Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1872. PUBLIC MEETING.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1352, 18 June 1872, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1872. PUBLIC MEETING.

A Public Meeting, convened by a number of townsmen, was held in the Oddfellows' Hall last evening, " to take into consideration the present unsettled state of native atfairs, and the conduct of the Hon. H. K. Russell in reference thereto.' 1 The meeting was very tul'y attended, there being probably upwards of 400 people present. The spirit manifested was anything but serious, the greatest hilarity prevailing; and, especially towards the close, the most prominent feature was the "chaff" with which each speaker was assailed. One of the gentlemen on the platform found it necessary to remind the meeting that the subject for consideration was really serious and important, but the reminder seemed only to provoke additional mirth. Under the circumstances that portions of nearly every speech were drowned wirh either applause or disapprobation, and that other portions were of such a nature as it would be imprudent to publish, we shall report the meeting as fully as possible, Mr Buchanan, who was voted to the chair, said the purpose of the meeting was so well known that ii was unnecessary for him to read the advertisement by which it wa-< convened. Jf the meeting approved, he desired to offer a few comments prior to the regular business, Many present would know that during the eleven year* he bad been in this Province he had taken a prominent part in what was known as the native question. He had endeavored, by resolution, by agitation, and by private pressure, to obtain for the people of this Province those fair broad lands Unit had now gone from them for ever. He was speaking Pioviucially, for the lauds must eventually come to the peoplo, though not in the way he had striven for. He saw few, very few, in the meeting before him, who bad joined him in this endeavor. Seven years ago this month he had led *vhat might be called a forlorn hope against the acquisition of these lands by pri--vate individuals. He bad then paced the town in vain to find a peison to act as chairman at a proposed public meeting on the subject, and among those before him to-night he did not nee one who had then lent him an atom q{ aid or assistance, He had fought

tbe matter in the Pro\incial Council and on the platform ; be had used his voice, his pen, his time, and more in his endeavors ; but he met with very little support—and the support he received did not come from those who now took up the question, and would fain be regarded as the piotectors of ihe Maori race. (Applause.) In. November, 1860, the Native Lands Act was passed, and the opportunity of the Province was gone. That Act he would never attempt to controvert; it would be to violate a statutory conpact. Different systems had been adopted by more or less civilised races in assuming possession of the wild lands formerly held by the native inhabitants. In most instances their right to the land had never been admitted ; h'.it in rhis country we found it recognised at the outset, and every acre of land taken was duly purchased—the Crown merely reserving the right of pre-emption. The error had been ever to cede this right, and this had heen the root of all the mischief. A man well acquainted with the native race, from long .tssoeiation, from the tie of intei marriage, had written on this subject words of wisdom which he would now read to them : " When it is taken to be a natural consequence of the contact of two races of men that the soil of the country of one shall pass into the hands of* the other, the suffering to the losing race appears to be equally inevitable, und therefore not to be in any way reduced or pre vented. The higher the losing race may have stood in the scale of humanity, and the greater ilieir material advantages of life have been, the greater will be their suffering, because the loss of their soil means degradation and poverty to the race. T think, therefore, that no plan can be devised for reducing the suffering at all iu amount, though it may be reduced in intensity, but only by extending it over a greater length of time. Whether it is worth while to do so, or whether the more powerful race, though talking about ameliorating the condition of the other, would in reality do so, even were it possible, appears to me to be doubtful in the extreme. Individual benevolence ha*, no doub<, always existed, and has had more or less visible effect; but we look in vain for any marked proof of the exercise of benevolence as between races " The writer of these -vords was Judge Manning, the '< Pakeha Maori.'' The Land Court, of which that gentleman was so distinguished an ornament, could not now be upset. It was for the reasons given on the extract he had read that he condemned all these efforts of volunteer protectors of the natives. He had in formation of the disturbed state ot the natives on the '2nd June, eight or ten days before this agitation commenced. In a letter from the Waimarama district, an extract from which he read, he was informed that there had been a crreat gathering there of the lords of the ; that they had decided to get back all their mortgaged land and proceed against the settlers for back rent; and also to upset some of Mr M'Lean's purchases Now, if there wa- any hapu which had nothing to complain of, it was that of Waimarama. Not only had they not parted with an acre of their lands, but they held them under a Crown Grant which rendered them inalienable. The cause of discontent there must be that some of the young blood of Maoridom were wishing for a repetition of scenes of riot and disorder such as had occurred years ago. It was because he was aware that this feeling existed that he had been led to appear and take the chair at this meeting to-night. He thanked the meeting for the patient hearing they had given him. (Applause) Mr Kennedy proposed the iitst resolution, as follows : That, in the opinion of this meeting, the excitement at present existing among a large proportion of the native population of this Province, in connection with the intended repudiation of sales and leases, both to private individuals and the Government, is such as to imperil the continued existence of peaceable relations between the two races.

—The Chairman, in hi* opening remarks, bad already paved the way for this resolution. The fact therein stated was in the knowledge of n.osfc present. The natives had never been quieter or more peaceably,disposed than they were three or four months ago; but «ince

thai time a great change had taken place. Many of them wished to recover the lands bought and honestly paid for by the Europeans ; and though some had principle enough to hold aloof from the movement, the most powerful section of the natives was concerned in it. Mr Robinson seconded the resolution. He considered that sonic public expression of feeling on the subject had become absolutely necessary. The question was not between one man and another; but affected the whole Province.

Tvaraitiaxa, interpreted by Mr Hamlin, made a long speech. He was gratified at the remarks of preceding speakers. Mr Ilussell and Henaie Midua were working together in a bad work; altogether contrary to native custom. The movement in which they were engaged was in his opinion as bad as the king movement. He (Karaitiana) would not agree that Maori land claims or sales should be investigated by any European. Let these things l»e dealt with entirely by natives, aceoiding to their own customs, and if wnr should arise with (he pakeha the fault would all be with the natives.

Henare Tomoana | interpreted by Mr Hamlin) was ah-o much pleased with the meeting. Air Russell had often asked him to join him and Henare Matua in their work, but he would not consent. Mr Russell said his work was a work of love. (Laughter) lie (Henare) consented to join him if he would give him £IOOO. Mr Russell did not gi\ e the money ; he. only said lie would think about it. (Laughter.) Mr Russell's work was no bettei than HauLauism. The natives concerned in the movement ate the food of other natives, which was a great characteristic of Hauhau*. (He here gave a very long and minute account of his transactions with Mr H. R. Russell) He had now one of Mr Russell's letters in his pocket, which he would lead if the meeting was willing. (The meeting having signified it* assent, Henare read the letter, which consisted of thiee closely-written pages of foolscap, in Maori, and was interpreted by Mr Hamlin. The process was tedious iu the extreme—the point of the letter, if any, being lost to the audience. We noticed that the letter set iorth that the natives had lost their lands through their foolishness in mortgaging them to hotelkeepers and storekeepers , and he (the wiiter) would be strong to tight for their land, that it might not be all lost. The sound of these people who opposed him, and their newspaper, resembled the simmering of a tea ke: tie—a simile productive of uproarious mirth among the audience) Henare continued. He wished the land «ales investigated, but had no confidence in Mr Russell. He would throw the natives like a stone into the water, and would himself remain on the dry land. (Applause.) (To be concluded in our next.)