THE KOPUA MEETING.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1623, 3 May 1879, Page 3

THE KOPUA MEETING.

[By Telegraph.] [from our own correspondent.] ALEXANDRA, May 2. The steamer left Ngaruawhia at eight o’clock with the Government party, and is expected to arrive between two and three. The party are not expected to proceed up river till to-morrow. There is a rumor, apparently well founded, that To Ngakau yesterday sent a letter telling Ministers not to come beyond Alexandra, To Wheoro has gone up to see Tawhiao, and ask whether Te Ngakau’s letter was written with his approval. It is also reported that Major Roberts has another letter to the same effect from To Ngakau to hand Sir Q-. Q-rey on arrival. Ngapuhi and To Wheoro’s friendlies state they are determined not to go to Te Kopua unless Ministers proceed. To Wheoro proposes furnishing guards of armed men, in war canoes and on land. The friendlies are mostly armed with rifles. They say as the Kingites make such a grand demonstration with firearms the friendlies will show how well they are provided with weapons. Paul Tuhaere and other leading chiefs are disinclined to go to Te Kopua to-day, and desire the departure postponed till to-morrow. The weapons in the hands of the Kingites are of a very inferior character, mostly old and worn out.

The Kingitos are prepared to give a grand reception to their hereditary enemies, the Ngapuhis, The Ngapuhis desire that Sir G. Grey and Mr Sheehan should share an ovation.

Paul and others deprecate Ministers going to Te Kopua, if any dissension exists between Rewi’a and Tawhiao’s parties. Tawhiao, in reply to Tc Whcoro, said the letter purporting to come from Te Ngakau, telling Ministers not to come beyond Alexandra, was a forgery. Pood has not yet been distributed, so that the Natives at Te Kopua are in no hurry for the meeting. I have every reason to believe that the railway to Taranaki will not be agreed to by the Kingite party, though Rewi and Ngatimamapoto may support it. The leading Kingite chiefs say the railway is not wanted by them, but if Tawhiao desires one, ho will retain the sole proprietory of it. It requires no gift of prophecy to enable any European to predict that such a railway would speedily come to grief. The conflicting views of Waikatos, Kingites, and Ngatimaniapotos on the subject of the railway may cause a split between the two great tribes.

I had a long conversation with Mr Eoss, a frontier settler of nine years’ standing, as to the feeling of the Natives. Mr Eoss is the settler at whoso house the Premier met Eewi last year. Ho speaks very hopefully of the result of the present meeting. Ho entertained a very high opinion of Eewi who is his near neighbor. Owing to the difficulty in fencing land along the winding Puniu river, Maori cattle and horses constantly trespass on Eoss’s land. As compensation Eewi voluntarily permitted him to lay down in grass a considerable slice of land south of the confiscation lines, and run cattle thereon. Eoss thinks Hauhauism is rapidly breaking down. The fraternization between the extreme Hauhaus,Kingites and European settlers is increasing, with a most beneficial effect. The Kingites cannot dispense with European goods, and find barter necessary. From other sources I learn that the Natives see the importance of having the relations between themselves and Europeans upon some permanent legal foundation, and they are evincing a strong disposition to return to the principle of the Treaty of Waitangi, which will probably form one of the most prominent subjects of discussion at this meeting. Mr Eoss holds the somewhat novel opinion that panics in Waikato were an unmixed blessing, inasmuch as they caused the weeding out of the inferior class of European settlers, and enabled those who stuck to their homesteads to acquire land cheaply. Allotments and horses w r ere sold during the period of panic for £5. Eoss and other settlers in those days often had to wrap their children in blankets at night and bear them to the nearest redoubt. Later. Te Wheoro returned to-day from Te Kopua after having had an interview with Tawhiao respecting the letter from Te Ngakau, requesting Ministers not to come beyond Alexandra. Tawhiao replied ( hat he had not been in any way consulted by To Ngakau, and that ho (the King) disapproved of To Ngakau’s action.

Sir Q-. Grey and Mr Sheehan and five or six other Europeans arrived at 3 o’clock in the sttamer Lily, They were received with three cheers hy the crowd, and TeWheoro s Natives aasembL don the bridge, Several leading settlers also cordially welcomed Mimisters; and on ascending the bank from the river the Minietera and party wore received with the usual shouts of welcome by about fifty other Natives, who formed two lines for the party to walk through. Further on another assemblage of Paul’s tribe from Auckland and Kaipara, gave a similar welcome. Ministers paid a visit to Paul, who has been suffering from an attack of gout.

Since the Government party arrived, it has transpired that Tawhiao actually sent a telegram to the Premier in Auckland, asking him wt on ho was coming.

The Government party proceed upwards lo To Kopua at between 10 and 11 to-morrow, and will probably walk short distances lo Puniu stream, whore I bo war canoes now are, and proceed thence by water.