E.—No 2.
Enclosure 3 to Despatch (43) No. 5. Minute by Mr. Bell (not printed ; being embodied in the Despatch),
No. 6. REPORTS AND MEMOEANDA OF INTERVIEWS BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR, NATIVE MINISTER, AND NATIVE INTERPRETER, IN REFERENCE TO A PROPOSED RECONCILIATION OF THE WAITARA TRIBES. MEMORANDUM of an interview between his excellency governor sir george grey, and THE MATAITAWA NATIVES, ON WEDNESDAY, 6TH MAY, 1863. The following natives were present:—Horiana (daughter of William King), Wiremu Tamehana, Hapimana, Erueti, Henere, Haukoti, Kepa Ngakapa, Roira (wife of Tamihana), Pirika Te Matenga, Te Mangara, and Mahau. The Governor asked Horiana to speak. She remained silent. The Governor asked them whether they had heard of the conversation that took place yesterday between himself and Teira's people. Horiana said they had not. Some desultory conversation ensued. Mahau explained that if he had left town last night he should have seen Tamihana, as had been settled, and would have told them what had passed. The Governor then desired the Native Minister to state what had taken place, which he did as follows :— At the meeting with Teira yesterday, the Governor asked him and his friends to consider whether a way could not be found by which the Ngatiawa tribe could be reunited, and the dispute between them made up. Ever since the Governor came down here, that had been his chief thought. There was one thing which might now be spoken freely on the subject of the Waitara block. Some days ago, when it had been clearly ascertained that a large number of natives were living in the three pat at the mouth of the Waitara, at the time of the sale, and that originally, twelve years before, they had occupied these pas as a means of security against Ngatimaniapoto : Mr. Bell had told Teira that the sale of the sites of those pas was not clear. He repeated that statement to Teira yesterday, in the presence of Mahau, and invited him to consider whether this would not appear the opportunity of reuniting the tribe. Teira said he was doubtful whether there was any wish on the part of the Mataitawa natives for such a reunion, but agreed that Mahau should see them in a friendly spirit, and ascertain what their intentions really were. The Native Minister then went into a number of particulars, explanatory of the various conversations between the Governor and the natives of both parties, and concluded by inviting them to accept Mahau as a mediator, in order that the Governor's wishes for the reunion of the tribe may be carried out. Erueti was first to reply. He said they did not know that they had been sent for to speak about Waitara; they thought it was about the murders of last Monday. In all their interviews with the Governor and the Native Minister, they had urged the withdrawal of the detachment from Waitara, but now, since the evil had occurred, they had nothing to say on that subject. Let the Governor now say whether he intended that William King's people should go back to Waitara. The Governor said that this would depend upon whether the tribe would be reconciled, and come to a general agreement. He would not abandon those who had fought on the side of the Government during the late war. It was not for him to tell Horiana to go back to Waitara. If she preferred living at Mataitawa, let her do so. What he desired himself was, that they should go back to Waitara and live together in peace—that was for them to^arrange among themselves ; that he had no desire to take any land from them. Erueti rose and said that this proposal could not be at once agreed to, that it would take two or three years to work that out. William King was at Waikato ; there were people at Mataitawa and elsewhere to be consulted, and it had first to be seen what the Governor did to the South. Then Tamihana interrupted and said that the Governor's words were clear; for his part, he approved of the proposal to reunite the tribe at Waitara. Placing his hands together, he said, let Horiana and Teira be reunited. She, as William King, let the Ngatiawa tribe be reunited on the land. Erueti continuing his opposition, there was a general murmur, and Te Kepa Ngakapa said—Erueti, cease your interruption of this talk. Mahau then rose and addressed the meeting. He said, the Governor's love for the tribe has been declared. This is a question of life or death for us all. Choose life. To-day evil has come, who knows what will happen. Let the tribe be reunited. I consent to Horiana going back to Waitara. I will work with Te Teira. Why so much about William King ? Horiana is William King, she is here. Tamihana is William King, he is here. Kepa Ngakapa is here, he is William King. Choose life at once, at once while it is before us. The Governor said that for a long time past this had been in his mind ; the murders just committed had not changed his desire about Ngatiawa, but there must be no misunderstanding about his intentions towards the Southern people, engaged in this crime; he was determined to punish those implicated in the murders. Tamihana replied,—We perfectly understand that; that is your business. The question
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