SPEECHES OF GOVERNOR SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE WAIKATO CHIEFS AT THE MEETING HELD AT KOHANGA, DECEMBER 1861.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 40, 3 April 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

SPEECHES OF GOVERNOR SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE WAIKATO CHIEFS AT THE MEETING HELD AT KOHANGA, DECEMBER 1861.

(Continued from our last). Euihana (Ngatitipa): There arc three things of the Governor—three things to think about. I consider the evils in my presence (or path). Leave the Governor to reveal them ; all hough it cuts my heart, leave him to reveal them, because goodness has appeared. Consider quietly because of goodness and peace : ho has come from abroad, he came from God and from the Queen. IS'ow here is another good word, we understand the Scriptures. Look at this word, goodness, goodness ; do away with evil; look you at that; let the good be established, and afterwards think of the evil. His system is laid down, and it is for us to oppose (deal with) it. I shall not be destroyed by you, but rather by God if at all. Let this be clear, let it be light. Rise up and speak. Kihirini (Tainui) : Welcome, O goodness, welcome. Welcome, Governor, the father of what is good. Welcome in love and the gospel. Bring hither the words of peace ; let not ihe time be long. KarakaTomo (STgatipou) : Welcome, in goodness and love. There is no other word ; all the korero is about peace. AramaKaraka (Ngatihine) : Welcome, welcome bring love; it is here being kept; old tilings are not forgotten. Tc 11 erewini (Ngaliinahuta) : Welcome, whether for good or for evil. Your words are good. You say in your speech that you are a Governor for both raeos, the Pakeha and the Maori. According to my thought, the plunder taken at Taranaki must be carefully adjudicated. There are very many things lying under the “ three things.” Now if you see that the sin is ours, judge us ; if you see that the offence was from you, enough, you-will know that it is your own. Again if you see that I slay a Pakeha travelling on the road, mine is the offence ; if the Pakeha kills a man, yours is the sin. As to the property taken at Taranaki, let us be judged for it. If you see that the offence was ours, judge us ; if the offence is from you, from the Pakeha, we shall both know that it is from (he Pakeha. - Waikato (Ngatitipa) : Welcome, Governor, in the love and kindness of God. Welcome in peace. Gome and spread your garments over me ; it is an affection that I say this word to you. I do not look at the length of our discourse ; when it is all

collected, it will be goodness, peace. Tipene (Ngatiaiahuta): What I shall speak about is the king, the Hag, and the plunder. You formerly were the Governor of this island and as for us, we were with you. Now the things you gave us at that period were magistrates. 0 After your departure, we considered that we should raise up a king for ourselves, to stop blood shedding and repress the evils of the land, and put an end to wars. For two years this korero has been maintained. "While the magistrates which you speak about were still residing, men -were selling land throughout the island. We thought New Zealand will be gone. We saw the laud which had gone, covered with cattle, and horses, and sheep, and the men employed fencing the land against cattle, &c. We then said, let the laud be withheld. We (Waikato) began it, and others joined. We saw that the elder brother was quarrelling with the younger ; and so one man was appointed to suppress fighting and stop the blood. Land was bought at Taranaki, we beard it was bought improperly, and presently disturbances arose about it. We held two runangas to consider it, in the course of which we heard that Taranaki was destroyed.

Aiterwards came the news about the Ngatiruanui, and here we were perplexed. We had not heard that the Pakeha was fighting at Taranaki until the soldiers had gone aboard l lie ships : then we heard. Now this offence was from tiie Pakeha; hence we said, we are strangers to one another. This is our thought; wo are divided, you on one side, and we on the other. Three things we worked at after you left us; the gospel, the king, and the flag. Wo did not know it was wrong till after it was set up; then, for the first time, we knew it was considered wrong. I now say, work gently. Knough about that. This is another thing, about the roads. Formerly you commanded them, aud thev have been withheld by us. the roads are not simply for fetching food from a man's farm ; throughout the island, it is (his which creates fear. At Taranaki, the road being there, your guns reached the pa. This is your fear, !;•>; tiiat strange cart (gun carriage), the cart oi’teirur, should iravel on it. Put for this fear, roads would have been allowed long ago. Lnough of that. Now, it was we (W aikato) who established the king. I have not heard that the roads are stopped up ; the great road of the Waikato river is not stopped, the road of Hie Waipa river is not stopped, the Pakehas and the -ilaories are travelling upon them ; the road of the Union Jack alone is closed. The words of Potatau, and yours, are still held : we adhere to the advice of Polatau, “ Do not do anything, do not fight do not he angry with the Pakeha, but bo kin cl "'to him.’ "W e adhere to these words. Our runangas are simitar to your own, some are good and some are bad. At the present time, the only thing wo will look at is goodness, that if may be joined and made last, it we rise x»p against yon, what would be the result S' If you rise up against us, what would be the result ? Form “fly we, the natives, were separate tribes ; but new iff go to the other end of tiic island, it is still ! (we are now one people). Let the error, if any, be sought out of our conversation during this day. Ilis Excellency : If any tribe refuse to have your king, will you attack them ? Tipene: I,have not heard of the fear of any tribe within this island.

His Excellency : Until you give a fair answer to that question, I shall think you refuse my words of peace. Tipene. This is my reply, I do not know that some are outside (of the king) Let me hear it, and then for the lir.-t time shall I say we (Maories) are a divided people. Hut we will not make them afraid (attack them). (To he continued.)