8 Transactions. 



close to where Bull's now stands. Here they hoisted the Union 

 Jack and a small red war-flag. 



Dr. Featherston, the then Superintendent of the Wellington 

 Province, received information of the pending fight, and forth- 

 with proceeded with Mr. (now Sir) Walter Buller to the scene 

 of the dispute. According to his own account he found affairs 

 at a pitch of high tension. Just before his arrival the Nga- 

 tiraukawa had danced a war-dance, which was tantamount to 

 a declaration of war. He first proceeded to their pa, and had 

 a long interview with the chiefs. He pointed out that the 

 Government would severely suppress any hostilities, and would 

 treat as murder any bloodshed that took place during their fight. 

 He promised to see the Ngatiapa, and suggested that arbitra- 

 tion should be resorted to to determine the ownership of the 

 lands in dispute. To this the Ngatiraukawas declined to accede. 

 " Kahore," said Ihakara ; " the arbitrators must meet in the 

 presence of the three tribes. The tribes will meet with their 

 arms in their hands. Each man will say what he pleases." 

 They had found that arbitration in the past had not proved a 

 satisfactory method of settling disputes as to the ownership of 

 land, and they firmly declined to have anything to do with any 

 such proceeding, except in the way suggested. Dr. Featherston 

 then suggested as an alternative that the land should go through 

 the Native Land Court, or that a division should be made by a 

 Government valuer of the land ; but this course was even less 

 satisfactory as a proposition than the previous one. This is 

 not to be wondered at, inasmuch as Dr. Featherston suggested 

 every difficulty that the course would necessarily imply. Matters 

 thus having come to a deadlock, a suggestion was made which 

 I feel sure was the original suggestion that Dr. Featherston had 

 in his mind. I refer to the suggestion that the parties should 

 sell the block to the Government, and that, instead of fighting 

 about the land, they shoixld divide the money in proper pro- 

 portions. To this the Raukawa declined altogether to consent. 

 Dr. Featherston then, having reiterated his warning, went to 

 the opposite camp and interviewed the Ngatiapa. He put for- 

 ward to them, in a half-hearted way, the first two propositions 

 he had made to the Raukawa, but they firmly declined. When. 

 however, he approached the sale of the land the Ngatiapa con- 

 sented ; and this, I think, confirms the theory which has been held 

 by most people, that the Ngatiapa had no real claim in the land. 

 They sold to make good their title — just as Solomon's spurious 

 mother consented to the child's death. Dr. Featherston, how- 

 ever, pointed out that he would not buy the land from them 

 alone. He did not wish to have any more Waitara Blocks. He 

 was, he said, prepared to purchase their interest in the land. 



