TANGI FOR SIR DONALD McLEAN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4941, 23 January 1877, Page 3

TANGI FOR SIR DONALD McLEAN.

The tangi for the late Sir Donald McLean appears to have passed off , very grandly and solemnly. : Most of - the particulars have already appeared in our- telegrapliio qolumns,. but! we take from the Hawke's Bay Herald ■of Friday, the following report of. the speeches' made by Europeans ‘ z ; / , , . , Mr. Ormond : It is very gratifying indeed to the friends of the late Sir Donald McLean; to see so many of the native people assembled; here ip respect to his memory; more especially as it is entirely your own act that you. come ■ here in expression of your sorrow. When, a few- days ago, yon wished to speak over his > «rave such was not done, as.it is contrary to. European custom. When you learned this, you!then arranged for this occasion,’ -It is, af •one'of his friends, a sad day to-day for me to come here and lament his Toss.- A chief ’fhason for that, apart from my friendship for ?hmil is that T feel that both Europeans,aind •Maoris have lost a great friend. ■ It 'will indeed be difficult to replace him.’’ That is a question upon which I must presently say something. Let me first apeak to yon as one who knew the man who has gone, better, perhaps than any of his European friends. I ask yon, how that he has gone, if his whole life has not been spent hr your service. l We who know his thoughts know that that was the great, obj-CD of his life. How did he'show it ? I will tell you. By always seeking to! secure peace between the two races. I would remind you that when the Waitara- war, for which by some he has' been blamed as the cause, took place, he was at the time in danger of his life, far away, from the scene' of .trouble. When he recovered; he went there. Do you not know that;he was the chief instrument in bringing about that' peace which afi desired. So, right through* up to the time of his death, those who;knew him—and there are many of his old friends here—know that his great object was to preserve peace between the two races. You know, an<Jl.l’ will again tell you, that it was to‘ secure peaceful relations that he took office in 1869 as Native Minister. And vhat, I ask, has been the result?- Have we not during the whole of that time ! been free from any serious difculties' between' the' Maoris and Europeans. Y ou are aware of the difficulties that arose since that period between the Maoris and pakehasat the Waikato pand how, through his, knowledge and care, those difficulties were overcome. For years past to secure peace has been the great aim'of his life.Another thing which he looked forward to for great 1 reap to., was ..to the establishment, of Bchools’amqng you. , : ;.tJp! te the last one, of his great ;hopes foryou as a was that your children- should be -educated in the English tongue. Before he was Native Minister, and while'conducting affairs here and along the East Coast, you know that you all worked with him in putting down the troubles of those times. You know that from his knowledge of you and his friendship for you, was instrumental in bringing about the peace, that succeeded those times, and that has continued up to the present. This is merely, to remind you that you worked well with him in that good work. Although I say this to you, I doubt if there is any need for me to. bring this to your minds. He was the great link in drawing youand ustogether. Much more I could say of him if there were need for it. This oominghere to-day, shows the respeet in which he was held by you. It shows the Europeans the great love you have for the man who is dead. Now for a few words on what you have said here to-day. Firstly, every speech that has been made evinces the regard you have for the late Sir , Donald McLean, and cannot but cement the kindly feeling between us, .1 will not go through every speech ; but I will deal generally with ,the main points they contain. First and foremost, what-has fallen from every speaker has been, as far as I have been able to follow it, that you all wish that with the deceased should be buried whatever difficulties have existed, and so his wishes be carried out. This, I hear, is one of your native customs. Speaking here to-day, and speaking on the part of the Government, L say, we accept this offer from you. This is not the time to name particular difficulties,; but I accept these expressions as sincere, and I look te you to find'an early opportunity of settling , the difficulties that exist. .1 hope and think it very likely that the same feeling may be expressed in different parts of the island, where Sir Donald McLean was known as Well as he was with you. Another leading, feature in all your speeches has been your feeling of anxiety respecting the future. Knowing him who is dead as I did—knowing -also his knowledge of you,.of your customs, and his acquaintance with you generally, ! agree with you that there will be difficulty in finding a man'who can fill his jplace. I will instance what I mean. I have known and been in communication with him when a Miuister, and saw from time to time difficulties arise in distant parts of the country. I know well from personal knowledge how he could appeal to the proper the people;— ho w he of ’all Europeans yiiaß fi;om that knowledge able to work for the gobd;of all of uu. Knowing all this, I agree with you that it is hard to fill Ms placA , Therefore I appreciate, your feelings in. respect to the task before us. All I can say to you about that is to refer you to his Jast addfoss to you, when he little knew that he was passing to his end. He then you that the Government that would follow him would try and do their best to maintain peaceful relations between both races. : [He hoped then to have lived and to be able to ' assist in that work, although ihis health might .hot- allow him to be an active member of the Government. Help from him cannot now lie had. It rests with us to carry out together the work., I con eajr to you that, admitting,'as I do, that there is no my knowledge able to fill in the way he has done the void occosioned by his death, kiid do his work as he did it, it is with satisfaction that I have heard the speeches' you have made to-day. You have stated In them that it is only by having one law for the twp rases that matters can be carried out to a satisfactory issue. But you must understand quite clearly, and remember with forbearance, that you cannot have your own customs and your own modes of thinking as clearly understood now as in the past. It must be the law on which our relations must rest in future—so that we may he able to get on together. Yon, with ns, will see that this is absolutely necessary ; for here we are now (you

