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An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand

Auckland, 23rd December, 1865

Sir,—

Auckland, 23rd December, 1865.

I have the honour to address you in reference to the important subject upon which I entered in the "Notes on the Best Mode of working the Lands Act," and in the letter, dated 18th July last, accompanying those notes. Further consideration has confirmed my conviction that there yet remains open to us a course of action whereby we may escape from our present difficulties in Native matters, and may attain the objects we desire, and that by a process neither costly nor difficult. I desire, therefore, now to complete the review of the subject which I then commenced. I feel assured that you, Sir, considering the importance of the matter, will give a patient hearing even to a statement which, from the nature of the case, cannot be very brief. Before proceeding to define the course of action which I desire to commend to the consideration of the Government, it will be necessary to notice our present relations to the Native population of this Island.

The whole Native population may be divided into two sections:

1.The first section comprises the population in the North, in the Gulf of Hauraki, and in the lower part of the Waikato; and again in the greater part of the Provinces of Wellington and Hawke's Bay; and again in various districts about the East Cape, and to the southward of that Cape. These people are, as a whole, desirous of living at peace with us, and the more intelligent of them are convinced that a real union with us is the only means of securing to themselves peace and prosperity. Amongst them many have shown themselves willing to support our cause, even to the death. Yet it is not to be supposed that there exists in these districts universal or complete confidence in the pakeha. On the contrary, distrust and suspicion exist even in the most friendly districts. Men actually engaged in fighting on our side have avowed that they could not feel assured that even their sacrifices on our behalf would in the end secure them just and considerate treatment, and have calmly and reasonably stated the grounds on which it appeared to them impossible to repose entire confidence in us.
2.The second section includes the greater part of the former occupants of the lands comprised within the blocks marked out by various recent Proclamations issued under the New Zealand Settlements Act, in the district of Waikato, and of the south-western tribes from Taranaki to Whanganui, together with all such portions of the Native population elsewhere as have espoused their quarrel. The new Hauhau worship appears to have become, for the present, the recognized bond of union of all these.

Let us now consider the elements of which this latter group is comprised.