EVIDENCE RELATIVE TO THE ORIGIN

Ills right to sell the whole of that block, and William King was utterly wrong (in denying it.) In our opinion, Teira's act was a great crime, and nothing can be said in his behalf which can hide his unjust act. In conclusion, I must say that I am unable to suggest anything to my people to pacify them in their sorrow about our lands ; they are very much grieved about the seizure of the lands of our ancestors. If that land should be permanently wrested from them, then this saying will be handed down through all future generations—that land was forcibly and unlawfully taken away by a Governor appointed by the Queen of England. If William King had been a murderer, he would have shown it to Mr. Parris, Land Commissioner of Taranaki for saying that— " He (W. X.) would be shot and iiis body would be put under ground in their cultivations, and not taken to a burial ground." Now, to us Maories this is a very bad language (a curse) to use about a chief. It would immediately occasion war (his title is here.) In 1837, Reretawhangawhanga was cursed by Ngatimaru. A large hostile party of Ngatiawa, consisting of four hundred men, went from Waikanae to Whareroa ; but owing to that chiefs moderation none of the Whareroa people were killed—their potatoe crops only were injured. I formed one of that party. Was it because William King was (asserted to be) a drunkard and a murderer that the Land Commissioner or Taranaki thought that land belonged only to Teira and his party ? Is that the reason why it was taken from him ? There is a murderer living with the Land Commissioner and his party at Taranaki; but they do not call him a murderer, he is called " our friend " —why did they not take away his lands ? William King and his party wished to avoid war when the first instalment of money was paid to Teira for Waitara. One of them wrote to ask me whether I thought it would be well to collect money among themselves and return the Governor the money, £100, which he had paid to Teira, but when our lands should be taken on account of that money having been paid, they should resist, and their resistance should be made a pretext for the Governor to make war with them (his letter is here). I myself formerly heard the private language of Reretawhangawhanga, William King's father, in the pa Waikanae, in 1840, in reference to Waitara, not to sell it to the pakeha. And he continued to express the same determination until his death, in 1844. And he left a strict injunction to William King to carry out his wishes after his death. When Te Reretawhangawhanga and the other chiefs at Waikanae heard thatNuitone Tβ Pakaru chief of Ngatimaniapoto had come to clear a place for cultivation on the south bank of the Waitara, (Wharonui was the name of tlit piece of land) they said that he must return to his own place, and leave Waitara for us. I heard them say this (in 3 842-ii). Nobody belonging to Waikato or Ngatimanipoto lived at Waitara before the pakehas went to settle at Ngamotu. Nuitone Te Pakaru was the first who attempted to live there, and this induced one of those chiefs—Ngaraurekau to go there from Wai ■ kanae, to hold possession, and prevent any Ngatimaniapoto men from returning to Waitara. Ngatimaniapoto now returning to Waitara during the interval between that and William King's return there. I make no mention of Peketahi, he was allowed to remain there because of his wile (who was a. Ngatiawa). William King acted like a friend to the white people of Wellington, in 1843. We went from Waikanae (with Archdeacon Hadfield). We saw Haerewaho tried by Mr. Halswell in the Court House at Wellington. He was found guilty and taken to prison. There all the natives of Wellington rose and wished to kill the pakehas in the town. William King at once exerted himself to put down the movement; and it ended. The second time was in 1846. Governor Grey sent for William King to go to him on board H.M.S. Castor, which was anchored at Kapiti. He went. Governor Grey then asked him whether he would go to Te Paripari, to assist against his foe Te Rangihaeata. William King immediately assented (he did not raise any objection on the ground that Te Rangibaeata was his relation). In the morning we returned to Waikanae. William King-at once summoned his various hapu, and told them that they are to go to Te Paripari. We slept that night on tlu road to Wareroa. In the morning we reached Te Paripari. Ile took one hundred and forty men with him. I accompanied them, and then returned to Waikanae. They made prisoners of eight men, belonging to Wanganui, who had joined Te Rangihaeata. (When these men were taken, they said to those who captured them —wait, who knows whether you will not be served hereafter in the same way. I dare say William King now remembers this saying.) They were brought to Waikanae, and then on board Governor Grey's steamer. I have no doubt there are pakehas who saw these men whom William King captured. What return does the Governor now make to William King for these acts ? William King always upheld the authority of the Government ; he always refused to have any connection with the Maori King up to the very time when hostilities took place at Waitara. I end here. From your friend, (Signed) Riwai Te Ahu. 34. Here is a document signed by several natives, do you know their handwriting ?—There are seven of them whose handwriting I know. I see that the others have put their marks which accounts for my not recoguising their signatures. The letter is in ibe hand writing of Riwai Te Ahu. Waikanae, Hune 29, 1860. Etc lllteeitenete, Tena koe. Ko a matou kupu enci kia rongo koc, hei whakapuaki nui atu mau kite aroaro c te Kawana.

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