NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 78, 3 April 1871, Page 2

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

O A most important and interesting meeting was held at Shortlaud the week before last, when, between two and three hundred natives, including ma ay of the most influential chiefs, assembled to talk matters over with Mr. M'Lean. Food having been partaken of. aud the customary forms gone through, the youug chief Taipari arose, and having saluted Mr. M'Lean in pure Maori fashion, calling him their parent, friend, and protector, he said : — Come to Hauraki where we have met ou former occasions ; come and listen to the cries of the Hauraki tribes, and let us quietly and dispassionately talk over its troubles which are now afflicting one portion of it. Look around Hauraki and its people — they are happy and contented ; but alas, look at the Waikato and its people, how different — their evil deeds have caused their destruction. Hauraki reaches on to the Aroha, which has been declared to belong to us. It is for you, Mr. M'Lean to say the word what is to be done within our borders ; but we cannot allow any interference to interrupt our peace and prosperity (the speaker here alluded to the stoppage of the mail by the King's delegate). It now remains for you and us to protect intact the peace of Hauraki. Several other chiefs having followed in the same strain, expressed regret for their past misconduct, and admitted that they had seen their error, and would never agaiu take up arms against the Government. Mr. M'Lean rose and stated that the Government might justly punish with great severity those natives who had been fighting against it, but, with the exception of men who had been guilty of secret murders, that it was not intended to punish those who had fought in open daylight and been defeated. They must not suppose, however, that the Government overlooked or forgave the punishment due to notorious criminals, and they might as well know that chastisement would follow crime with an unerring certainty, although delayed. A remark had been made by which it would appear that the Government had condoned the late murder at Waikato, but he wished the

people of Hauraki to understand that such was uot the case — that a large body of the friendly chiefs in the island had asked the Government in the first instance to be allowed to make a demand for the murderers, aud if they were not surrendered the fault would then rest with the Waikatos, who had certainly transgressed the peace that prevailed, and who would have but little sympathy from other tribes ia the event of their persisting in sheltering murderers. He further stated that he held no communication with the Waikatos who were suspected of upholding ihe murderers, but that he met Rewi, who had of his own accord used every effort to get them handed over to be dealt with by law, as he did not desire that Ngatimaniapoto should lose their land owing to the works of Waikato, with respect to the murder of Mr. Todd. Reference was also made by the Native Minister to the childish folly of Te Hira and others iu obstructing the carrying of the mail. The venerable chief Rapana then said : — I am not young ; lam now old ; my bead is grey. The old race of chiefs is dead, but their dying works of peace and good-will remain iu our hearts. Hauraki is right; but Waikato is wrong, and suffers for its evil deeds. I will uot allow foreign influences to dwell amongst us. Come, Mr. McLean, and look upon us. You are the great chief ; our destinies are in your hands. I would not listen to you if it were otherwise. The natives are not ail here ; but come amongst us and look at us as we are. In December last I was in Auckland, and heard of the doings of Waikato '(meaning the murder of Mr. Todd). Now, I say, let us all go to Ohiuemuri, and if we should fail in our object let our failure be a consolation that we were doing good. Mr. McLean, if evil befalls. us then, you must go, but not till then. Various other chiefs having spoken, Taipari again rose and said : — The Government never confiscates land without a cause, and it is for us to look what Government did to tfc/'Waikatos. Let us think of this, and let us reflect and look towards Tauranga and Opotiki. Is it Te Hira's land that will go (meaning if he persists)? Ah! no, ours will go with it. Let us then look at Waikato. How would we like Te Aroha to go ? But nay word is, it will go if evil should come over us. Then let us go and try and do good. — Mr. McLean then informed the natives that he was returning. He had nothing more to say to them, only that he should not permit the mail to be carried clandestinely, that is, iu the dark only. The mail must be permitted to go.