clergyman at Whakatane. There is generally much difference of opinion among the Natives of this district as to Patara's complicity in the crime perpetrated at Opotiki. I have, &c, J. A. Wilson, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Crown Agent.

No. 8. Copy of a Letter from Mr. E. Pareis to Mr. Rolleston. (No. 143.) Sir,— New Plymouth, 2nd September, 18G7. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th ultimo, (No. 325-2), forwarding a copy of a report of Mr. Booth's, with instructions to give warning of the danger which apparently exists to travellers on the coast between Warea and Opunake, and in reply to inform you that I have written to Lieut.-Colonel Leppcr, and also to the Officer Commanding at Warea, copies of which I herewith enclose. Europeans are in the habit of going along the coast, and since the murder of Brady no one has been molested. About a week ago five Europeans left Warea, and two of them, on arriving at Opunake, reported that they had left the other three on the road in a state of intoxication, and not having arrived for some time, ail alarm was raised that something had happened to them. However, they got to Opunake all right, but I have not heard whether they saw any Natives. It is very grievous that men undertaking such a journey can be so foolish as to drown their senses in liquor. It was said to have been the case with poor Brady. A man in that state is very likely to be rash in falling in with Natives supposed not to be friendly. There is to be a change of some sort about the middle of this month with the Waikoukou Natives (the disaffected tribes of Taranaki). The Native report is that they are going to make peace, but I must decline to give an opinion at present. However, I have received a message from Patara this day, informing me that on the 15th of the month there is to be a runauga, and whatever is decided upon he will let me know. Patara is the man of East Coast notoriety in connection with Kereopa. Ho is behaving himself very well, and is in constant communication with Wm. Kingi Matakatea. There is an impression with the public that he was implicated in Mr. Volckner's murder; but Bishop Williams of Waiapu told me, on the 11th of August, that he himself could prove an alibi for Patara. I should be glad to know the views of Government respecting him by return of post, as I purpose going to

TO TARANAKI.

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A.—No. 19.

Opunake this month and shall be very likely to see him, and I do not want a repetition of Te Ua's case. I was formerly well acquainted with Patara, and know him to bo a shrewd Native, but I should be sorry to make any use of him if he is to take his trial for the East Coast murder. I have, &c, E. Paeeis, The Under Native Secretary, Wellington. Civil Commissioner.

Enclosure 1 in No. 8. Copy of a Letter from Mr. E. Paekis to the Offices Commanding, Warea. (No. 137.) Sib,— New Plymouth, 28th August, 1867. Until a more satisfactory understanding has been arrived at with the disaffected Natives along the coast from Warea to Umeroa, I consider it is not safe for Europeans to be travelling that way without proper caution. I therefore recommend you to warn any Europeans of the danger in case of their arriving at your post on their way South. I have, Ac, E. Pabbis, The Officer Commanding at Warea. Civil Commissioner.

Enclosure 2 in No. 8. Copy of a Letter from Mr. E. Paeeis to Lieut.-Colonel Leppeb. (No. 138.) Sib,— New Plymouth, 28th August, 1867. I called at your office this morning intending to ask you to write to the officer in command at Warea to instruct him to warn Europeans not to move about carelessly between Warea and Umeroa, as it is considered not safe until some satisfactory understanding has been arrived at with the disaffected Natives of that part, and in the meantime might lead to new complications. In your absence I took the liberty to write myself to the Officer Commanding at Warea, and beg to enclose a copy of my letter for your information. I have, Ac, Lieut.-Colonel Lepper, E. Pabbis, Commanding Colonial Forces, New Plymouth. Civil Commissioner.

No. 9. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Bolleston to Mr. E. Pabbis. (No. 372-2.) Native Secretary's Office, Sib,— Wellington, 24th September, 1867. In reply to your letter No. 143, of 2nd September, in which you request to be made acquainted with the views of the Government respecting the Native Patara, I have the honor, by direction of Mr. Eichmond, to inform you that the Government have no reason to think that Patara was directly implicated in the murders at the Bay of Plenty; and if he is not conscious of any special crime, the Government know of none on which they arc likely to proceed against him. I have, &c, W. Eolleston, The Civil Commissioner, Taranaki. Under Secretary.

