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Tau Tohutoro | Reference NoHM00073Rā | Date1875/09/26Mai I Te Wāhi | PlacePonekeMai I Te Tangata | FromHenare MatuaKi Te Tangata | ToAperahamaKomitiNgā Tāngata | Names in letter AperahamaTā Hori KereiKaupapa | SubjectWhakatau Take; GrievanceReta; CorrespondenceTohu Matawhenua | Geo Coordinates[1]
Tūhonotanga | Related
Kohikohinga | CollectionHenare Matua Collection
Tu-hinga / Whakamāoritanga | Transcript / Translation
Tu-hinga | TranscriptTranscript: (No 1)
Tari o te kawanatanga i Poneke Wellington
Hepetema 26 1875
Kia Aperahama ratou ko te komiti tena koutou i roto i nga mahi tohu a te atua heoi te mihi.
E koro kua kite ahau i to reta kia Ta Hori Kerei nana i homai ki au e mea ana te kupu o to reta kia whakaaturia atu e Hori Kerei te tika o nga ture i panuitia e au ki a koutou aroaro te he ranei.
E koro kia rongo mai koe kaore he tangata mana e whakahe ana kupu i panuitia ki o koutou aroaro, kotahi te kai whakahe ko te Kawanatanga. Ko te take kei te nui haere taua ritenga i roto i nga iwi o te motu nei kitea anahe i mahi ai kia tatou a ka puta atu kite ao korerotia kinotia ai tona ingoa.
Kia rongo mai ano koe kua eke nui tonu te iwi Pakeha kei runga i aua ritenga, e hapai ana kua tuturu te iwi Roia hei hoa whakahaere moku kua piri tahi maua ko Hori Kerei hei tangata kotahi ki te whakahaere i aua ritenga. E koro, tika tonu kore rawa tetahi he, heoi ena kupu.
He aha koe i kore ai e tono mai i etahi o nga tamariki ki te whakarongo korero mo koutou kia ata mohio ai ki te tikanga o nga whawhai a te taha Maori o te whare nei ki te Kawanatanga mo runga i nga he katoa kia mohio hoki ki te ritenga o nga kupu kua tukua atu e matou ki te
Page 2:
(No 2)
Paremata heoi ki te whakaatu hoki ahau i nga take o aua kupu kia rongo mai ai koutou na e kore e mohiotia te ritenga o aua kupu e koutou kaore ki te mea whakarongo a te taringa e mohiotia atu ana te ritenga o ia kupu o ia kupu no te mea ko nga tino putake o aua kupu koia tenei
Tuatahi
Ko te mana o te Ture hoko whenua kia whakamutua
Tuarua
Ko te whakahaere turea a te Kawanantanga me nga whenua Maori me whakamutu
Tuatoru
Ko te moni i nama i runga i te ingoa o Nui Tireni me kore i nga iwi Maori.
Tuawha
Ko te kooti whakawa whenua Maori me nga karauna karati me mutu
Tuarima
Ko te tango a te kawanatanga i te moni takoha a te iwi Maori me whakamutu.
Heoi ko te tino kupu kia koutou me whakaaro kotahi tatou ki te whakahe i ena kupu e mau i runga na ko tatou hoki ka hinga, hinga rawa ki te kore a tatou kupu whakahe ki te whakaaro ake wati te wahi hei wananga mo aua Ture ko nga wahi o te motu nei kua riro atu ki te Kawanantanga ko nga wahi i toe iho ko tatou ano he mana ki runga ki enei wahi heoi nga kupu kia koe.
Na to hoa iti rawa i roto i te whakaaro,
na Henare Matua
Whakamāoritanga | Translation(No. 1)
Government Office, Wellington,
September 26, 1875
To Aperahama and the committee, greetings to you, under the grace of God. And so, I conclude my words of greeting.
Sir, I have read your letter addressed to Sir George Grey, a letter he has since passed on to me. You have asked that George Grey confirm the truth of the proposals I have laid before you.
Let it be known: these proposals cannot be refuted. There is no fault in them. The only resistance comes from the Government itself. That is because these practices now cast a long shadow over the tribes of this land. The people have felt the consequences directly. And this knowledge has spread, it has reached far places and damaged the reputation of the Government.
Know also this: many of the European people have taken up these proposals with strength and conviction. The Lawyers' Association stands as a firm ally in giving them effect. George Grey and I are united, of one mind and one purpose, in carrying these matters forward. Sir, I speak plainly: there is no error in what has been proposed. That is the end of this part.
Now, I ask, why did you not send some of your young people to observe and listen to the discussions? If you had, they would have come to know more fully the struggles faced by the Maori side in confronting the injustices imposed by Government. They would also have better understood the full message we delivered to
Page 2:
(No. 2)
Parliament. I shall now explain the meaning of that message for your understanding. One cannot truly grasp the depth of those words unless one hears them spoken, for then each phrase takes its proper weight. Here, then, are the central points:
First: That the powers of the Land Purchase Law must be abolished.
Second: That the Government's administration over Maori land matters must cease.
Third: That the debt carried in New Zealand's name must not be laid upon the Maori people.
Fourth: That the Maori Land Court and the issuing of Crown Grants must be brought to an end.
Fifth: That the Government's collection of taxes from the Maori must be stopped.
