THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1715, 19 August 1879, Page 3

THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

NEW PLTMOUTH, Aug. 18. Tamihana reports that about 1000 Natives were present at tarihaka meeting yesterday. There was abundance of food, consisting of 1000 loaves, baked at Opunake, a number of baskets of mutton birds, plenty of eels, and 100 pigs, beside the usual Maori fare. Te Whiti addressed the meeting in the open air for a long time, chiefly on Scriptural subjects. In the evening more important matters were discussed.

Tohau and Tamihana enquired how it was that at the last meeting he had declared there would be no more ploughing, and after they left, and had so reported in New Plymouth, ploughing was resumed. They said if matters were conducted peacefully, they would return as usual, but if evil was to be wrought they would return no more. Te Whiti said there was to be no more ploughing, as his objeot had been attained, and all in future was to be peaceful and life giving. He said that he sent the Natives to plough, and the Government had imprisoned them, and they were fulfilling his designs. He prophesied they would return with joy and honor, surrounded with clouds, and that the day of their return will be the day of the coming of the son of man. He exhorted the women and children of the prisoners to remain quietly at their respective villages, and not to fear for their relatives, but to trust to him. Very few Natives have returned, the majority remain to construct some earthworks at Parihaka.