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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 63

Evening Post, Thursday, 5th June, 1873

page cli

Evening Post, Thursday, 5th June, 1873

"The Independent, of Tuesday, referring to the South Manawatu Block, and the danger that existed at one time of a collision between the Native claimants, says :—'Each party, confident in its own rights, was thoroughly preparing to assert them by force of arms; pas were constructed, and the aspect of things for a time looked serious.' Our contemporary then, 'ever strong on the strongest side," goes on to say :—'However, the Government interfered—not in a threatening manner, which would most probably have widened the breach between the contending parties, and brought matters to an undesirable climax, but in a conciliatory spirit, which assuaged the heat of the disputants, and induced them, eventually to forego all notions of taking the law into their hands, and to refer the question to the Native Lands Court.' (The italics are our own.) Now, with all deference to the superior knowledge of our official contemporary, this statement is hardly correct. In the first place, the Ngatiraukawa were never desirous of asserting their rights by 'force of arms.' It is a well-known fact to every settler on the West Coast that they invariably behaved towards their blustering opponents with the greatest moderation and calmness, and always evinced an earnest desire to have the dispute settled amicably by abitration. Even when Kemp's party, presuming upon their forbearance, proceeded to open violence, and burned down one of their houses at Horowhenua (nearly smothering a feeble old woman in it)* they never for a moment abandoned the cool and dignified position which they had taken up. And this was by no means the effect of fear, for they had numerous allies in different parts of the island only awaiting their summons to rush to their assistance. Again, the only fortified pa that was erected was built by Kawana Hunia, of Major Kemp's party, as a challenge to Ngatiraukawa. It should be stated that out of the five tribes opposed to Ngatiraukawa, the Muaupoko alone professed to claim the Horowhenua block in their own right, the others claimed through that tribe as relations and allies. The matter at one time was referred, by mutual consent to the abitration of a number of tribes which assembled at Horowhenua for that purpose, on which occasion a block was awarded to the Muaupoko, of about half the area of that lately given to Kemp by the Native Lands Court. This would have been accepted by the Muaupoko proper, but Kawana Hunia and Kemp refused to abide by the decision, and extending their claims to the whole coast, became more clamorous and unreasonable than ever. The Government endeavored to get them to submit the dispute to abitration, or to the decision of the Lands Court, but without avail. Kemp and Hunia were invited to dine at Government House, and page clii feasted to their hearts' content, but all the blandishments bestowed upon them were of no effect—they persisted, (as they themselves state) in their resolution to maintain their claims by force, if necessary.

It will thus be seen that 'each party' were not 'thoroughly preparing to assert their right by force of arms,' but only the one parly, and that party led by a man who holds a commission in Her Majesty's service, and receives, we believe, a salary of £300 a-year as a. Land Purchase Commissioner; and, further, that the interference of the Government did not result in 'inducing them to forego all notions of taking the case into their own hands, and to refer the question to the Native Lands Court.' It was not until after the Superintendent's interview with the natives at Otaki last year, that matters began to assume a more favorable aspect. An officer of the Native Department (Mr. Grindell), acting under the directions of His Honor, was then sent up the coast to endeavor to reconcile the differences existing among the natives, and induce them to submit their disputes to the decision of the Lands Court. We notice that the Independent, while bestowing liberal praise upon Mr. Rogan, has altogether ignored the services of this officer. Without wishing to detract in the slightest degree from the merits of Mr. Rogan in the performance of his onerous duties, we think that a fair mede of praise should be given to a man who has certainly worked well for the Province. We are informed by those who have every opportunity of knowing, that things would not have been brought to their present position, and that the Lands Court would not have sat at all, but for him. By his exertions, coupled with the valuable assistance of Hoani Meihana, a chief of Rangitane, it was that Kemp and the tribes opposing Ngatiraukawa were induced in the first instance, to send applications to the Lands Court to have their claims investigated; and, subsequently, by his firmness and perseverance, the preliminary surveys were completed, in spite of continual and vexatious interruptions by the natives on both sides. The Independent's assertion, that the decision of the Court has generally given satisfaction to the opposed tribes, also does not appear to be correct. The Ngatiraukawa are far from satisfied with the Horowhenua decision, and are continually holding meetings on the subject, and numerous applications are being sent to the Government for a re-hearing. Even Major Kemp is not satisfied, although he has been awarded a large block of land, upon the greater portion of which none of his ancestors or relations have resided for a period beyond, the memory of the oldest settler, it having been continually occupied and cultivated by the Ngatiraukawa since their migration to this coast. Kemp claims the whole coast, and declares he will apply for a re-hearing."

* "The behaviour of the chief Te Kepa is deserving of high commendation." Wellington independent, 3rd June.