✨ Memorandum on North Island Relations
It may be said, that the disposal of this especial cause for irritation is easy by retiring from the occupation of Tataraimaka or Waitara.
The Tataraimaka Block was purchased by the Crown and has been occupied for years by the settlers, the Governor has claimed it as his own, has occupied it and can reoccupy it again; I see a difficulty, but not a great one, in retiring from it; as regards the Waitara, the late and present Governors have both declared that the investigation of title to the land claimed by Teira should be completed, this has not yet been done, and to give up the Block without a public investigation could be construed into nothing but a sign of our inability to hold it. One point that certainly will be raised by the natives, in the event of negotiations taking place under existing circumstances, is, that the occupation of Tataraimaka before the Waitara question was disposed of, was premature, and that it must therefore be abandoned, failing that objection, transit across the Tapuae Block to Tatara:
maka will be forbidden, this can only be met by sending supplies coastwise, which would necessitate the service of a small steamer, with a friendly port to run into in bad weather. Waitara out of our hands, and the nearest port of refuge would be sixty miles off; admitting however, that Waitara could be made use of, is the Government prepared to go on for an indefinite time to maintain a coast service for 4000 acres of land.
In conclusion I may state, that my sense of the extremely precarious condition of our relations with the natives at the present time is such, that I believe not a day should be suffered to pass by without taking the preparatory steps for the course which I propose, and I prefer to transmit this very hasty and imperfect sketch of my views, than to spend time now in elaborating it, as the scheme may be matured at leisure after the first overtures have been made.
(Signed)
CHARLES BROWN,
Superintendent.
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Taranaki Provincial Gazette 1864, No 5
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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Memorandum on North Island Relations and Proposed Solutions
(continued from previous page)
🪶 Māori Affairs2 May 1863
Native Relations, Anarchy, King Movement, Government Policy, Independence
- CHARLES BROWN, Superintendent