No. 10. Copy of a Letter from Mr. E. Pabeis to the Hon. J. C. Eichmond. (No. 154.) Sib,— New Plymouth, 25th May, 1868. I have the honor to forward herewith a letter from Patara Baukatauri, addressed to His Excellency the Governor, together with a translation of the same. Patara Eaukatauri met me for the first time on the 14th January last, in the Taranaki District, but in consequence of my continued absence from New Plymouth since that time, he and his party did not come in until this month. He appears to have been aware that his name was coupled with that of Kereopa in connection with the murders of Mr. Volckner and Mr. Fulloon, in reference to which crimes he pleads entire innocency, and further states that there were Europeans in the Tauranga District who knew of his exertions to prevent them. I informed the Government by letter dated 2nd September, 1867, that Bishop Williams had told me that he could prove an alibi for Patara. In consequence of the suspicion of his complicity in those crimes I had some difficulty to get him to come in, as he was afraid we should make a prisoner of him; but as his visit has convinced him of the peaceful intentions of the Government towards him, he appears now to wish to exert himself in the manner proposed in his letter. He was for a long time a resident in the Tauranga District (and was an Assessor part of the time) until the year 1861, when he came to this district, being related to the Taranaki Tribe. He brought a letter of introduction to me from Mr. Clarke, Eesident Magistrate for the Bay of Plenty, who represented him to be a well-conducted Native at that time. 2

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RETURN OE PATARA

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As a Maori Patara is a clever man, but I cannot speak as to his influence with the disaffected tribes on the East Coast, to which district his proposals mainly refer, having been informed by a party recently arrived from Tokangamutu that hostilities are still being carried on in that quarter. With regard to his request that I should accompany him, I have explained to him that it would be very inconvenient for me to leave my own district for so long a time, and that the Government had its officers there, who would render any assistance they may be ordered to. If the Government consider his proposals of sufficient importance to wish for the service to be performed, I shall be willing to accompany him, if the Government wish it. I have, &c, E. Paeeis, The Hon. J. C. Richmond, Auckland. Civil Commissioner.

Enclosure in No. 10. Taranaki, Mei 21, ISGB. Ki Te Kawana hou, korua ko Te Ritimona, me to korua runanga, — E Te Kawana i meatia e Te Kuini hei tumuaki mo Nui Tireni mo nga mea katoa, ano hoki e takoto nei i runga i tenei motu. E hoa, he tauhou ahau, katahi ahau ka puta mai ki waho ki te ao marama —i hoki mai ahau i nga wahi katoa ote motu nei ite mahi kino ki nga iwi Maori, ki nga Pakeha hoki. E hoa, he whakaaro tenei naku inaienei kia kohikohi ahau i etahi hoa moku, i a Parete hoki, taku i pai ai kia haere atu au kia korero kia mutu nga raruraru i nga wahi katoa o te motu nei, kia tukua ma to whakawa anake nga mahi mo nga mea katoa, kia koo te whakaaro ki to tuku mai i tetahi tima mo matou ko aku hoa liia tere ai taku haere ; otira he ki atu ki a koe. kei a koe anake tc ritenga ki te mea, e pai ana tenei ritenga tuhituhia mai, kia mohio ai ahau. E te manuwhiri tena koe, e toko hoa aroha. Heoi ano te kupu, Te Pataea Rattkatauei.

[teanslation.] Taranaki, 21st May, 18G8. To the new Goyeenoe, you and Mr. Richmond, and your Council, — O Governor, appointed by the Queen for New Zealand to be the ruler over all things in this Island. Friend, lam a stranger; I have just come out into the open part of the world, where it is clear ; I have come back from all parts of the Island, from the evil works of the Maoris and Europeans. Friend, a thought of mine at the present time is, that I should select a few friends (influential Maoris) and also Mr. Parris, the person I should wish for, and go to all the places of the Island (where things are unsettled) to talk about and advise that the present confused state of things be put a stop to at every place and that everything should be left to investigation for a final settlement. It is for you to decide about a steamer for me and my coadjutors, that our travelling may be speedy. This, however, is but a suggestion; it is for you alone to decide ; and whether you approve or disapprove of it, write to me that I may know. 0 stranger, salutations to you, my loving friend. That is all from, Pataea Rattkatatjei.

