THE CAPTURE OF TE WHITI.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue XVI, 7 November 1881, Page 4

THE CAPTURE OF TE WHITI.

■[Press Association Special Correspondent.] Notwithstanding the orders issued by "Mr Bryce forbidding the representatives cf tbe pre^s to b© present, tbe special correspondents of the Association and Lytlelimi Times contrived to get in j before the troop?, acd to te presort' during tbe whole cf tho proceeding?. On reaching Parilaka, the tpechl? were well well received by the Lstivee. nbo did cot appear fit &U crccfrtie.] a^ to the approach-log visit of ihs sol'itre. On a closfi- iuppeciicn of Pariheki. if was evident tbpt there werecbout £500 cat'.vea presenr, including won)eo aud Children. Ihe natives were equaitice in a tcarae, and htd been there siccttwelve o'clrck oa FrMsy tisht, they havicp been inborn ed Thnt the eoldierr Wfretovieittbepahabcutdeyiiol t. The weather wsb exreedicaly werrn. p.ii.i the Armed CoEstsbuleiy and Volon4eers were rather ex'jMUsled frccj tiuii tTßtop in beavy aarchicg ordtr. Tin natives eppear J very clean, acd the Wfer penion of them wore whiu88 a bead-'freeg. Tbe rasives fcad polled down one of their fencfs tc "Bllow rcoai for their t-ocpa to po sd(o ' (he pab. end hod 500 loaves prep* red so as to provide the huss wiin foo'. Early in tbe rooming ihe chief of ihi Ngawsras addressed the BcEemb'aje, and cautioned them not to use acy nets of violeDCO. Tohu followed in a similar fltraia., &nd stid that no matter wlia : forie was used against them they wen tiot to Birikp, not even with a stick. From a kill in fro&t of Parih&ka, ih>Armed Cocsisbul&iy were Been|advs»Dcinp b« 7 15, they hsving been joicf.i by tbe Volunteera at RuLotu, whocacif by way of Paripura. Tha trocps on reaching Kcpaia separstei'. One body, coropoeed ebitfly of Volucteetp, toe k the lett, with tbe intention cf ptocetiiiog to the r^ar of PariLhka, li.c st> tl and muiu body continuing 10 aa'ch nii to Peritaka direct. 'l'\ c !'p-ci 1 Correspondeutß bires'.iy menti.n; -i eting the tneo spprcaebir.g n=f«r .i.-t---eceos cf the Buppoeei 1 acticr, ci p g-c the cervices of an iuterpreier, vs-Lo i.-BlloaSpcC-ia), end by these meaue foil a 'mission to ihe pnb. Tol.u wifehea ihem to »it beside him, but this hfiop out of the queetion, a whbie wher^ full obaervetiocs coud hs maJe was cfL-re^ them, an<s ibetfler was kindly uc-p---ted. The fir^t body of men wer« eef r advfenciDß up the slope in reer of tie fiah et 8 SO in the ccorDictr ai.ui makicij fora g6p in tie wall of one cf ihe d; t vplantations, approaching Use pah, bi;< On gaining the high (irouod to Ujc wf^t of Ihe pah, ttey halted and waned tit Bdvfoce of the main body, enJ i:utnediately thia bedy wa3 obderve:! by the natives, about 200 young cr.iUirn; were ie^f on to the high £:roucd in front cf Parihhk9 and datced a Inkd. From tbe excellent time kepi by the children, whose ngfs ranted fioE 8 \i 14, in these movement*- 1 , it w«s apparent that they had bt£n tr-ineJ ipec'uliy for the purpose. The ettfi turned ioto the road leading to Pflribeka at 8 30, and the ct.ildren turned their attentioa to them, perfortEirjg the Bsme 83 thty h«:.i done to tbe osher comp?ni-8 en 1. aoohll rise in front cf Puriliaka. The •teff halted, and wailed for ihtAtDed Constabulary to approach. Tbe whole then catDe towards the p-ih, hfaded by the Armed Coiifit6bulMry Bkirroisbers. At 9 o'clork the hkirOiisherß of the Airafd CocstEbuinry had taken op b position on the hiii immediately above the Nativo buriai ground, bdcJ were accotnpfcnied by Messr§ Rolleetcn aDd Bryee. Tht former was on foot, while the latttr was mouoted en a white bcrse Ai five minutes past nine, the four companies of Armei' CoEßtabulbiy reached the foot of. the hi' 1 , and theu Tubu commenced addrfssing tbe Na.ive uesemblaue. His utterances wtre of shori daratioo, and were inaudible to the repoiUre. Captains GuJgeon and Nawail were now advEneing to the front of Parihata wi;h a company of Artceci Constabalary. Ihe Maotis sail kept their fquatling position, with tho exception of the young girls, who were amusing tl emselves with ekippio« roprs, and the boys who were p'ayiop in front of the psb, none appearing ie thß least afraid of the approach of the Armed Constabulary. A few niinutes later, the Hon Mr Bryce, Colonel Roberts, and the stiff, reached the (quere of* the marae, but almo t in - nnediattly proceeded on to tbe re&r 0' Paiihyka, where the Artned Cozstabulary were poaied. Tfce Armeii CoDstabulory wbeo opposite tbe housfwhich was built for his Excellency the Governor, *hool 1" he hove vi?ise: Paribftks, bahed. The Voluntteis to tbe west of Parihake now close i in, bnt still kept on the high proun<i. At 9 55, Mfcjor Tuko and Mr Builer, secretary to Mr Bryce, came id to the pab. The former gentleman, a KlrtGEing the Native*, sair', '• We hove ccrne to hear Te Whiti's reply to the Proclamation ißetud " After en interval of fi^e minutes, and there being no reply, Major Tuke read the Rioi A(t, ca! ! ini? on all DEtiveß to dinpnise. The Riot Act was translated into the Native tongue by Mr Butler, bder which both gentlemen retire.', Lut tbe Natives cid not tske tcy i a t *- rest in tbe reading cf the Act. At 10 o'clock come excitement wss caused in tbe Pab, when the Armed Con»t&blary were to be seen retracing their ilepa to the front cf Paribika. The Datives evidently ibinkiag tbe Armed Constabulary had come fcr the purpose of dispersing them, called od their /rieDda aDd relatiocs, who were loitericg about the p&h to EBserrible, v>bieS: vv :s immediately donr. From the v.L::!fwhere the reporters b&d (r.k.-fi u;> ih: i positiou it w&o rather difiicul'. u> v.uc!, the movetTjerilfi of the v^riout <ca,--pßDies, but it offered tveiy fat'uxly- it.-; observing everything thr.t took pia^e between the Hon. Mr Brycs and the native*. Tohu again addressed his people BayiDg : — "Let tbe men who has raised the war, do the work this day. Lst wotnet cook, or men cook, till we have ail partaken cf food. Let tone of us atir, lest any of ua be absent. Pa patient aod steadfast, end even if the rsyoael comes to your bre&»t do cot rtslsi." Tbe companies who were on the west of Paribska descended and took op a poßiUoo i& rear of Parihaka, At t'jis

