Pages 30, 31, 32.

There can be no doubt as to the duty of a citizen to communicate to the Government information which he may derive from any private source, respecting matters which seriously affect the 'public interest or public peace. I do not enter into the circumstances here referred to. The reasons for Archdeacon Hadfield's conduct have already been publicly explained by himself.

One thing however should be said. It is a most page 15 unfortunate state of things when a Government allows itself to depend on such sources of information, and omits to take the proper means of obtaining information for itself. And in this particular case, it should in fairness be asked, whether the assertion of right and the expression of determination to hold the Waitara, contained in these letters to Archdeacon Hadfield, had not been already conveyed directly to the Governor by W. King.

There appears to be a misconception as to the object for which these letters are cited. That object is not to prove any specific facts; but to shew the general fact that there were claims, and what was the nature of those claims. By the aid of private documents, the writer gropes his way to some notion of the state of things. He endeavours to ascertain, as well as he can, what the Government ought to have ascertained fully and accurately. Had a proper inquiry been instituted by the Government, the use of all these letters would have been superseded.

The consideration of this object will explain the omission of the letter of July 27. That letter indicates nothing as to the special nature of the claim made by William King; whilst it contains a story about Mr. Parris, which I could only regard as unfounded or greatly exaggerated and distorted. At the same time I have had experience enough of rumours in this land, to find no difficulty in believing that such reports had reached William King and had been credited by him.