The Hawke's Bay Times, Published every Monday and Thursday. MONDAY, 4th JUNE, 1866.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 382, 4 June 1866, Page 3

The Hawke's Bay Times, Published every Monday and Thursday.

MONDAY, 4th JUNE, 1866.

“SDLLIUS ADDICTU3 JURA UK IN VERBA MAGISTM.”

Fort many months past the natives who yet holdout .against, submitting, to the rule of Her Majesty have been making-.allusions to.

a great runanga of the tribes that was to be held early in the present year, at which meeting the proposals from time to time made to them by Her Majesty’s representative should be considered, and the advisibility of rendering submission discussed. Thompson himself has been foremost in this hind of talk, which we never regarded as other than a pretence to gain time—-to produce a truce upon the part of the settlers, during which the rebels might recruit their commissariat.

However, it seems that such a meeting has actually come oif at a place called Hangatiki, and although it seems that Thompson was not present, being probably deterred therefrom by what has passed between him and ILs Excellency Sir George Grey during their recent interviews, the greater portion of the rebel chiefs still in arms against Her Majesty attended, and so gave to the runanga all the importance possible. The main question brought before the meeting for discussion had relation to the confiscation of the forfeited lands, but included also that of malting further attacks upon the settlements of the pakeha. The idea of submission to British rule seems to have been the furthest possible from their minds, and not to have been hinted at. They met as rebels, and as such carried out all their proceedings. The accounts we have from the Auckland papers of this meeting are very meagre, being supplied to them solely from native sources, yet such as are, as far as they extend; perfectly reliable; and as they tally so closely with what we know of the rebels, and what wo might expect to transpire at such a meeting, we may believe that they are substantialy correct.

The meeting opened with much highsounding bluster against the pakeha and Government for the action taken in confiscating lands, and it was unanimously concluded not to acquiesce in any measure of that nature, but to maintain the position they still hold of antagonism and rebellion. This of course led to the consideration of the important question of future action, and the advisability of making an attack upon the Waikato or Taranaki settlements, and it was ultimately decided to defer all action of an aggressive nature to some future time.

So we find that the great meeting from winch so much was expected has passed off, leaving matters in precisely the same position as before. The rebels, if at all wishing for peace, are at least resolved not to make any advance in that direction, nor to accept any overtures on -the part of the Governor except such as would leave them the acknowledged masters of the field, and the British force as the defeated party. They are in other words, as they always were—willing to return to the status hi quo ante; they must he restored all that they have forfeited by rebellion, and retain the privilege of a little amusing warfare, a few murders now and then, and of being in any other way they please troublesome, but without in any sense acknowledging the supremacy of the Queen, or the obligation of her laws. The ‘New Zealand Herald’ makes the following brief comment upon the resolution arrived at by the runanga, with which we cordially concur, as we have had no reason to suppose that they were at all anxious for any peace that did not concede them the rights of conquerors;— The above resolution was just what might have been anticipated to be adopted. We could hardly expect that jdic Maoris would formally acquiesce in the coniiscation. They doubtless anticipate that by the withdrawal of the troops, and the weakening of the \\ aikato settlements, something may turn up which can be taken advantage of by