Mroe there was R complete line around I aribj-kn, with tbe exception of the "fSS fiV, which bvvn forw^nl At •wetify iriHutr-t, {0 eicvec, C^uius Gudgeon and N ?W sl!, »ii|, the arreaiiop tanicg of the A'.Wicd CoEsitUiury wiih^ the 'j^uouffa marciicJ to il, fc I position to the left of ;he nmrae wi ere iho Rf.tivcß were £qual;icr>. Major Tuks C&lled on Mr Butler to pc : n: hi'ii, nu-a. - icg Tohu, out. Colonel R ;bc-rfe theu jined the crres-liu-' party, f.nd Capti.ia Gu-'geonwßiti.donh!ca. MrHurathouse, the inferprertr, sc-isutr on iiiSiruetionF, ca!!ei upon To Wniti to come and B?gdi3 in lv (Mr Bsyce'r) preat-cce. Te Wbi!i replied tiat the Ho us Mr BrycH and Mr Rolieutcn must foniD to him. Mr Bryci>, ;r,rruo-h she iottrprefer, refuse i to j-o ;o TcV:i:i, ■ltd paid ha iriU'-t cotns to w!;er. a !:e aiooJ, which Y.i,s nesr the :;n ; v;Vfi"'. Te WUii itui v- ♦ ii:rr ;o <?>-• bub to jro to them. Te Whiti replied, ' I have nothing but g-oci words in my mouth for him or any one." Mr Drvee said. ; ' From your good wishe- I feel inclined to humour your wish to c-itne and sea you. M-ike a g od word there- i forjt for the pass 0: my horse through you* people, and T wilfcomo to you " Te Wbiti said, " But some of my people might «;et hurt if Mr Bryre's'Wpe is not quiet. Ido not lhif,k if gO cd that you ehouhi como on horseback amon<r my clsilflron. If j\lr Bryco wants to talk with me hi him com^ on font." Mr Bryce rf plifd, ' Tho day for talkws is new over." Te Wbiti': ""When did you find ttv} vi t our, s-ince this niorniner ? I have nolhina TfiO re to sny." This conversation was carried on thi-om-rh the interpret tv. .At 11.30 a.m. ordJrs were piven for the nr't'stincr par t y to advance The natives immediately cleared n pag.=»n<?e for the men. a : v! the party s(]v<,nfinir to where Te Vv'hiti wfiq seated, arresteii him v/thout the cliYh'Pst res : stnnce v/I.aUver. "Whor the men reael-ed Te "Wbiti. Colonel Roberts called o:^ to t-h«* men—' L-,t him w.'.lk if he will." Te AVlnti wnll;«?il quietly with tho four Armed Constabulary to where Xt Bryre tivr] the cflicera wpro stationed. ' Te AVhiti's wife walked through the file with him. Tohu and TTirolci wtre taken in a similar manner. Th a lar^re a"semb]p.se of natives looked calmly on, nnd sonrcply a word was epoken. Te'Whili and Tohu «rre not him leufled, but Jliroki was. The prrpfiMnsr pnrfy retired at 11.35 a.m. To Whiti when under arrest spoke to iiis people, and requested them to be i lion-heniied and pniient ; ami snid "this is not my work, ]>nt it comes from the | lmrtH of the Enroppans." Tohu fol- \ lowed and .-aid, " This is the doinjr of ! war. P JC not sorry; Turn nway^he sorrowful from you. Wo go awriV as fools and as mistaken men. " We looked for peace, and we find war. Bo not dismayed. Have no fear." Te Whiti then said, "Let your dwelling i, 0 pood in this place ; work such as tliis (pointing to and meaning tho soldiers) is frustrated this day." To Whiti and Tohu were accompanied by their wives, and were conveyed to the redoubt at Pungarehu, under an escort of the New Plymouth Mounted Rifles. Ilh-oki was pent to the redoubt later in the day. It now being time for mes* nearly all the visitors returned to Puntrarehu, leaving the Natives still squatting in the morae. After Te Whiti and Tohu had left for the redoubt, Keno, an aired chief from Taranaki, addressed Hie native?. He advised the people to continue^ in the same work as'To Whiti and Tohu had ordered them, even if they were all arrested on the land handed down to them by their ancestors.