MR BRYCE ON THE PARIHAKA AFFAIR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 304, 22 December 1881, Page 4

MR BRYCE ON THE PARIHAKA AFFAIR.

At the banquet given to him at "Wanganui on Saturday night (a re. port of which the Press Associatiou neglected to send us.) Mr Bryce, who was greeted with prolonged applauee, said : The people of Wanganui had been to him ever kind, and be considered his present reception another proof. He had never put himself forward for pnblic position unless in duty bound. Referring to the remark of the Chairman re the charge of lDconeiatency, he did not think he need defend himself, and thought his present reception was due to what took place at Parihaka. Referring to his resignation from the Ministry, he said the time came when his former colleagues realised that his policy was the only possible one, and asked him to rejom and fill up the vacant portfolio. Alluding to the cause of the trouble on the coasf, he quoted Buckle on the effect of ecenery upon character, and said he believed that the scenery of this coast was a great cause of the religious frenzy. He instanced ~Te Hus. author of HauBauiem ; Mota, author of anoth a r enperstitntion ; Tand several others, together with Te Whiti, all living under

the shadow of Mount Egmont. Te Whiti's frenzy was much more potent over his followers than that of any previous prophet. The Natives had for months together been carrying clothes to cover the bodies of dead persons, and whom Te Whiti ea id he would restore to life. Ho ridicule the statement; that Te Wbiti wished to make his grievances to a Court of law. The idea never entered his head, and if it was mentioned, he treated it with scorn. Te Wbiti, believed, and taught his followers to believe, he was destined to the sovereignty over the whole island, if not the whole world. Having frenzy of that kind to deal with, it would be recognised that the danger was extreme. They were at the mercy of a madman. Although work had beed carrisd out with great firmness, no harshness and no insult was offered Natives. Ha believed he c.uld have met natives with less force, but that would have been committing a great blunder, and inviting bloodshed, lie therefore augmented the force under command by Volunteers. Had one shot been fired, though by accident, there would Lave been no telling where the bloodshed would have stopped. While forbearing so long as no blood was spilt hs would have forgotten such a wcrd as 'j forbearance " had it occurred, believing therein lay true mercy to both Native and European. Men were wise alter the event, and, doubtless, bad said there would be no war. He knew Unit, and was sure there had been the utmost danger of it. Referring to the Volunteers, Mr Bryee said he thought their response to the call of duty bad a very large significance New Zealand had the misfortune to bj colonised from many centres, which might have re suited in the non-development of a national spirit. The gallant response ! of some -1000 or 5000 Volunteers preyed that there was no lack of a really national spirit in this colony, which would continue to develop ; and while speaking on this point, be would repeat what he had said in commendation of them at Pirihaka. Upon another subject he might be expected to say something. He alluded to the stoppage of Press reporters at Parihaka. He had seen telegrams by Press correspondents praising him for having excluded the public while admitting Preßß " specials." He felt; it his duty on one occasion to exclude the latter, lest an accident should happen to occasion an overt act on the part of the Nativee, and thus occasion war. It had been said he wished to keep his proceedings secret. He thought the charge wlb absurd, while surrounded by several thousand Volunteers and two thousand Natives. He might mention an instance Bhowing that his opinion that there was a risk in admitting Specials was not unfounded. Be became aware that one of these Specials, at a board-ing-house frequented by him, had declared tbat it would be a good thing if he (Mr Bryce) were shot through the head. Had this taken place it meant the death of the whole of the Natives assembled there. He should have been the meanest of men had the thought of criticism prevented hiaa acting as he conscientiously believed was right. He again thanked them for the great honour which they had heaped upon him.