Object #1026907 from MS-Papers-0032-0327
3 pages written 27 Dec 1860 by John Williams Harris in Poverty Bay to Sir Donald McLean
From: Inward letters - John Williams Harris, Reference Number MS-Papers-0032-0327 (70 digitised items). 66 letters written from Hawke's Bay & Poverty Bay, 1851-1870. Includes undated note in Maori signed Matiu
A transcription/translation of this document (by ATL) appears below.
Download alow-resolution PDF or high-resolution PDF
Page 1 of 3. View high-resolution image
Page 2 of 3. View high-resolution image
Page 3 of 3. View high-resolution image
English (ATL)
Poverty Bay
27th. December 1860.
Donald McLean Esq.,
My dear Sir,
Certain deputies, Karauria, Urupeni, Karaitiana and Tukuroaro have arrived here from Ahuriri to sound the Natives of the East Coast as to their feelings both on the King movement and the war at Taranaki. They have expatiated on on those topics, and have urged that as there is but one God, there also should be one grand tribe or head for this coast, and that that head ought to be their mutual great progenitor ''Kahungunu''. On our iniquity in making war, they spoke at length, refering to Messrs. Featherston, Forsaith, and the Mission body generally as being opposed to the Government on this question, and ready (in the event of a Native discent on Auckland) not only to join and make common cause with the Natives, but to seize a man of war that is laying at Auckland without men, and proceed to and take the Australian colonies as utu for their sending their troops to assist Col. Browne in his unjust proceedings towards the ''Rangi Taki''. I merely mention this nonsense to show the incalculable mischief those parties have done by pursuing such a course. The Natives can not be expected to distinguish between frothy effervescence in the house of Assembly and in the public prints, and the duties that nevertheless ind those parties to uphold the Govt is assailed by arms. Those genttlmen will (or I much mistake)
have proved themselves the worst enemies the aborigines of these Islands have ever had.
From all I can learn the Natives of Turanga will not meddle with matters either at Taranaki or Ahuriri. I have every hope we shall continue quiet. I must give these people the credit of better behaviour for the last few months than I have known for years previously. I cannot think they would like risking their vessels and produce in a war with us.
They will have grown many thousand bushels of grain this year, and would sorely feel the being shut out from a market.
With best wishes I am very faithfully,
J.W. Harris.
Part of:
Inward letters - John Williams Harris, Reference Number MS-Papers-0032-0327 (70 digitised items)
Series 1 Inward letters (English), Reference Number Series 1 Inward letters (English) (14501 digitised items)
McLean Papers, Reference Number MS-Group-1551 (30238 digitised items)
Usage: You can search, browse, print and download items from this website for research and personal study. You are welcome to reproduce the above image(s) on your blog or another website, but please maintain the integrity of the image (i.e. don't crop, recolour or overprint it), reproduce the image's caption information and link back to here (http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=1026907). If you would like to use the above image(s) in a different way (e.g. in a print publication), or use the transcription or translation, permission must be obtained. More information about copyright and usage can be found on the Copyright and Usage page of the NLNZ web site.
External Links:
View Full Descriptive Record in TAPUHI