KAWHIA.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume I, Issue 11, 15 August 1861, Page 22

KAWHIA.

Hearken, all ye tribes, North and South, and throughout this island; and ye Pakehas, North, South, and throughout this island; ye Ministers also of the North and South, and throughout this island. Hearken. On the 29th day of May was held the Runanga of Ngatihikairo, Te Patupo, and Ngatitewehi: one hundred persons were assembled. The meeting was held at the large house between Kawhia and Aotea. The object of that Hunanga was to do away with the King and the Flag. Tiie first man who arose and spoke was Hone Wetere. His words were these ;-rHearken, all ye Iribes, to what I now say. 1 Siiy, let the King and the Flag be done away with at once. I advise you now, O Ngatihikairo, Te Patupo, and Ngatitewehi, to do away with what you formerly desired, namely, selling up a King, and hoisting a Flag. Now let it all be done away with. Most evil is this work: it is a work of confusion —it causes divisions among the people, and a separation from the Pakehas, the Ministers, and the Government. All have separated from us. What is the good of this plan ? now that they have become as parents to us, and we as children to them ? And what is the good of this King movement, and this.Flag hoisting? >Ve and the Pakehas have become friends; why then should we be separated now ? For instance, if a man is betrothed to a woman, and they become man and wife, supposing a man unlawfully separated them in the midst of this love, would not they love si ill ? They would continue to love. Now, the Pakehas and Maories have been long together: they have lived together, bought and sold together, travelled together, and talked, together. Hgid the

woman been taken away before Iheir love had grown strong, it would have been good. Had you done lhi9 formerly, when the Pakehas first came here, the love would not have been great. Now, 0 friends, do away with (his King, let it be altogether done away. Let me tell you, 1 distinctly heard Potatau's word : " The only works are, the laws, religion, and love lor the Pakeha." i myself heard these words from his own mouth. It is you, the people who have confused and made wrong the just thoughts of Potatau. Hearken. Why was he lost to us so soon ? Because his just thoughts were kept down by all the men, that is, by the ignorantminded. Had he remaineS with the Pakehas, he would not have died. He is dead, and his survivors remain, and (hey have done harm as Jhe men did when deceiving Potatau, and continuing in that foolish work; they met their death at Taranaki, at Waifara. litis was by the work of foolish people. Hearken. My present word is a true word ; do away with the King. Will this King movement cause us to advance? Hearken. If we are extirniinated, it will be our own doing. Ilorie Wetere ended, and Wireniu Tauira, a Chief of NgatiiewcUi, arose and said : Hearken, Hone Wetere and Kingi Kikikoi. I agree with the words which Hone Wetere has spoken before this runauga. Listen, this runanga. Let these works be done away with at once—the King and the Flag. I asked you, 0 Pingareka, long ago, what was the use of it; and now that this day [ have heard the straight words, my heart is rejoiced. Hearken, this runanga. Te Wehi was my ancestor, and he was averse to all evil; what my ancestor liked was peace and goodness, and now my thoughts are (he same as those of my ancestor: they are on religion. Hearken, Hone! I will take pari in this korero. Let this work be put down, now, today, in this discussion. These are true words. 0, (his runanga, lei this work be done away with, now, to day. Hearken, all ye tribes of fliis island, and all the Pakehas of Ihe world. What though this tribe or that tribe talk about setting up a King, or hoisting a flag? Hearken! J his is the «ast time 1 shall open mv mouth upon that subject. Wiremu Tauira ceased, and Hohua Mouhaere, Chief of To Palupo arose and said:— Hearken, Hone Wetere and Kikikoi. My heart is rejoiced at what has been said at this

meeting, which I have now heard. Hearken, j (his meeting. Lei a slop be put to Ihis King work, now, at once, belter lei us look to what is being paid this day. Hearken, 0 Hone Wclere. I am a firm child of God, and my work now is religion : that has been my work from the first arrival of the Ministers until the present time ; that has always been my work. Lei the King and the Flag be altogether done away with : let the deceitfulness of men cease ; let them cease to supporl that King and Flag work, put down your evil doings, and do the work of Kf<?. [He here recited a song ] Hearken, Hone Welere. I have sent a letter to Ngaruawahia. I advised that that King work and setting up a Flag should be done away with : my word was a true one. Now thai I have heard the opinion of this meeting, my heart is glad, for I am not tired ot my religious work. Friends, be strong. Put down this King work —(his work of confusion. Hohua ceased, and Kingi Kikikoi arose and said: O Hone and Wiremu ! This work was my doing; thai is, il was Hoani Papila and I who set up Potatau. My work formerly was holding land : my work was similar to that of the Pakehas, that is, holding land upon which to grow food for the sustenance of our children. If there was a desire to sell, well and good : that was no fault of the Pakehas, bul of us Maoris. Attend! I have never yet heard a word from the Pakehas about taking away the land belonging to us Maoris. This I have never yet heard. Listen attentively, this meeting I have listened to the young men, to Ihose who were versed in the Scriptures, and have heard the excellence of those words. In my opinion, people will not assemble for a little man [a roan of no note], bul only for a great mau: so also with Scriplure matters, and King work, it is not well that everybody should engage in them, bul only the Chiefs. Now, all the men have spoken lo Hoani and me, telling us thai the thought is with them, and also the holding of meetings. I said, Yes, perhaps. This was folly on my part, lhal is, allowing the young men lo do what you have just mentioned, namely this King work. You have now heard, 0 this runanga, that il was I who set up this King work. Now, omy children, 1 abjure Ihis King work, and hoisting Flags. I will nol have it now, no, not at all. It will nol stand now, for my darkness is great. I know now, for the firsl lime, that the end of the work of Ihose who look the Scriptures, and set up the King, is war and death. Who! is the good of this war? Lei all evil be utterly trampled down.

Kingi Kikikoi ceased, and Hone Wetere arose and said: Lislen, this runanga! When this war commenced at Taranaki, I said to all my younger brothers, Friends, do not you take pari in that bad work. Consequently, my brothers did not engage in it; they kept out of it until the end of the war. I now say to you, this runanga, if a war breaks out at Waikato, whether the Maari attacks the Pakeha, or the Pakeha the Maori, I will assuredly not join in that evil work, war—not at all. This is my concluding word. 1 laid this down at the commencement of the war at Taranaki, and I lay it down now, that you may hear it, and view it in the days to come. This is another word of mine. Let us meet together at some future day, when our Aiinisler (Mr. Schnackenberg) is with us, that our Minister may hear our words and consider them. Let us, however, send our words to all the tribes of this island, that they may hear and see them. Hone Wetere. Kawbia, May 29. 1861.