Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 10

[Extracts from speech by the Superintendent on opening the third session of the fourth Provincial Council of the Province of Wellington, April 26, 1867]

The following appears in the speech of his Honor the Superintendent on opening the third session of the fourth Provincial Council of the Province of Wellington, April 26, 1867:—

"Mr. Speaeer and Gentlemen of the Provincial Council,—

"When I last met you, I announced that I had entered into an agreement with the various tribes claiming a title to the Manawatu Rangitikei block, by which I hoped to set at rest the formidable land dispute which had for several years threatened the peace of the Province. After intimating that at the great native gathering at Takapu, on the banks of the Manawatu, I had formally accepted the cession of the disputed block to the Crown as the only means of finally and for ever removing the cause of strife, I informed you that the final deed of surrender had yet to be executed, and that it would require to be signed by between one and two thousand claimants, and that several important questions had yet to be settled—namely, as to what tribes the purchase money was to be paid, what proportion each of the tribes should receive, and what chiefs should be appointed to receive and distribute the money. It is satisfactory to me to be able to state that the deed of cession has been duly executed, nearly seventeen hundred claimants having signed it, and that the questions just adverted to have been finally and amicably settled.

"From the detailed minutes of the proceedings, which will be laid before page 52 you, you will observe that at the Parawanui meeting in December last, probably the largest gathering of natives ever held in this Province, the six tribes claiming to be more or less interested in the land, after long and angry discussions, failed to come to any arrangement as to the division of the money, and then appealed to me for my opinion on the subject, distinctly guarding themselves from being bound to adopt it. While anxious to evade the responsibility of deciding a question which, by the terms of our agreement, rested with the settlers—a responsibility which I had from the first declined to undertake—I, nevertheless felt that the alternative was one of peace or war, that if the meeting should break up without the completion of the purchase, the rival tribes would at once assert their conflicting claims by force of arms, and that the whole of the West Coast district would be speedily plunged into a general Native disturbance. To prevent, therefore, any further complication of the question, and to aid those chiefs who were really anxious, at almost any sacrifice, to preserve the peace, I at length submitted a proposal to the meeting, which though at first violently denounced by the Ngatiapas, was ultimately unanimously accepted by all the tribes concerned as perfectly fair and equitable. Chiefs were then appointed by the sellers to receive the respective shares, and the distribution of the money was left entirely to the Natives. I stipulated, however, with the Ngatiraukawa chiefs that a liberal sum out of their share should be set apart for the outstanding claimants of that tribe, and this was accordingly done. Since the payment of the purchase money, upwards of one hundred and fifty of these (mostly remote) claimants have given their consent to the sale and signed the deed. There is, however, still a small number of Ngatiraukawa dissentients to whom, in the event of their persisting in their refusal to accept the sum set apart for them, it may be necessary to make an award in land to the extent of such claims as are admitted by the sellers.

"The question of reserves is now in course of settlement. The Ngatiapa and Rangitane have accepted the portions allotted to them, and the Ngatiraukawa reserves will be defined as soon as the claims of dissentients have been satisfactorily adjusted. The back rents, amounting now to between two and three thousand pounds, which were impounded by me in order to prevent hostilities in 1863, are still unpaid, as I have been anxious to get all the minor details of the purchase arranged before re-opening a question not altogether free from difficulties, though not of a very formidable nature. And I here must bear testimony to the great patience and forbearance shown by both the Ngatiapa and the Ngatiraukawa chiefs with respect to this matter.

"After nearly four years of constant anxiety on this subject, it affords me no small gratification to repeat my assurance to you of the final and peaceful adjustment of this our only native difficulty; for, in spite of all that has been said and written, I do not hesitate to assert that the Manawaiu-Rangitikei purchase, while from its very nature, and the magnitude of the interests involved, probably the most laborious one ever undertaken in this country, is as complete and satisfactory a purchase as could have been effected from the Natives under the peculiar circumstances of the case. My chief difficulty has been caused by a few designing Europeans, who, from selfish motives have, by intrigues with the Natives, and misrepresentations in the newspapers of the Colony, endeavoured to foment tribal strife and frustrate the purchase—attempts which, had they been successful, must have entailed upon the Province, and upon the natives themselves, the most calamitous results. . . .

"I feel that I am entitled to say that in no previous land purchase has so liberal a price been paid, or such ample justice done to all the natives concerned in the transaction.

"The thanks of the province are due to His Excellency's Ministers for the readiness with which, in compliance with my request, they advanced (in anticipation of the sale of the land purchase loan) the funds required to enable me to meet my engagements with the natives. And I venture again page 53 to express a hope that the Council will, knowing how much the successful issue of these long pending negotiations is due to Mr. Walter Buller, bestow upon him a substantial recognition of his valuable services.

"The Small Farm Association will naturally be disappointed at the slowness of these dealings with the natives."

The following letter appeared in the Wellington Advertiser;—

"Otaki,

"The Hon. J. C. Richmond,—

"Sir,—

I have read Dr. Featherston's speech to the Council at Wellington, delivered on the 28th April, 1867, in which he says that Mr. Buller had finally and completely settled the reserve for Rangitane. This statement all have seen published in the Government Gazette of date May 2, 1867.

"This is my reply to those false statements of Dr. Featherston, which appear in the Gazette—I say to myself surely Dr. Featherston must be in the dark, has he not been iniormed, is he not aware of the fact of Rangitane's reserve having been suppressed. Sir, you will see the statements of Parakaia and Hoani Meihana published in the newspaper (Advertiser) of the month of March. On the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th of that month we interrupted the survey, we finally stopped it on the 9th, by carrying away all the poles, the bottles and pegs that were stuck in the ground; the bill-hooks we took from the hands of Mr. Buller and his Maori friends, and carried them to the village. Was not that a prohibiting of that work; is it necessary to slay a man with an axe, to kill him outright in order to stop a survey? Is not taking all their implements away sufficient? for not only did we take them away, but we carried them all with us to our homes. Ninety men were present, and contended about those bill-hooks that were taken. Parakaia returned the four bill-hooks, retaining the poles, and two bottles, in all sixteen, here the matter ended. The pakehas took down their tents and retired, the Maoris retired, Rangitane retired. Hirawanu and his people retired; those only remained who had opposed the survey. Buller and I left. This letter which I now send you is to contradict that statement which appears in Dr. Featherston's Gazette, that the survey was finally and completely settled. Look here. Buller knows in his heart that these statements of mine are correct, notwithstanding the falsehood and deceit, Buller, that yon and your friend are publishing and practising.

"Sir, please to publish this in the Government Gazette,

"Parakaia te Pouepa."