NATIVE MEETING AT WAIUKU.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume VII, Issue 5, 15 March 1860, Page 6

NATIVE MEETING AT WAIUKU.

Since our. last a large Native Meeting has taken place at Waiuku, at which most of the Waikato tribes assembled, including the Ngatimahuta, Te Ngaungau, Ngatihine, Ngatinaho, Ngatipo, Ngatitipa and Ngatiteata, with the. natives from Mangere, and the other settlements on the Manuka. .The chief Polatau also came down from Ngaruawahia to attend the meeting and was accompanied by a large train of attendants. The principal questions discussed were-- the policy of joining the confederation. of tribes acknowledging Potatau- as their, head, and the proceedings of William . King at Taranaki. On the question the meeting was divided in opinion, .and much warm discussion took place . between the speakers, eighteen in number;

A great deal was said about the "mana" over the land, and from the tenor of some of th 6 speeches it is clear that the/ speakers had very confused notions on the subject. A paper was read which was supposed to express the sentiments of the party who advocate a separation of the two races. It was stated that the Pakehas claimed the il maina" over the land to the exclusion of the Maori owners or the soil, and this doctrine was accordingly denounced as unjust to the Maori. "" But is it true that the Pakeha claims this "mana" to the exclusion of the Maori? It is not true. It is true thai the ' mana' of the islauds of New Zealand is claimed by the Queen. But what is this 'mana'? Is it anything more than the right to protect? Where was the ' mana' of New Zealand before the Queen took these Islands under the protection of her flag and made all its people her subjects? All the inhabitants of these islauds are alike her children, and the ' mana' of the eountry is as much with the Maori as with the Pakeha. Supposing the Queen were to take away her flag and give up the 'mana' of these islands, what would be the consequence. Would the Maori Chiefs possess more ' mana' than they now do? The only difference would be that any oilier nation might then come and make war with the New Zealanders and the Queen would have no right to interfere or to protect them. Or Pakehas from all parts of the world might come and establish themselves in the Country without being subject to law

op restraint. Do not our Maori friends know, that the laws of England now protect them aud that if wrong is done to one of tbe Queen's subjects by another, the law redresses the wrong as far as its power extends. But if the Queen's ( mana'were not here, neither would her laws be here and every man might do as he pleased. It is foolish therefore to object to the ' mana' of the Queen. Those who do so cannot understand what they are talking about. Instead of taking anything from the Maori it secures to him what he possessed when the Queen's 'mana' was brought here. When the Maoris come clearly to understand what is really implied in the declaration that the Queen's 'mana' is over New Zealand, they will regard it as the blessing for which, next to Christianity, they have most cause to be thankful to Divine Providence. It is not the case, however, as we said before, that the 'mana' of the land has passed to the Pakeha. The Maoris and Pakehas in New Zealand are one people and whatever the Pakeha possesses by virtue of his belonging to the British nation is shared by the Maori also. We do not say New Zealand is "no matou" (our's in the exclusive sense) but it is "no tatou" (our's in the inclusive sense.) We are glad to stale that though consider-* able diversity of opinion prevailed at the Waiuku meeting and the advocates of Maori independence insisted on their views with much warmth, yet the proceedings were conducted in a most orderly manner and no sentiments of hostility to the Pakehas or to the Government were expressed. The venerable old CtofPotatau wisely left these questions to beTaiscussecl by the younger men, contenting himself with giving his people good practical advice which they will do well to follow. He had butlvvo words for his people: the first, Christianity; let them embrace Christianity in sincerity and truth; tbe second, that they should live in friendship with the Pakehas. He declared that for himself his

regard for the Governor and for the Pakehas would continue while he lived. Affairs at Taranaki furnished the meeting with another subject of discussion. Letters from William King's people, addressed to Potatau and other Waikalo Chiefs calling upon them to interfere and to iuduce the Governor to give up his intentions respecting Te Teira's land were read. The statement published in the Karere of the 29th of February was also read, and the meeting very generally came to the conclusion that William King was wrong in interfering with Te Teira. It was proposed that a deputation should go to Taranaki to enquire into the real slate of the case. We are glad to be able to state that although 700 Natives were assembled at this feast no case of intoxication w r as observed nor have we heard, of any complaints of misconduct. On the evening of the last day three of Potatau's men went round the village to enquire whether any depredations liad been committed on the European settlers. While our Waikato friends are thus careful that the Pakehas shall suffer no wrong at the hands of any of their people, both they and we may rest assured that nothing is likely to interrupt the harmony and good feeling"which now happiiy exists between the races. Let the Waikato attend to the advice of their Chief Potatau and no fear need be entertained for the future. The Waikato meeting broke up on Wednesdny, the 14lb. Potatau with his attendants "left for Ngaruawahia about noon. The present is the first occasion oa which the old Chief lias come down the river since he left Mangere to go up the river.