Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 236, 26 November 1880, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1880.

A curious correspondence, relative to the pensioning of the Native chief Manuhiri, has just been published in compliance with an order of the House, of Representatives. It begins and ends somewhat abruptly, and is chiefly interesting for the qiiaintness of its style and the exhibition of tact displayed by Sir George Grey in inducing a chief in high position to accept a pension from the Government, the object being through him to influence the King, Tawhiao, who ahout that time was getting troublesome. The correspondence commences with a telegram from Mr H. T. Kemp, Civil Commissioner, to Sir George Grey, at that time Premier, enclosing a letter addressed by Manuhiri to the aged c__ef Paul, from wbich it would appear that the former was nibbling at a bait previously thrown out by Sir George. He says : — " Paul— Salutations to yon. This is a maMer about which I wish to speak to youx the words of Sir George Grey. He mentioned the matter twice, but I could not quite understand bim. Perhaps it was because there were so many of us present. But Tawhakakuru told me that you suggested that I should write to you [for an explanation]. For this reason I write to you now. That is all, friend. From Manuhiri." Immediately on receipt of this, Sir George replied by telegram, and certainly spared no blandishments in preparing Manuhiri's mind for the offer he was about to make. The following is a copy of bis telegram * — " My dear old Friend.— l have seen your letter to Paora Tuhaere (Paul). Bishop Selwyn is dead. Sir William Martin is old, and far from you. I, too, am old, and cannot live long, but lam near you. It is now my duty to take care, of you. I will hasten, and in a few days will see that provision is made to enable you to pass the few years left to you in comfort. God is good to me, to place me in a position in which I have the pleasure before I. die of doing a just (tika) and kind act for you.— G. Grey"— The following day the wires conveyed another message to the old chief who was thus being so cleverly bought over, and this is the delicate way in which the matter was put to him :— "My dear old friend, — Myself and the Ministers have met to consider your letter, and Paul Tubaere's words We have talked oyer your affairs. You aro too old to

attend the Legislative Council. Yourrank, your authority, and your knowledge of affairs would otherwise have entitled you to a seat in the Council The amount paid to each member of it is £210 a year ; but, although you are too aged to travel backwards and forwards to the Council, the amount of £210 a year shall be paid you for your life— £s2 10s each three months, beginning on the lst July next. This money has nothing to do with anything you may derive from your own property. — _r. Gret." This was iv Juue, 1878,' but from certain correspondence between Mr Lewis, the Under Secretary, and Major Mair in January, 1880, it would seem that the old chief was not at all comfortable about what had taken place, and told Major Mair that he had refused to receive any assistance frora the Gover-nment. Upon this beiw? reported to Mr Lewis he looked up the official records, and found vouchors signed by Manuhiri for £315, which had been paid to him in three diffident instalments. Major Mair was duly informed of this, aud in consequence he appears to have seen Manuhiri and talked the matter over, the result of the interview being conveyed to Mr Lewis in the following memorandum, dated 31st January, 1880 :— " I had a conversation with Manuhiri about this matter on the 26th instant. The old chief informed me he had never consented to accept a pension ; that, though told that the money was lying to his credit at Alexandra, he declined to receive it until at last, yielding to the importunity of his grandson, Tv Tawhiao, he signed orders enabling his grandchildren to draw the money (£315) ; but all that he had received was some food bought by his grandson Te Naero. He stated also that he was not " mamma" (clear) about this money, and ho had been thinking seriously of writing to the Government not to pay any more money ia his name. I informed Manukiri that Jhis pension had bsen • conf cured lipen h«* uf consideration _j_ his age, bis rank, aad his -_aend.hip for Buxapeans ; but that it was intended for his use and .benefit, and not to be squandered by others in the publichawses and stores. He aaswe. Ed that if I would undertake to pay him the money myself he wauld gladly accept it in the spirit in which it was given to him by the Government. I assured Manuhiri that I wouftl readily do so, and he was much pleased at the solution of *the difficulty. I am of opinion that this matter is now placed on a satisfactory footing, and that the official acceptance by such a man as Manuhiai of a pension may have a marked effect upon the negotiations with Tawhiao." Here the correspondence closes, but there is enough of it to show that Sir George Grey's "dear old friend " was very cleverly handled, and that the arguments brought to bear with the view of inducing him to become a pensioner of the Government were so powerful that even his sense of selfrespect, strong as it seems to have been, broke down before them.