EVIDENCE RELATIVE TO THE ORIGIN

instruments on the ground, they were seized, and a struggle ensued, when Hemi Pataka struck one to the ground. I exerted myself to prevent any further collision, and requested the surveyor to retire : shortly afterwards we returned to town. 13. If the question with regard to this land had been confined to the Waitara Natives, it would have been settled amicably, but the interference of the Waikatos, and the support guaranteed from that quarter, rendered the opposition impracticable and ungovernable ; the question of claims was entirely repudiated, and the authority and supremacy of the Maori King declared. 14. On the arrival of His Excellency the Governor from Auckland, he sent a request by the Rev. Mr. Whiteley, Mr. Rogan, and myself, to William King, to come to town, and have a conversation with him, and sent him a written pledge that he should not be molested. THE GOVERNOR'S PLEDGE. Ist March, 1860. I hereby pledge my word that W. King and any reasonable number of his followers who may choose to come to New Plymouth unarmed, and converse with me, shall be allowed to return unharmed and in freedom, to the place from whence they came. This promise shall be good from this day, until the night of the third of March, 1860. I\ Gore Browne. William King refused to comply with His Excellency the Governor's request, and from that time remained away in the bush, where he had previously prepared himself a place, having decided upon hostilities against the Government. I have, &c, Robert Parris, District Commissioner. The Chief Commissioner, &c., &c, &c. Auckland. MEMORANDUM BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR. Government House, 20th July, 1860. In order to complete the documents about to be printed for both Houses of Assembly, the Governor requests the Chief Land Purchase Commissioner to answer the following questions :— First, —Had Tamati Raru, Rawiri Raupongo, and their people, such a title to the block of land recently purchased at the Waitara, as justified them in selling it to the Queen ? Second, —Had William King any right to interfere to prevent the sale of the above block of land at the Waitara to the Queen ? CHIEF LAND PURCHASE COMMISSIONER TO THE GOVERNOR. Auckland, 23rd July, 1860. Sir,— In reply to your Excellency's Memorandum of the 20th inst., I have the honor to state with reference to the first mentioned question, as to whether Tamati Raru, Rawiri Raupongo, and their people, had such a title to the block of land recently purchased at the Waitara as justified them in selling it to the Queen. I believe that the above Chiefs, conjointly with others at the South associated with them in the sale, had an undoubted right of disposal to the land in question. With reference to the second enquiry, " Had William King any right to interfere to prevent the sale of the above block of land at the Waitara to the Queen ?" The question of Title has been carefully investigated. All the evidence that has come before me, including Wm. King's own testimony that the land belonged to the above parties, goes to prove that he had no ri«ht to interfere; the interference assumed by him has been obviously based upon opposition to land sales in the Taranaki Province generally, as a prominent member of an anti-land-selling league. I have, Sec , Donald McLean. Chief Land Purchase Commissioner* His Excellency Colonel Gore Browne, C. 8., &c, &c, &c. Enclosure 3 in No. 1. New Plymouth, September. 13th, 1860. Sis,— I have the honor to forward for your information, the following further particulars, relative to

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