9

G.—7

universal belief of the Native race was that a new system of taking lands was to be established, and that if they did not succeed by a general and combined resistance in preventing their houses and lands being taken by the Government from the Natives of the Waitara they would have been each in their turn despoiled in detail of their lands. They refer to the manifesto issued by the Government in February, 1860, declaring the causes of the war against the Native race ; and they affirm that the most important statements contained in that manifesto are not correct; . . . and they contend that there was no resort to arms on their part until, from this and other causes, they were convinced that their destruction was determined on, and that their only hope of safety lay in their courage and strength, if an armed force was sent to dispossess them of their homes . . . and they say that until they were sure armed force was intended the survey of the lands claimed by Teira was only interfered with by women, who, without violence, interrupted the surveyors on portions of land which was their own property or that of their husbands. Their general statement with regard to all this is that the people of the Waitara were driven from their homes at the point of the sword ; that a great crime had been committed against them ; that through all future generations it will be told that their lands were forcibly and unlawfully taken from them by an officer appointed by the Queen of England. . . . The Natives will not agree to any investigation of the title to the land at Waitara alone. They say they do not want that; that a great wrong has been done them, which has entailed great suffering on them, and they ask for an inquiry into the whole affair, in order that it might be shown who is really guilty of the evils which have sprung from the late war." 7. In this memorandum Sir George Grey states certain facts which had been discovered as the result of inquiries made by himself and the Native Minister, Mr. F. D. Bell, on their recent visit to Taranaki. The block of land agreed to be sold by Teira was found to contain about 980 acres. " This block of 980 acres of land now appears," said Sir George Grey, " to have been inhabited, at the time Teira undertook to sell it, by William King and between two hundred and three hundred of his people. They had been in occupation for twelve years ; had villages, cultivations, houses and other buildings on it—their homes for years. Teira now states that William King and these people occupied this land under a valid tribal arrangement, which would appear from his statement to be of such a nature that no person could sell the land without William King and these people being consenting parties to the sale. Teira also now admits that there are other legitimate claimants to various portions of this block of land. Teira further states that he had never intended to sell the sites of the Native villages, although these were what the Government especially wanted to form a town-site on the river. Finally, Teira alleges that it was arranged that he was to have a reserve of 200 acres for Native purposes kept on the block of land, and that this reserve has not yet been settled." 8. The Ministers were reluctant to abandon the whole purchase, but left the decision of the question entirely to His Excellency. Sir George Grey decided to abandon the purchase, and published a Proclamation, bearing date the 11th May, 1863, in which, after reciting that circumstances connected with the purchase unknown to the Government at the time of the sale of the land had lately transpired which made it advisable that the purchase should not be further proceeded with, the Governor declared that the purchase of the block of land was abandoned and all claim to the same on the part of the Government was renounced. 9. Unfortunately, however, for the cause of peace, this tardy admission of the justice of Wiremu Kingi's cause had been preceded by the armed occupation of the Tataraimaka Block. That was a block of land distant about twelve miles south-west of New Plymouth, which had been acquired from the Natives and was occupied by settlers when the first Taranaki war broke out. The settlers were driven out during that war, and the Natives now claimed the block by right of conquest. They informed the Governor and General Cameron that the block would not be given up unless the British first gave up the Waitara Block. Notwithstanding this declaration, a force of 300 officers and men marched out on the 4th April, 1863,

2.-G. 7.