PROCEEDINGS OF THE KAIMAI COMMITTEE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume V, Issue 431, 28 October 1876, Page 3

PROCEEDINGS OF THE KAIMAI COMMITTEE.

On the 23rd : The Committee again met, and all members were present. The Chairman read the following letter : —

GBNTtßMßK,— Referring to my interview | with you yesterday, in which 1 again informed you that you were by your aotion in trying to deal independently with tbe natives, obstruct ing my endeavours to open ■ the Kaimai and Burrounding lands to tbe publio for prospecting purposes, I have low the honor to actnow. ..ledge, the receipt of your letter of this day's date, in which you formally decline to diV continue such action.— l am, &c, H. W. Bbabant. then read the followingletl&r from Captain Morris : — -' Wellington, 16th October, 1876. Deab Edgodmbe,— l received your telegram re prospecting this morning ; I have seen the Government on the matter. They do not feel inclined to adopt the steps suggested by the meeting until further information is at their disposal. Probably, if they were snpplied with such information and decided to aot on it, they would prefer to work it out in their own way. For my own part, I think it would be unwise to make too muoh of a matter which after all may turn out a second Whangamita. When 1 have been a few days at Tauranga I will write to Government, and shall be much strengthened by being able to give a personal opinion, whiob, of course, I am unable to do now. — I am, &c, G. B. Moßßlfl. It was resolved "That a public meeting be called on Monday next, to be held in the Commercial Hotel, to consider the present state of affairs, and refer the whole Kaimai question, with the correspondence, to the meeting. On the 21st: The Committee met as usual at 9.30 a.m. : There being no special business before the meeting, the Committee separated. On the 23rd: The Committee met at 9.30 a.m. It was resolved "That all outstanding accounts be at once called in and settled by the Treasurer." Mr Firth Wrigley drew the attention of the Committee to the following telegram which appears in the Auck- -^ land papers of the 18th instant: — "; " Wellington, 17th October. The Premier told Mr Sheehan that the Government were doing all they could to get Kaimai, near Tauranga, opened for gold mining, but were experiencing great difficulties in consequence of the eagerness of Europeans to obtain possession of tbe district. This question was put to the Government in the House, and the answer was evasive and untruthful. It was agreed that the Chairman should forward, on behalf of the Committee, the following letter to Mr Commissioner Brabant :— Kaimai Committee Booms,. Xanrauga, 23rd October, 1876. 818, — I have the honor, by direction of the Kaimai Committee, to request that you will • be good enough to inform them whether you are etjllof opinion that " there will not be any .. further opposition on the part of the natives . to. prospeoting," as stated in a communication ~ sent by you to E. G. Norris, Esq., and subse- ""■ quontly published in the Bay op Plenty Times of the 12th August, a oopy of which is enclosed, or whether, since tbe period you penned the words in question you have bad oaueo toobjmge the opinion therein expressed; and if you-i|j&ve, whether you ere in » position to atatejche cause of the failure of the original negtoiations entered into by Government in endeavouring to have Kaimai and surrounding country opened for gold prospeoting ? A. reply this day will oblige. — I am, &0., "&. M. EpGVrJHBB, Chairman Kaimai Committee. i . Mr Commissioner Brabant, Tauranga. , Mr Brabant's letter to Mr Norris referred to. . . Tauranga, August 11, 1876. ' Dbab Sib,— l have the pleasure to inform - you that I have this day settled with Hori :-•: Tupaea and party re Kaimai, and I do not ■. ■ . ! think there will be any further, opposition on '- ■ t«e part of tbe natives to prospecting. . ■• They ■>•:: are prepared to seed a man to shew the boun' -: daries of tbe block when-required. I—l1 — 1 am, &c, ° Herbebt W. Bbabamt. Captain 18. &. JSonie, ■^ Chairman £ortb Township ijjghway Board, '■>'■■ " . Tauranga. - „ : The Chairman, during the day, received the following reply to the Com- - cioittee's letter from Mr Commissioner Brabant; — , Tauranga, October 23, 1876, OHNTUfMBW,— I bard the honor to aoknows Jedg« the receipt of your 'leWefoif tbis day'o $ate asking certain qaestiohß,and have only td state in reply that as you have accepted ang refuse to recede from the position of opposin - the Government in tbeir efforts to place pros' •' • peptoM on Tanranga lands, I do not consider 1 myself at liberty to answer any questions V: i wbion you may put to me. In order, how* ever, that I may not be misunderstood, I have ''•' : to add that lam always willing to gi?es3vfoe I sr "to any intending prospectors who may'oall at ' c \ mj office. — I havej &c., ' v Hbbbbbt W. Bbabant. r> On the 24 : The Committee met at ;-.v9.3Q— -all present.

