Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Life in Early Poverty Bay

Sympathy with Maori King Movement

Sympathy with Maori King Movement.

In some notes from Turanga (Gisborne) to the “Hawke's Bay Herald” under date August 5, 1862, it is stated:—

“We are quiet in this district. Still the Natives are, I believe, watching for events. They are decidedly averse to the settlers getting any further footing in Turanga. They profess to be Queen's men; but all their sympathies are with the Waikatos. I should not be surprised to see the King flag hoisted at any moment. We cannot disguise the fact that we are living under the rule of the runanga with which the laws of England have as much connection as with the laws of Timbuctoo.

“The Natives' foot is virtually placed in the neck of the settlers and we appear to have no other course but to worship the image set up by the authors in this miscalled British colony of New Zealand.

“Efforts are being made here to induce the Ministry to allow the sale of powder, shot and caps under certain restrictions, the plea being the unfairness of debarring the Natives from the the use of these articles for sporting purposes and the bagging of a few pakehas to be included of course in the list of game. Will the Government be mad enough to grant this?”

Thus the Wairoa correspondent of the “Hawke's Bay Herald' on May 13, 1863:—

“I cannot succeed in obtaining any reliable information concerning the feast at Turanga (Gisborne). There appears to have been a very large concourse of Natives; the Maoris say 2000 were there. The gathering seems to have been of a political nature, many subjects being discussed. Amongst others Henare te Apatere made a strong appeal in favor of the Maori king, but was not listened to; on the contrary, the desire was expressed that he should refrain from speaking on the subject. According to rumor there were consumed or given away—

1400 bags of flour 800 bags of sugar besides other articles of food in much profusion.”