3. Native King movement and the war.

The Natives of the Middle Island are outwardly very loyal, because they know they dare not be otherwise—the numerical disproportion between them and the settlers being so great. Their opinion of the King movement is that it was originated with a view to uniting the Maori as one people, and to them to hold the whole of their unsold land from being acquired by the Government.

Many secretly favour the King's policy, and consider that "he was quite justified in ejecting Mr. Gorst, and other magistrates from Waikato, from the King's land, the Governor having no 'mana' over unpurchased lands, and consequently no right to attempt to enforce the administrs [gap — reason: damaged] of justice in Native districts. The killing of soldiers at Oakura, by the Taranaki tribe, and of M[gap — reason: damaged]h and his son by the Waikato, is considered to be murder (kohuru)." In the first case, the Governor being merely occupying his own piece of land at Tataraimaka; in the second, the Governor had not commenced "fighting." These proceedings have been condemned by a large majority of the Natives.

Most exaggerated statements of the losses on the European side are constantly circulated by means of letters from Waikato Natives and their adherents. It is very difficult to persuade Natives of the incorrectness of these assertions.