F—No. 3

14

CHARGE PREFERRED BY DR. FEATHERSTON

Dr. Featherston 6 Aug., 1861.

man in the attempt, because, (say they), it is not merely for those two individuals the war will be waged, but it will be for the principle, which the Natives recognize as bound up in those two men as soon as they are placed between the two different races, the Pakeha and the aborigines." " Thus fully the whole case has been repeatedly argued before me, during the last fortnight by the Natives in the Taranaki District, and there can be no doubt that they are in earnest about it. The most sober and quietly disposed amongst them declare in a manner not to be mistaken that they will rise, because they feel convinced (" Mohio Rawa") that it will be necessary for the defence and preservation of their lives, liberties, and possessions against a system of violence and oppression threatening them and theirs." " Thus far they let me into the contents of that letter, hut I rather am inclined to believe that it contained more, at all events I asked the authors of that document, point blank, whether it was not intended to convey to W. Kingi in a manner perfectly intelligible to him, the promise of Taranaki's aid and support in case it should appear as if the Pakeha had any design against his personal liberty or rights. " The answer I received to this question frankly admitted that it was so. The letter was subsequently detained and not sent, as I strongly argued against it, as besides its having a mischievous tendency, it was altogether unnecessary and premature. "In the course of my listening to their long ' koreros' and of my occasional arguing with them about the various points, I observed that it appeared to me, there was much reason to believe that Wiremu Kingi, had properly speaking, no land and no claim of his own to the lands at the Waitara on the South side. With much evident surprise they the (the Taranaki) looked and asked me where then his lauds and his claims were, if not there, since he was the rightful and principal chief of the Waitara. " When further I reminded them that William King had no right either to holdorto occupy land on this South side of Waitara river since in 1847 he had given his distinct promise to Governor Sir G. Grey previous to his coming up from the South, that he would not settle on this side, but on the opposite (north) banks of the river, I received in reply that William King being the head chief of all Waitara on both sides of it it was for himself to choose to say on which side and on which spot he was to reside." Extract from Mr. Carrington's letter 21st March, 1859, to His Excellency Governor Gore Browne. " It is therefore with deep concern I learn ' That special instructions from Her Majesty preclude His Excellency from coercing a minority of the Natives into selling their lands' without a discretionary alternative; ' that he felt that such a proceeding would be impolitic and unjust, and that therefore he never would sanction it,' &c." Extract from Capt. Steward's letter 22nd March, 1859, in reply to Mr. Carrington's letter of 2lst March, 1859. " The Governor informed the deputation that he had reported at great length to Her Majesty's Government on Native Affairs in connexion with the Province of Taranaki, and particularly in reference to a proposal to coerce a minority of Native proprietors who might be disinclined to sell their land. " He expressed his opinion that such a course would be (considering our engagements with the Natives) both unjust and impolitic, and Her Majesty's Government had conveyed to him, in a Despatch received by the last mail, their unqualified approval of his views." Extract from a Despatch by Governor Gore Browne, C.8., to the Right Hon. Lord Stanley ', June 9th, 1858. " To obtain this desirable object, I will, however, never permit land to. be taken without the consent of those to whom it belongs; nor will I interfere 'to compel an equitable division of common land among the respective claimants," as desired by the Memorialist in one of the concluding paragraphs of the petition. This decision is not less one of expediency than of justice, for the whole of the Maori race maintain the right of the minority to prevent the sale of land, held in common with the utmost jealousy." " Wi Kingi has no sort of influence with me or the Colonial Government, we believe him to be an infamous character, but I will not permit the purchase of land over which he has any right without his consent." Extract from Mr. McLean's Report on the Taranaki Memorial of the Provincial Council of New Plymouth. " Moreover it is clearly the duty of the Government to abstain from acquiring land when the consequence of its acquisition is in any way likely to bring about serious differences among the Natives, the strict observance of this rule has been enjoined by His Excellency on all the officers of the Land Purchase Department." Extract from the Memorial of the Provincial Council of the Province of New Plymouth. " That the system heretofore adopted by the Government of requiring the assent of every