IA 1 1840/251
National Archives Wellington
see Register Room

Partial transcript:


1840 Jun 24	Port Nicholson: W. SHORTLAND Respecting property 
		of late Thomas ELLISON seized by the Natives - 
		enclosing correspondence with Capt. NIAS on the 
		subject.


1840 Jun 20	Willoughby SHORTLAND to Capt. NIAS HMS Herald:
... I am directed... to request your assistance... I beg to
state that the Natives residing at or near the island of Mana
distant from this Port about 30 miles, have seized some property
belonging to the late Thomas ELLISON deceased who possessed a
Whaling station at Peraroa...

I derive the information from J. THOMAS Esq., a gentleman of
great respectability who took an Inventory of the property. I
sent a letter by Mr THOMAS to the chiefs demanding the 
restitution of the property...

I beg to lay before you the necessity to settle the point before
your departure... should the Natives be permitted to retain the
property, they would deride the Laws...

I am sorry to be obliged to add, that the uncourteous reception
I met with from you yesterday obliges me to adopt this mode of
communication and to be thus explicit as to the nature of the
assistance I may require...

I have... communicated with Major BUNBURY..."


1840 Jun 21	Capt. J. NIAS HMS Herald to Willoughby SHORTLAND:
... Being already employed on a special service with Major
BUNBURY... your application for my cooperation should have been
made to him... as Her Majesty's ship... has only 43 days
Provisions on board, to carry her... to the Bay of Islands... 
from there to Sydney I should not feel it my duty to remain
longer at this Port than the mission with which Major BUNBURY
is entrusted demands of me...

As I am totally unconscious of having committed any act of
discourtesy towards you but with which you have thought proper
in a public letter to charge me, I consider it my duty to 
acquaint His Excellency the Lieut. Governor with the accusation
you have made against my conduct and should call upon him to
make you prove it...


1840 Jun 21	Thomas BUNBURY Major 80 Regiment to Capt. NIAS
... I yesterday undertook to join with Mr SHORTLAND my
Brother Magistrate in requesting your assistance... Not having
been put as I expected in possession of the facts & circumstances
which alone could warrant my undertaking any share of
responsibility I beg leave to decline interfering in the Matter,
at the same time, should you feel desirous of complying with Mr
SHORTLAND's requisition, I trust you will not consider my
presence on board, as any obstacle to you diverging from the line
of Coast as originally determined we should Visit...
Thomas BUNBURY Major 80 Regiment Charged with a diplomatic 
misson.


1840 Jun 24	Willoughby SHORTLAND to Lt. Gov. HOBSON:
... that some property belonging to the late Thomas ELLISON
deceased, has been seized by the Natives residing at Pararoa and
Mana on the arrival of H.M. Ship "Herald". I immediately went on
board to comminicate the circumstance to Capt. NIAS and to
request his assistance to recover it...

... that the Tribes under the Chief Roperata are preparing to
attack the Tribes residing at Kaputi and Port Nicholson. There
are reports that hostilities have already commenced...

It will be necessary for me to proceed to Mana to recover the
property of Thomas ELLISON and to endeavour to prevent the war,
which may easily be effected before blood is spilt. I shall be
obliged to hire a small vessel which I beg Your Excellency will
sanction.