The proceedings of the public ineeting were much discussed. It was resolved " That the Chairman send the -following telegram to Mr John Sheehan, M.H.E., Wellingtou : — - Tanranga, October 24, 1876. The Kaimai Committee beg to tender you tbeir thanks for your prompt action in baring called the attention of the Government to the Kaimai question. The following resolUi tioa was passed unanimously on your question and the Premier's reply thereto being read in the newspapers : " That the reply of the Premier to Mr Sheeban re Kaimai ie evasive and untruthful. - Tho publio are rendering Government every assistance, and express no eagerness to obtain possession of the district, as stated by the Premier, they only desire to hare the country open for prospectors." We issued a circular on the 16th in English and Maori, requesting prospectors to discontinue prospecting pending arrangements being made; thus clearly demonstrating the fact of our cordial desire to render the Government every assistance. Please contradict Premier's statement in justice to the Tauranga public, who are naturally indignant. Please keep us informed. We pay for all your telegrams in reply. B. M. Edqcumbb, : Chairman. Shortly after the Committee had separated, certain information having privately reached the ears of the Chairman, that fresh instructions had this morning been received at the Native Office, from Wellington, re the action of G-overnment on the Kaimai question, the Chairman wired the following telegram to Mr John Sheehan ; — On good authority the Oommitte learns that Commissioner Brabant has been instructed by Government to discontinue taking any steps towards opening Kaimai. Is it too much to ask you to put the question in the House whether suob is the case, without loss of time ? Kindly wire Government reply. E. M. EsaoDHBB, Chairman. It was agreed that the Chairman wire to the Herald, Cross, Star, Advertiser, and Waikato Times the following : — Ksimai Committee will feel much obliged to you if you will give as much attention and aid as possible to the question of opening Kaimai. Particulars in files of limbs, M. M. Edsoitmbb, j Chairman. About 5 p.m., the following telegrams were received by the Chairman : — Wellington, 24th October, 1876. Telegrams received. Will read to House, and ask question at evening sitting. John Shbehak. Hamilton (Waikato), 24th October, 1876. We have already referred to subject, and shall be gtad to co 1 operate with Bay of Plenty to enforce consideration of Kaimai question. P. A. Whitakeb. pro Editor Waikato Times, On the 25th.: The minutes having been read over of last meeting, were confirmed. The following telegram was agreed should be sent to Mr Sheehan, M.H.E. :— Kaimai Committee feel most grateful to you for the prompt and courteous assistance you are affording them. Will you kindly wire in full Government's reply to your question last night. E. M. EuGcriißK, Chairman. The Committee again met at noon, when the following letter was agreed upon, and at once forwarded to Mr Commissioner Brabant : — Kaimai Committee Rooms. Tauranga, 25th October, 1875. Sib,— l have the honor, by request of Kaimai Committee, to call your attention to certain expressions contained in your letters of the 20th and the 23rd instant respectively, which reflpofc on the action which Las been taken by by the Committee in referenoe to the Kaimai question. The Committee take ezi ception to the following expressions which appear in the letters referred to :— " That you are by your aotion * # # # # o j>, structing my endeavours to open Kaimai," * # * # "that you have aosepted and re' fused to recede from the position of opposing the Government in their efforts to place prospectors on Tauranga lands." The- committee wjbb to be understood most die* tinotly, as never having in any way op. posed the Government in the matter ; their desire throughout has been for the Government to take the initiative and have both at various interviews whiob took plaoe between yourself and tbe Committee, and. in the. numerous telegrams to Wellington, urged upon the authorises the desirability of carrying out tbe request of the Publio Meeting, in. Resolution No 3, a oopy of whiah we furnished to you viz :—" Ibat this meeting suggests that (ha Government should call a publio meeting of all the natives who claim to be interested in the lands in question, in order that the real cause of the present complications may be ascertained co that the authorities shall be ails to take such steps as they may deem necessary to remove the obstructions which now exist." The committee are perfectly satisfied that the position taken up by them, on behalf of the publio, baa not been antagonistic towards tbe Government, nor is it calculated to impede any action tha Govern* ment may think proper to take in relation to the opening of Kaimai. All their proceedings are duly chronicled, and will oonrinoe any im« partial person of their earnest desire, through* out, of cordially rendering the authorities every possible assistance. Ib may be remarked that up. to the 19th insfc. all our interviews with you were of a most cordial nature, but on that day at the interview which was held you expressed your dissent for the first time, to the position we were occupying, and dei clined any assistance it was suggested theCotm rnittee were wiWing to render. The committee decline mosfc positively to be forced into a position of antagonism to the Government, a position which you appear solioitoua to place-

