NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2142, 6 January 1881, Page 3

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

[Bv Tblegeaph.] [PBOM THE OWN COEBBBPOEDENT OF THE “ PBSB3.”] WELLINGTON, January 5. The Hinomoa left this evening with the released Natives for Now Plymouth and Opunake. Tbe Stella also sailed with the contingent of Maori ploughmen for Auckland this evening. Sir W. Fox arrived in Wellington last night, and has been in conference with Ministers and Mr Parris to-day on Native affairs. Sir William leaves for the West Coast shortly. It was decided that the letter recently addressed by his Excellency the Governor to Te Whiti, and the memorandum of Ministers in which that stop was recommended, should bo communicated to the press of the colony through the Press Association. Hitherto no official information on the subject has been divulged, and the only intelligence which could bo obtained had to bo procured through an indirect or private channel. You will have noticed that the purport of Ministers’ recommendations and of his Excellency’s letter, was veiy accurately arrived at by this means, as telegraphed by me some days ago. I am now in a position to state authoritatively that at the interview with Te Whiti the following took place ■ On Captain Knollys and Hone Pihamu arriving at Parihaka the letter was duly presented to Te Whiti, who flatly refused to read or even touch it. Hone Pihama and Mr Hursthouae (who acted as interpreter), endeavored in vain to shake his determination. Te Whiti preserved an attitude of impassive eullenness, and declined to hold any communication on the subject. Some of the other chiefs, however, insisted on hearing the contents of the letter, and it was read, notwithstanding the repeated interruptions by To Whiti, who, on understanding that, the purport of the letter was an invitation to him to meet the Governor, made use of the remark already so often quoted, “The potato is cooked;” to which he added, “ It was not for a potato which had been cooked to discuss matters with the fire which had cooked it." It is also stated thet he likened himself and his people to wild pigs pursued by dogs, and re-produced the old argument in another form, that it was

useless for the pigs to argue the point with the masters of the latter, Again changing the metaphor he said that he was a “sick man,” and the Governor was the doctor. A sick man did not go to the doctor, the doctor came to him, and so ought the Governor to do. In short, he positively refused to enter into any discussion with the Governor except at Parihaka. Such was the whole result, the special point being the new attitude of defeat apparently assumed by Te Whiti instead of claiming to be king and the Europeans his slaves. So far it is considered satisfactory. [PKBBS ASSOCIATION TBLBGBAM.] NEW PLYMOUTH, Jan. 5. With reference to the words uttered by Te Whiti to the Governor’s aide-de-camp that “ the potato is cooked,” the Natives say that To Whiti has privately expressed hie meaning to be, “ the land is taken, the land is sold, and now being settled upon, and what now is tho use of discussing about it.” The Natives are beginning to feel the effects of their indolence and improvident habits. A gentleman who came through Farihaka two days ago states that food is very scarce at the settlement, and tho Natives are digging up half-ripe potatoes, in order to supply their daily wants. Many Natives have been driven back from Psribaka to their own settlements, owing to the insufficiency of food. A new camp has been formed at Ngakamikami, about five miles from the Pungareha camp, on tho New Plymouth side, and No. 3 Company of the Armed Constabulary are located there.