MR. FOX'S JOURNEY TO AHURIRI.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume II, Issue 11, 1 July 1862, Page 3

MR. FOX'S JOURNEY TO AHURIRI.

We gave an account in our last number but one of Mr. Fox's visit to Taupo. On the morningafter the Hui at Tapuwaiharuru, he and Mr. Brown went on. They crossed the Waikato river just where it comes out of the lake. The river here is very deep, swift and strong; and il there was nothing lo hold on by, canoes would be carried headlong down the river for a long distance. Hut the Maoris have stretched a rope across the river, fastened to a post on each side, and on this rop« runs a block, through which is another rope, and that is fastened to the canoe; so instead of, betny carried down (be river, Uie&wrtl atiid >

strong stream pushes the canoe across, without U»e necessity of using the paddles and wlUiout Us floating down the river, that Mr. Fox and Mr. Brown got to the bemnnißg of the bush which leads to Tarawera on the road to Ahuriri; there they slept in a kainga on the top of a hflL there were no Maoris there, but they had food with them, and they gathered fern for their beds, and cooked their food at a fire which ihey made. Next morning very early, before the sun was up, they started again. The bush beyond this is very tted; up and. down bills extremely steep, But ty and bye the road bejpns, which the Maoris have made towards Ahuriri. This road ought to be finished, then travellers would get along easily; now when the road is not made, it almost kills the horses. At last they got to 'Tarawera. There lives Nicholas, a very civilised Maori; lie ttas a good weather board-house, with chimneys, glass windows, floors, doors, and every thing just like a Pakeha. There was a Pakeha at work putting up a post and rail fence, to make a paddock all round the house; became from Ahuriri and was paid for his work by Nicholas. That Chief was not at home, but his wife brought out flour and made scones, and boiled the kettle and made tea, and gave Mr. Fox and bis friend a good: breakfast; she also gave them plates, and knives and forks to eat with. So they went on their way refreshed, and very thankful for the kind and brotherly feeling displayed towards them by all the Maoris, wherever they went. They did not ask for food; when they stopped, it was offered to them, and the women went to work to get it at once. Beyond Tarawera there is a very high bill, almost straight up; it is a mile long, and were is no road made here. Beyond that is the Mohaka river, which is swift and strong. A bridge might easily be put over this river, but there is nobody to do it. Thus, for want of roads and bridges, travelling is made hard and tedious, and many horses are spoiled, and sometimes people are drowned in this river. May the day come when the Maoris will be wiser and help to make good roads everywhere. That night they got to a Pakeha house, the house of Mr. Toogood, who has a sheep

station. Then next day they went down the Patea river, and so got in the evening about sunset,to Napier. At this time all tbe Maoris Of those parts were gathered together, abotrt nine mSes (ram Napier, at Mataiwi, for a general mourning (tangi) over Moanauui, a Oiler of the Ngatikdbuugumi tribe, who died a year ago. Theretfere 1000 Natives there, perhaps more, from all parts about Aburiri, from Pbrangahau, from Eperalma, fromßoaTaniwha. from Tarawera, from Patea, from Walroa, and some, but not many, from Waikato and other places. Besides tbe mourning for Moananui, they -were expecting also 10 see' Sir George Grey, the Governor of New Zealand, -whom they had asked to come to see them at that time and who bad promised to be there. He was prevented from going because the Commodore (chief Captain) of the men-of-war, who was at Sydney, suddenly sent for all those ships except one, and that one haH broken her boiler. So when Sir George Grey was ready to saH, there was no ship for hhn, and he was obliged to defer his visit. He lias since gone by another ship, but the Maoris who were at the mourning for Moanarrai, have no doubt all gone to their distant* brimes. Well, when Mr. Fox got to Napier he sent a message to Mataiwi to tell the Maoris there that Sir George Grey bad not come, and offering himself to go to them to talk about the new plans of Government for the Natives. This was on Friday, and ii was fixed by the Maoris that there should be a kofero with Mr. Fox on the Monday at Mataiwi* On Sunday night a great *torm came up from the south, wftb heavy rain, and on the Monday morning tbe rain was pouring down In sheets. However, Mr. Fox, accompanied by Captain Carter, the Superintendent of Napier, 'Mr. George Cooper, tbe Resident Magistrate of Waipukuran, and Mr. Brown, started in a 6prrog cart; Mr. Locke and Mr. HattHyn bad gone on early in the morning, they hereto Interpret. When Mr. 'Fox and his friends got to Mataiwi, they found all the Natives gathered together under .their whares and tents, for it was very wet, sud (he water lay all about like ia Ma. It was not possible to hold a hui In the open air, on account of the rain and wind, so it was fixed that the great Chiefs should meet Mr. Fox in Moananui's bouse. There also was the - Rev. 'Samuel Williams, the Missionary from Te Aute. Renata of Pa Whakairo began the korero. He welcomed Mr. Fox as the representative