No. 11. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. J. C. Richmond to Mr. R. Paeeis. (Confidential.) Sie, — Auckland, 29th May, 1868. I have to acknowledge your letters of the 25th and 27th instant, one reporting your intercourse with Patara and covering a proposal of his, and the other reporting the condition of afl'airs at Patea and the completion of the survey at Waitotara. With reference to the former letter, I should consider it a service of greater immediate importance if Patara should succeed in reaching Tokangamutu shortly. Divisions exist within the King party, and the evidence which he could convey to them of the strict good faith with which the amnesty of 1565 has been adhered to in his own case, might have weight with the more moderate men to confirm the division, and to convince them that they need fear no further losses of property, or danger to their persons or liberty, by abandoning their hostile attitude. Should Patara succeed in bringing about a return of confidence among the more moderate King Natives, or failing that, if he should obtain trustworthy information of their intentions, he may rely on being liberally dealt with. I think it would not be advisable to offer any specific reward, but if you are of a different opinion you will be at liberty to make such an offer. It will be impossible for Patara to exercise too much caution in the beginning of his mission, that he may not appear as a professed peacemaker, least of all as an emissary of the Government. To awaken a suspicion of this would be to defeat all chance of gaining information, and cast suspicion on arguments for peaceful reunion, which should be suggested casually rather than urged. The mission to the East Coast can stand over for a while, and might be undertaken after his return from Tokangamutu, should his success there encourage it. I have, &c., R. Parris, Esq., Civil Commissioner, Taranaki. J. C. Eichmond.

A.—No. 19.

No. 12. Copy of a Letter from Mr. E. Paeeis to the.Hon. J. C. Eichmond. (No. 197.) Sib,— New Plymouth, 4th July, 1868. Eeverting to your confidential letter of 29th May, in reference to Patara's proposal to go to the East Coast, I have the honor to inform you that, in consequence of what has occurred in the Ngatiruanui District, the Taranaki Natives have been rather excited, and have been holding meetings which appear to have terminated favourably. This state of things has prevented me doing anything in the matter you referred to with Patara, and in fact I should be sorry to send him out of the district until we see what the upshot of our new difficulties is to be. I have this day received a letter from Patara, copy of which I beg to enclose herewith, in which he states that it is uncertain whether More and party, from Tokangamutu, will return to the North by way of the Town of New Plymouth, or the way they came by way of Ngatimaru. His letter also implies that any tribe which is guilty of an offence must take the responsibility of it upon themselves—that others will not support them. He states also that he has sent to Titokowaru to ask what was the cause of their being guilty of the late murders. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Native Affairs, E. Paeeis, Wellington. Civil Commissioner. Enclosure in No. 12. Ki a Paeete,— Whakairi, Hune 30, 1868. Tena koe, korua ko Te Eitimona me nga hoa aroha. Kua tae mai to reta, kaore au i te mohio, i haere atu ranei a More i waho na e tika ano ranei i uta. E hoa, waiho ki a Titoko tana mahi ekare au i haere ki tana mahi, ekare au e rere ki tana mahi ki te kohuru, au maku anake taku kino, kaore a te Whiti e rere mai ki taku he kia tae mai taku tamaiti kua riro ki a te Titoko ki patai i te take o tenei kohuru heaha ra te take, kia tae mai ka haere atu ahau. Na to hoa aroha, Na Pataea Batjkataubi. [teanslation.] To Me. Paeeis,— Whakairi, 30th June, 1868. Salutations to you and Mr. Eichmond and to loved friends. Tour letter has arrived. Ido not know whether More went by the coast or inland. Friend, leave Titoko's work to himself. I will not go to it, or the work of Te Whiti: let him do it himself. I will not take part in his work. If I commit murder my evil will be for myself. Te Whiti will not take part in my offence. When my boy returns (who has gone to Titoko to ask him about the cause of this murder) I shall go. Prom your loving friend, Na Pataea Eatjkatattei.

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TO TARANAKI.