THE WAITARA MEETING,

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 158, 2 July 1878, Page 2

THE WAITARA MEETING,

The following is tbe vefsiori of tbe meeting between the Premier and Rewi, which appeared in the Government organ on Saturday. Since then the meeting appears to have broken up without any result :— . Arrangements having been completed, Rewi walked forward in front of Sir George Gray, ana said: Do you ask toe to commence?— Sir George Grey: Yes, if you are willing.— Rewi: 1 would like you to commence?— Sir George Grey: I have arrived here at your request, to hear what you have to say, aud I shall be glad to listen to your words.— Rewi said: I have asked you to come here so that you may let us know what you have to say aud that I may do the same For that reason I said, " I will go to Waitara " You said, "jLet us both go;" and I said " > es." What I Have to say is with respect to Waitara, and I will speak my thoughts to you. I gave my body away at Waitara (meaning that he had fought there), and I wish to give my thoughts at Waitara. That is all I wiil say at the preseut time.— Sir George Grey said: At the request of Tawhiao and his followers I went to Hikurangi to meet them there. Tawhiao and myself had a conversation. He and his people are now reflecting over that conversation. Rewi was uot present at that conversation,—he proposed that I should meet him here. I thought it desirable as he and hia people formed so large and important a portion of the native community, tb gratify theit wishes and to meet them at this place, where I am. It is for you to speak to me, as Tawhiao spoke to me. 1 have known Rewi's people for many years, and they are well aware that lam a friend of theirs. Let them speak to me as men apeak to a friend.— Rewi said: When I listened to what Sir George Grey said just now he seemed as if he was asking somebody to speak. I did not say to him that I wished anybody else to speak here but only ourselves. For it is not by this or that person that trouble came over the country, but it was through myself that trouble spread over the whole Island. If William King was here, and I asked William King and Te Teira to apeak, that would be, as it were, investigating the matter. I am speaking solely with respect to the division that is between Europeans and natives, and of the cessation of all further trouble, so that the natives and Europeans maybe one people as you have said. Tfaat is all. I address myself to you. My word is this, to finally finish what we have to say between us two the persons who fought with one another. That is why I fixed npon Waitara as the place of meeting. If Sir George Grey should acquiesce that I am to have Waitara it is finished. That is all I have to say.— Sir George Grey (after a panse) aaid : Rewi, make your meaning clear. Speak at greater length. I do not understand you. — Rewi said ; I have only one word to explain. I wish Sir George Grey to give me back Waitara. That is the only matter of importance in what I hare to say.— Sir George Grey aaid : Have you anything else to say, that I may consider all these things at once?— Rewi said : This is the principal ot the subjects we have to discuss. When lam clear about thia I will be prepared to discuss with you about the establishing of schools, the opening of roads, railway, and telegraphs. When thi9 particular subject is settled then I will talk to you about those matters. — Sir George Grey consulted for some time with the natives and Hon. Wi Tako, and then said : Rewi, still I am not clear as to your meaning. As it is now late I think it is better to defer the discussion till to-morrow morning. — Rewi said : I had mentioned the great matter we have to discuss. It is now an extensive subject. You ask that we should adjourn until to-morrow. Yes, we will do so. If we do not finish this discussion to-morrow we will continue ifc the day after, and I won't let you go away until we have finished it When we have finished it everything else will follow and will be settled without auy trouble. The meeting then broke up. Rewi then came up and shook hands with Sir George Grey, and said " We will settle the matter between ourselves." Opinion ia divided as to Rewi's real meaning in asking for the restoration of Waitara. Some think that he desires to get back a small uortion in order to restore it to William King. Others believe that he takes Waitara as representing all the confiscated land. The third idea is that Rewi simply desires that Waitara should be handed over to him formally, when he would return it as an atonement for his sins."