of tb<S Governor. He said be had heard o/ the, Governor's plans, and lhal they were good. When Governor : Browne was .her;, in?', policy < t»f the Government was- .dark. Tbei Mriorla saw the result of lbe;ij*fl>iwe: abouuhe land.soldbyTeTciru atTaranafcu and: they knew that there were similar disputes at Hawkers Bay, AhuriFi. They believed that when Governor Browne should be dooefighting at Taranaki, he would make en excuse to begin; at Aburiri, and destroy them all. Therefore they joined the King', and sympathised with the war party at Taranaki. Now. Governor Grey had come and his thoughts were good; all was clear (marama) again, and if he only carried out what he talked of, all would be well. He wanted to know when the Commissioner would be sent. ■ Mr. Fox then told the meeting why it was that the Governor had not been able to come; but as be knew the Governor's plans for the government of the Maoris, he would talk to them about tbat. He then told them all that the readers of the Maori Messenger have read of what the Governor had said at Kororareka, Waimate, Hokianga and Kohanga. and said that the Commissioner would be sent as -soon as the Governor could And a proper man, and that he was seeking for one at that time. Renata then said that tbey were all satisfied with Mr. Fox's words, but there were some things more that, should be talked about. There-was Waitara, the root of all the evil; was the Governor going to enquire about that? Mr. Fox said that the Governor wished very much to have that enquired Into, and that when he (Mr. Fox) went to Waikalo to see the Chiefs there, the Governor authorised hinv 4opropose to the Maoris how ibis should be done. He proposed that there-should be six judges to inquire into that.matter; one Pakeha and two Maoris appointed by the Governor, and.one Pakeha and two Maoris appointed by those who held the tikanga or mana (?) of that: land, the Waitara. This was, because the Governor wished that all should be done fairly and justly, and that each party, both Pakeha and Maori, might be satisfied .with the decision. Well, the Chiefs of Waikalo said they would consider this,; and would consult with W. Thompson, who was at Hauraki at thai time. Afterwards Thompson bad written to him (Mr. Fox), telling him that he wauld not consent that WaUata should be enquired inio. "So war/* laid Mr, Fox, 'Let all the Maowsee

whbit is that slops the road of peacer that it is William Thompson and the Waikato Maoris, and not the- Governor, and the Pakehas. If Thompson; had consented, perhaps, by this time, all would have been clear; but:he would not consent, though it was he himself that said: let the fighting be stopped till the • Waitara- is enquired into. Now all the Pakehas say that Wm. Thompson never wished to have this enquiry; otherwise, why dbes he' not accept the Governor's offer?" When Renata and the other Maoris heard ibis they were very much surprised/ for it was more than two months since Mr. Fox had made this offer to Waikato, and William Thompson had not told any of the other tribes about it. Renata, Karaitiana and the others, talked amongst, themselves in whispers, and after a long time, Karaitiana said to Mr. Fox. "Say no more about that, we will write to Thompson to know why be has behaved so; we will call him to answer for it." So then they talked about other things, and wben they were done, dinner was placed on the table for the Pakehas, and they refreshed themselves, and after a short time returned to Napier. This was the end of that meeting. Since Mr. Fox left Napier, we hear that Karaitiana, Kenata, and the other leading Chiefs have written to William Thompson to know why he refused the Governor's offer to enquire into Waiiara. The Aliuriri Maories think that Thompson has madefo >ls of them, and of their loving friends the Pakehas, who assisted them in fighting the battle of words With Governor Browne. Hereafter perhaps we shall hear what Thompson says to the Ahuriri Maoris, and whether they think he was right in refusing to have Waitara enquired into. ; The Governor has appointed Col. Russell to be the Civil Commissioner for Hawke's Bay. He is a just man, aiid the friend of th Maoris. He has lived at Ahuriri for some years, and is no stranger to that pari of the country.. He is also a member of the great Pakeha Runanga. Mr. George Cooper is appointed Resident Magistrate at Waipuknrau, to helpColoifel Russell. Therein

be other Magistrates besides. The Governor will also appoint Assessors*, Wardens and 1 Kareres, those whom the Maoris sbalr select and the Governor approve. Then the Go* vernor's plans Tor the good of the Maoris wHI hem operation all ibrongb Ahnriri. |