SPEECH OF THE CHIEF TE-AO-O-TE-RANGI
Addressed to the Interpreter, on the day after the trial of the man Huntly for the assassination of the native Hemi Warihi Te Kopi.
Hearken to me O European in reference to the object of my present visit. I imagined when I ■undertook this lengthy journey that my enemy would have been punished with death,—that he | would be delivered into my hands, and I should then have sent him back to the Governor, to the Chief Justice, and yourself [i.e. I would not have killed him according to native custom, but have requested the Government to have him executed in the usual way]. If I had seen him suspended from the gallows, I should have returned home with a light heart, hut since he is not to suffer, I go back with a sad heart. I am kind to the Europeans as will be seen. Some time ago a surveying party came to my settlement, and ate the poisonous berry of the tutu. I rolled their bodies, bathed them with water, and placed them before the fire, and they recovered. [When the noxions berry of the tutu or tupakihi is eaten, death is likely to ensue, if the remedies here named are not resorted to. The usage which the patient receives at the hands of these rude physicians is of a most violent character.] Europeans are constantly journeying along the sea shore near my place, which abounds in cliffs, and is very dangerous. It would be an easy matter, if I wished to kill a white man, to push him off the cliff, for it would be supposed that he met his death accidentally.
I Lad heard a great deal said about the twelve jurors, whose business it is to decide the cases brought into Court, and I was of opinion that they were something like men ; but I find that they are cart drivers, and those who break stones on the roads. •; "W hat right decision could be expected of such persons ? They can eat a loaf of bread greedily enough j and this is the amount of their ability.
Do you hearken, —if the European goes on his way quietly, he will not he interfered with ; but if he touches my women, or strikes my child, or my brother, or even my slave, then, I will pounce upon him without mercy. If my enemy had been killed, and a European in time to come should be murdered by natives, the aggressors would be given up to you; but as matters now are, do not attempt to take the offender, for he will not be given up, to the Constables, nor to the Soldiers, nor to the Maorisy O trates; they will be met by me if they attempt to take him.
We feel bound to make a few remarks in reply to Te-Ao-o-te-rangi, but we wish it to be distinctly understood that our strictures are not penned in anger, but in a friendly way, for the purpose of pointing out some errors he seems to have fallen into. There is nothing, perhaps, very objectionable in the first paragraph of his speech ; we should have been far better pleased, however, if less savage thirst for the blood of the unhappy Huntly had been evinced, and more of that mercy which is characteristic of every well directed mind. Te A o-o te-rangi next informs us that he is kind to the Europeans, and relates an instance by way of example. This is extremely praiseworthy, and all we can say is, that wa hope that he will ever continue his attentions to those who may visit his settlement; but he speaks of pushing travellers " over the cliff side," and no one would be likely to detect the dreadful deed. "What! has Te-Ao-o-te-rangi forgotten the solemn fact that there is One who knows our " downsitting and uprising," and who is " acquainted with all" our " ways ?" Such an outrage would be surely visited, for we should ever remember the declaration— Be sure your sin will find you out." As a kind of climax, Te-Ao-o-te-rangi deals out his wrath against the jurors, in unmeasured terms; he tells us that they can " eat bread greedily enough." No doubt our friend can do the same; if we mistake not, he has a particular partiality to bake-houses But this subject should not be treated so lightly, as Te-Ao-o-te-rangi assumes that the jurors not being of the higher class of citizens, justice and impartiality could not be expected from them. This is a great error, for we frequently find in the humbler walks of life more steady adherence to principle, and juster moral perceptions than are to be found among crowned heads. Te-Ao-o-te-rangi next intimates, that should any dark deed be perpetrated by his countrymen,
the offenders will not be handed over to the authorities. We cannot bring our minds to believe that the speaker is in earnest. This sentence was uttered by our friend without due consideration. We have too high an opinion of the Waikato tribes to imagine that they will do any thing else, than deliver to the authorized agentsof the Government all the Maori delinquents who break the laws of the land.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MMTKM18550301.2.75.3
Bibliographic details
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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume I, Issue 3, 1 March 1855, Page 54
Word count
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873SPEECH OF THE CHIEF TE-AO-O-TE-RANGI Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume I, Issue 3, 1 March 1855, Page 54
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