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That the European inhabitant of New Plymouth are unskilled in the use of arms. That they have neither weapons nor ammunition; that they have never been organised for the purposes of defence; and that they have no blockhouse, stockade, or other place of refuge in case of attacks.

That in the present warlike position of the natives your Memorialists feel that any attempts they might make to organise themselves or to secure a place of shelter for their families would only create alarm and distrust, and probably bring down on them at once and unprepared the calamity they seek to avert.

Your Memorialists therefore pray your Excellency to station a body of Troops at New Plymouth at the earliest possible moment and without any ostensible preparation, as they believe the utmost care is necessary to avoid alarming the native mind in its present unwonted state of excitement.

New Plymouth, Jan 6, 1855.

[201 signatures.]

2—89

Superintendent's Office,

New Plymouth, January 15th, 1855.

Sir,—I have the honor to transmit a Memorial received by me this day and to recommend the same to the favorable consideration of your Excellency.

I have the honor to be, &c,

CHARLES BROWN,

Superintendent.

To His Excellency

Colonel Wynyard, C. B.,

The Officer administering the Government.

[Enclosure.]

New Plymouth, 6th January, 1855.

To His Excellency the Officer administering the Government of New Zealand.

The humble Memorial of the undersigned inhabitants of the Province of New Plymouth, respectfully sheweth—

That this hitherto peaceable district has lately become the scene of frequent Native murders and of one very serious affray.

That a large armed force is reported to have left Wellington for the purpose of avenging the murder of Rawiri Waiaua and those who perished with him, and that there is every probability of a sanguinary encounter taking place in the immediate vicinity of the Bell Block, whereby the lives and properties of the settlers in that district will be endangered. That so long as the native quarrels were confined to those tribes with whom the settlers have hitherto lived in uninterrupted friendly relation, your memorialists were under no apprehension of being involved therein, but since distant tribes have made this Province the seat of warfare your memorialists have no sufficient guarantee that life and property will be respected by them.

That very recently a considerable armed body of southern natives attacked some of our friendly natives residing at Waitara, and although repulsed with severe loss they will most probably return with large reinforcements and seek revenge. That in such case they will be joined by all the disaffected natives and those opposed to the sale of land, and will greatly outnumber the well disposed tribes.

That the friendly Natives will (in the event of an attack being made upon them) retreat on the Town for protection, when if pursued the loss of life will be fearful to contemplate. That in the absence of any organised force, proper arms and ammunition, or any safe place of refuge to which the women and children might retire should any sudden attack be made by the natives, your memorialists are reluctantly induced to solicit Military protection, and earnestly desire to impress your Excellency that prompt and energetic measures will not only avert much, bloodshed amongst the natives but likewise prove to them that Her Majesty's subjects, however isolated, will be efficiently protected in the hour of danger.

And your Memorialists will, as in duty bound, ever pray, &c &c.

[52 signatures.]

49

Colonial Secretary's Office,

Auckland, 10th February, 1855.

SIR,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your donor's letters of the 8th and 15th ultimo on the subject of the disturbances amongst the Natives at Taranaki, and, in reply, His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, has directed me to state that those documents have been laid before the Executive Council, and that the Government has arrived at the following opinion upon the whole question.

As the 58th Regiment, the Troops now stationed in Auckland, has recently received notice to be in readiness to Embark for England, the Government does not consider itself justified, in the absence of evident danger to the settlement of New Plymouth, in incurring the responsibility of detaching any portion of that Regiment to Taranaki,—and a considerable time must elapse before a portion of the 65th Regiment (at present at Wellington and at Wanganui) could be detached on that service.

Assuming Troops to be at once available, the Government doubts the expediency of at present making Taranaki a Military Post. The disturbances have been confined to the Natives themselves, and the Government believes that it is essential to the present safety, and to the future progress of the settlement, that neither the Settlers, nor the Government, should be drawn into the quarrel, and that the stationing of Troops in the District would, almost certainly, be followed by the commencement of hostilities, and that the amount of force likely to be available for service in that locality would be inadequate to protect the property of numerous Settlers scattered over a considerable extent of country, in the event of the District becoming the scene of a protracted Native War.

Looking also to the unfavourable nature of the country for Military operations, and to the difficulty of access by sea, the Government thinks that every effort should be used to avoid the risk of hostilities with the Natives in the Taranaki District.

The Government is of opinion that an officer of intelligence and conversant with the Native character should as soon as possible be despatched to Taranaki, charged with the duty of occupying himself constantly amongst the various parties by persuasion and endeavouring to keep the peace and to remain in the district until relieved or recalled.

The Government will also authorise the Resident Magistrate to incur such reasonable expense as may be necessary for the construction of a Stockade or Block House as a place of refuge, if the Magistrates think the erection of such a building (under all circumstances) expedient,—and also the expense of such other precautionary measures as may be deemed necessary for the safety of the settlers; and he will be instructed to take such means as may be necessary for the safe keeping of the arms, &c., deposited in the settlement; at the same time being taken that they be kept in repair and in readiness for immediate use in case of emergency.

With this object in view, if the Magistrate thinks Magistrates, without making any demonstration of preparation, should be prepared to select from amongst the community those, who may be most able and willing to make use of arms in case of need.

As it appears that the Natives in various parts of the Country, have been supplied with Arms and Ammunition, potwithstanding the provisions of the