133

I have the honor to be, &c.
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
To His Honor Colonial Secretary.
The Superintendent, New Plymouth.

448 Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, December 11, 1854.

Sir,—I have been directed by His Excellency the
Officer administering the Government to forward
to you the enclosed copy of a letter from Mr Com-
missioner McLean, and to request your Honor
will favor His Excellency with your opinion on the
suggestions made by Mr McLean.

I have the honor to be, &c.,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
His Honor Colonial Secretary
The Superintendent.

[Enclosure.]
Land Commissioner's Office,
Auckland, 1st Nov, 1854.

Sir,—In the present unprotected state of the
European inhabitants at Taranaki, and taking into
consideration the unfortunate manner in which our
faithful ally and Native Assessor Rawiri Waiaua
and six of his followers were killed, without any
just provocation, by relatives and members of his
own tribe, I beg to submit that the time has arri-
ved when some steps should be taken for the bet-
ter security and defence of the inhabitants of that
Province, as Natives who would be guilty of des-
troying their own friends in such a cruel manner,
would not be relied on for much forbearance to-
wards the Europeans in the excitement of
conflict that might arise hereafter among themselves.

It seems very desirable, therefore, not only as
an act of humanity and justice towards the natives
themselves, but as a protection to innocent Euro-
peans who may, notwithstandng the vigilance of
the authorities become inadvertently involved in
those quarrels, that some precautionary measures
should be adopted to restrain the natives from
again committing such acts of violence as recently
took place in the immediately vicinity of the Eng-
lish settlement. The limited resources of the New
Plymouth Province, its distant and isolated posi-
tion, the numerous native tribes that surround it,
the constant accessions they are receiving to their
numbers from different parts of these islands, the
consequent difficulty of acquiring land in sufficient
quantities to introduce European settlers in greater
numbers to equalise the races, the warlike charac-
ter of the natives as compared with the peaceable
industrious class of English agricultural settlers
stationed there, the difficulty of placing troops
there under any sudden emergency that might arise
requiring their presence, the uselessness of having
a smaller number of military than would overawe
and control the more turbulent tribes, are all sub-
jects that have been so fully brought under the
notice of the Government at different times, that it
appears unnecessary for me to dwell at any length
upon them; but it feel it is my duty, as the officer
deputed to enquire into and report on the late
disturbance, to bring under His Excellency's no-
tice what I have already indicated verbally to his
Honor the Superintendent, the local authorities,
and some of the settlers at that place, viz., that
there are certain resources within the Province
which if judiciously applied, with the aid of and
under the sanction and co-operation of the Gene-
ral Government, might be adopted without creat-
ing much suspicion or alarm among the natives,
and be the means of restraining them from any
future dangerous collisions calculated not only to
endanger the safety of the inhabitants, but to re-
tard the peaceable and progressive improvement
of a most interesting and otherwise very flourishing
district.

The precautionary steps which I would take the

liberty of suggesting, are—
1stly, The construction of a good Blockhouse
and Stockade.

2ndly, The Militia which must number nearly
500 men to be periodically called out and trained,
as provided for by the "Militia Ordinance."

3rdly, The augmentation of the Police force to
be composed chiefly of intelligent native actives selec-
ted from different tribes in the country, so that every
reliance could be placed on their acting with im-
partiality, and I think it may be safely assumed
from the courage and fidelity with which the Na-
tives enrolled in such a force have acted during
war times in the colony, that they might in any
future emergency be safely relied upon, and they
could be, when not required for their Police duties,
advantageously employed in opening up and con-
structing roads through the Province, or attending
to such other public improvements as are much
needed, to the efficiency of such a force the utmost
importance might be attached.

4thly, Two pieces of artillery and a good supply
of small arms and ammunition are much required,
as there are none but old condemned ones at Ta-
ranaki, and it might be advisable to have, besides
those for the use of the militia, some arms to spare
for such of the friendly natives as are destitute of
them, with an understanding that such arms would
only be given out in the event of being actually
required for service, and to be afterwards given
into the custody of the officer who may have charge
of them.

It may be apprehended that the natives might
consider such preparations as indicating some hos-
tile intention on the part of the Europeans, but
the fact of their being informed that England is at
war with a foreign power, and that their own con-
duct towards each other justifies the Europeans in
being on their guard, would divest them of every
suspicion of this nature; indeed, many of them
would willingly aid and co-operate in carrying out
measures which they could not fail to perceive
would be the means of preserving peace amongst
themselves by giving them increased security of
life and property besides having the effect of en-
hancing their respect for British law and authority.

It is not without some diffidence that I have
taken upon myself to submit the foregoing mea-
sures for His Excellency's consideration, feeling as
I do the extreme delicacy and difficulty of adopting
effectual means for the security of a district situat-
ed as New Plymouth is, but I believe when taken in
connection with the steps now in progress for
adjusting the land question at that place, and faci-
litating the acquisition of property by the chiefs
in the English settlement that, the suggestions al-
luded to are the least expensive that could be
adopted for ensuring in any permanent degree the
general peace and tranquility of that Province.

I have the honor to be, &c.
DONALD MCLEAN,
To the Honorable Land Commissioner.
The Colonial Secretary.

467 Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 26th December, 1854.

Sir,—Adverting to your letter of the 21st inst.,
reporting fresh disturbances between the Natives
at New Plymouth I am directed by the Officer ad-
ministering the Government to inform you that
his Excellency approves of the steps your Honor
has taken in this matter.

The continued hostilities between Ihaia's party
and the Puketapu tribe is nothing more than what
was naturally to be expected, and it behoves the
authorities of New Plymouth to use their utmost
influence and exertion to prevent the possibility of
any interference on the part of the Europeans so
that no excuse whatever may exist for the natives
connecting the settlers with the slightest participa-