This, friend, is the heart of the message: that we must stand as one people in support of these proposals. If we fail to unite in this cause, we shall surely fall. Let us reflect deeply on what these laws have already taken from us. And let us not forget, we still hold authority over the lands that remain. These are the words I leave with you.
From your most humble friend in thought,
Henare Matua.
Tari o te kawanatanga i Poneke Wellington
Hepetema 26 1875
Kia Aperahama ratou ko te komiti tena koutou i roto i nga mahi tohu a te atua heoi te mihi.
E koro kua kite ahau i to reta kia Ta Hori Kerei nana i homai ki au e mea ana te kupu o to reta kia whakaaturia atu e Hori Kerei te tika o nga ture i panuitia e au ki a koutou aroaro te he ranei.
E koro kia rongo mai koe kaore he tangata mana e whakahe ana kupu i panuitia ki o koutou aroaro, kotahi te kai whakahe ko te Kawanatanga. Ko te take kei te nui haere taua ritenga i roto i nga iwi o te motu nei kitea anahe i mahi ai kia tatou a ka puta atu kite ao korerotia kinotia ai tona ingoa.
Kia rongo mai ano koe kua eke nui tonu te iwi Pakeha kei runga i aua ritenga, e hapai ana kua tuturu te iwi Roia hei hoa whakahaere moku kua piri tahi maua ko Hori Kerei hei tangata kotahi ki te whakahaere i aua ritenga. E koro, tika tonu kore rawa tetahi he, heoi ena kupu.
He aha koe i kore ai e tono mai i etahi o nga tamariki ki te whakarongo korero mo koutou kia ata mohio ai ki te tikanga o nga whawhai a te taha Maori o te whare nei ki te Kawanatanga mo runga i nga he katoa kia mohio hoki ki te ritenga o nga kupu kua tukua atu e matou ki te
Page 2:
(No 2)
Paremata heoi ki te whakaatu hoki ahau i nga take o aua kupu kia rongo mai ai koutou na e kore e mohiotia te ritenga o aua kupu e koutou kaore ki te mea whakarongo a te taringa e mohiotia atu ana te ritenga o ia kupu o ia kupu no te mea ko nga tino putake o aua kupu koia tenei
Tuatahi
Ko te mana o te Ture hoko whenua kia whakamutua
Tuarua
Ko te whakahaere turea a te Kawanantanga me nga whenua Maori me whakamutu
Tuatoru
Ko te moni i nama i runga i te ingoa o Nui Tireni me kore i nga iwi Maori.
Tuawha
Ko te kooti whakawa whenua Maori me nga karauna karati me mutu
Tuarima
Ko te tango a te kawanatanga i te moni takoha a te iwi Maori me whakamutu.
Heoi ko te tino kupu kia koutou me whakaaro kotahi tatou ki te whakahe i ena kupu e mau i runga na ko tatou hoki ka hinga, hinga rawa ki te kore a tatou kupu whakahe ki te whakaaro ake wati te wahi hei wananga mo aua Ture ko nga wahi o te motu nei kua riro atu ki te Kawanantanga ko nga wahi i toe iho ko tatou ano he mana ki runga ki enei wahi heoi nga kupu kia koe.
Na to hoa iti rawa i roto i te whakaaro,
na Henare Matua
Whakamāoritanga | Translation(No. 1)
Government Office, Wellington,
September 26, 1875
To Aperahama and the committee, greetings to you, under the grace of God. And so, I conclude my words of greeting.
Sir, I have read your letter addressed to Sir George Grey, a letter he has since passed on to me. You have asked that George Grey confirm the truth of the proposals I have laid before you.
Let it be known: these proposals cannot be refuted. There is no fault in them. The only resistance comes from the Government itself. That is because these practices now cast a long shadow over the tribes of this land. The people have felt the consequences directly. And this knowledge has spread, it has reached far places and damaged the reputation of the Government.
Know also this: many of the European people have taken up these proposals with strength and conviction. The Lawyers' Association stands as a firm ally in giving them effect. George Grey and I are united, of one mind and one purpose, in carrying these matters forward. Sir, I speak plainly: there is no error in what has been proposed. That is the end of this part.
Now, I ask, why did you not send some of your young people to observe and listen to the discussions? If you had, they would have come to know more fully the struggles faced by the Maori side in confronting the injustices imposed by Government. They would also have better understood the full message we delivered to
Page 2:
(No. 2)
Parliament. I shall now explain the meaning of that message for your understanding. One cannot truly grasp the depth of those words unless one hears them spoken, for then each phrase takes its proper weight. Here, then, are the central points:
First: That the powers of the Land Purchase Law must be abolished.
Second: That the Government's administration over Maori land matters must cease.
Third: That the debt carried in New Zealand's name must not be laid upon the Maori people.
Fourth: That the Maori Land Court and the issuing of Crown Grants must be brought to an end.
Fifth: That the Government's collection of taxes from the Maori must be stopped.
This, friend, is the heart of the message: that we must stand as one people in support of these proposals. If we fail to unite in this cause, we shall surely fall. Let us reflect deeply on what these laws have already taken from us. And let us not forget, we still hold authority over the lands that remain. These are the words I leave with you.
From your most humble friend in thought,
Henare Matua.
Letter from Henare Matua to Aperahama and his komiti. Ngāti Kere Archives, accessed 09/04/2026, https://ngatikere.recollectcms.com/nodes/view/390