TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11499, 4 February 1903, Page 8

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS.

Sir, —I think Mr Alpers's keen and analytic mind has depicted the Parihaka business of 1831 just as the historian should. With the exception of one or two minor mistakes, which are immaterial to the main narrative, I can aseert the main facts are much as I heaid them on the West Coast in that year.

How any tine reading the West Coast Commissioners' report coil come to any other conclusion than that thoso Maoris had been unjustly treated, is marvellous. Fa<*U are there stated, and aro deplorable. Only in tlie region of fancy can feePcomfoit • able about the Maoris' wrongs. When I was on that coast I was α-ssured that there were hapus whose land had been confiscated, but reserves promised, yet the surveys were so grossly in arroar that the natives did not know where they were to reside. No wonder they assembled at Parihakato listen to one of the mi*t eloquent speakers of their r:;ce, uud it lias yet to be proved that he ever advocated violence. To Whiti was a, fanatic, and his people believed any one arresting him would fall dead. I believe his policy of passive isolation had a bad effect on the Maori mind; it retarded progress and all the word implies, but who can prove lie contemplated war or violence?

I never h-eard that prior to tlie advent of the constabulary Parihuka, wa.s "a ne*>t of sexual immorality," although I heard from Tohu that the constabulary were the offenders who broke the Seventh Com-mt-ndinent, and led Maori women astr?.y. I mentioned this matter to Sir \\m. Fox, and ho afterwards told me that surprise muster calls had been made at midnight, but the men were there to answer to their I.times. This reply was not to Inry mind cocsolinj; proof of their innocence. Indeed, I could write more, but cvi boDo?

You state To Whiti screened law-breakers. Was there any other than Hiroki there? Hiroki, J believe, could have been taker, at any time. Is it not strange that when the Government decided definitely on arlveting him he was theie. ]So attetnpt was made to smuggle him away.

Titokowaru, if wanted previously to the raid, could have been arrested miles away from Parihaka. I often met him on the roads, and saw him at Manaia.

As to many minor incidents recorded by Mr Alpers, surely it is more than a coincidence .that they were gravely talked about immediately after tire raid. It was a common subject of conversation that the tamariki were playing at the entrance of the p:v when the soliders arrived. Whether they were children "dancing with rhythmic grace a dance of welcome," or whether ";* few young women prettily dressed in bright colours were amusing themselves skipping," is immaterial. I incline to Mr Alpera'e version, bzcause we were told that To Whiti was concerned about the juveniles, and from the marae asked the constabulary to be careful not to tread on tho children. His remark was commented on at the time; some thought it was the outcome of his fear that tliey might '02 unintentionally hurt; others thought it was bitter sarcasm. My memory •serves ir.e faithfully en this point I am sure.

Mr Alp:rs hv.s falk-n into an error in saying Te Whiti was a chief of rank. In hi.s c.irly chiys he wns employed by the Rev. Mr Rimonsclmeider—a missiouary. Ilk nuina eveiituuilr was the fffect of his eloquence , and intense love of liis people. I am afraid ths 600 loaves business Ls a legfiid or an excrescence. I never heard of tlie food being offered at tho time.

Certainly the widening of tliv eitfrance 'o the vi'lage by pulling , down part of a fence was spoken of at the tim? as authen tic.

After allowing fo? a little word painting and a fe\r minor mistaka?, the celebrated chapter i.s as I depicted the scene after listening to both European and Maori reports in 1881.—Yours, etc, JOHN A. LUXFORD.