them in, end will riot accept the words of your letter as applying to them as mi-mberß of the Knimai Committee. Any ebulition of | feeling which may hare been evinced bas been ■ i occasioned, tho Committee regret to say, in ( | consequence of the abrupt turn iv matters i when it . was fully expected a large native ' gathering would take place, at which thu different native elements would have been fully represented and the exact position of affairs ascertained I may in conclusion state that the Committee are ia no way treating for the land " in question with the natives either for gold prospecting or any other pur' pose. It never was our intention to ao act j bad it been so the various interviews which took place between the oommittee and yourself would sever have occurred nor would the numerous telegrams ever have been trans> mitted to Wellington,— l am, &o, E. M. Edgoumbe. l Chairman Mr Commissioner Brabant, Tauranga. j In the evening, the following telegam was received: — No opportunity of putting the question last night. The House remaining in Committee till three o'clock this morning. Asked question to-day, and read your telegrams ; dofended i auranga people from the charge of undue eagerness or interference with Government Officers; pointed out extreme importance to the district and colony of opening the field, and trusted to hear that there is no foundation for tbe statement that the Government had instructed further obstructions to open the field. Major Atkinson replied, regretting having accused Tauranga settlers; was glad to hear they were moderate, end assisting Government. The information on which he made the statement was supplied from the Native Qffke. He did not think it likely that instructions to stop negotiations had been sent, but would make special enquiry and answer me in the House to. night. Will wire again first thing in the morning. Hope your Commitee will persevere in moderate policy, as the slightest excuse will be taken hold of by tbe Native Department to justify delay and obstruction. John Sheehan. On the 26th : The minutes were read and confirmed. The following telegram was received from "Wellington : — Wellington, October 26. Received Atkinson's answer. He cays no instructions have been sent to Brabant to stop efforts, and that he is fully authorised to do all in his power to open the field, and is fur< nished with ample funds. He added that Brabant had again wired to him, Btating that all the trouble was being occasioned by the injudicious and intemperate oonduot of Euro, peano of Tauranga, and alleges that you are obstructing him in his work. Keep me in< formed of movements, and 1 will do all in my power here to assist you. I recommend cautious aotion, so as to give no handle to the Taihoa department, John Shebhak. Yesterday morning : Committee met at 9.30. A letter from Capt. Morris, M.H.U., to the Chairman, in reply to one sent him on Thursday evening, asking him to meet Committee to talk over Kaimai matters, making an appointment with members, was read. The Committee canvassed the substance of Mr Sheehan's second telegram, and regretted that Mr Brabant should have wired to Government, accusing Committee of "intemperate and injudicious conduct." To guard against misrepresentation, it was resolved to forward by telegram the whole of the Chairman's letter to Commissioner Brabant, under date 25th inst., at once to Mr John Sheehan, M.H.8., with a request that the same be read in House.