have alluded to the fact yourselves) in common occupying this country with you. Therefore I tell you that whilst we hope on our side to be fair and right m all our dealings witli you, that on your side there must be forbearance where we are misunderstood, and we will ask you to give us credit for always working for the common good. Do you remember, in the future that upon you as much as upon us rests the necessity for working for these common objects. These, I think, are the main points referred to m your addresses of to-day. Again I thank you for the kindly feeling you have shown. X look upon that, and the promises to arrange the troubles of the past, as a hopeful indication of the future. Let us, while those thoughts are within us, meet and arrange to settle those matters that need our attention. These are all my words to you. Mr. Douglas McLean, coming forward on the lawn, addressed the assembled natives as follows ;—Friends, salutations to you. You have shown by your presence here, to-day a proof of your love and regard for him who has just departed to another, happier, and better world. I condole with you all as a younger brother iu the loss you have sustained in the death of our common father, in the death of the, best and truest ■ friend you have ever had. From his earliest arrival in the country, he has been associated with the Maori race for their good. He early acquired a knowledge of your language, manners, customs, and feelings, and turning his knowledge to good account, he thenceforth devoted himself to working for. your benefit, looking forward to the day when the: Maori race might become as one with the European, governed by the same laws, employed in the same occupations, one common language, and sharing alike with the Europeans all the benefits of civilisation. But there is little need for me to dilate upon what he did for your race. • The inerh-ory of .it is, 'and ever will be, engraven on hqarts. Yohr'pteteffce''herfe'‘Tar-dayis I tet'timfmy to .it;and to your thankful.repognitiqn of it. TUSre .is one■ thing,. however, that you should, 'also, "know and' bear in mind, viz., that it was in a great measure on your account, that heTaid .doiyn.his life.'. For two years past his health hacl not been in a proper state tp allow of his Continuing his laborious 'duties with 1 safety to his jlife. Had he retired from ’the Ministry two* years ago, as the state of his health demanded; He would in all probability have been 'living now in the enjoyment of comparative health, aiid strength, and, though retired froip office,, assisting -the Government Withhis ‘advice in; the more important measures concerning the natives. -But-he'saw that there was still much to effect for your benefit, and so he stuck to bis work to the last, to th®. risk of his health, and as since turned ciut,'of his life. It : must therefore be not only your [desire but your’ duty to cherish his menidry, and you can best show your veneration' for him; and honor’ his name by your amenability to the laws - of . the:; country—laws whiqh, by your representatives iu Parliament, both European and Maori; you have a voice in confirming, amending, or making afresh ; by your desire and determination that your children, should be .educated in those schools which have been and will continue'to be established among you,'.by improving your lands in the pursuits : of agriculture and planting, and by aiding and 'co-operating with the Government in the carrying out of those measures devised for the benefit of yourselves and the Europeans, so'that you may share alike in the wealth and progress of the country, till it shall have become a great and prosperous nation; and in a bright and happy future. By so doing, you will indeed cherish his memory, and raise an imperishable monument to it. The presentation of food from the visitors to the friends of Sir Donald was I now made by the Chief Tareha Te Moananul. ; Mr. Locke .now rose and'addressed the natives as follows Owing to-the- length of the speeches which have been delivered today, I will now say but a few words to you. From your knowledge of my long acquaintance with our friend ■ who has gone, and with’whom I have been so long and so intimately acquainted, no words of mine are needed to make clear to , you, how thoroughly I reciprocate the. sentiments of sorrow you have this day manifested., Together we worked for many, many years with the-people of this and' other districts, and instead of welcoming you here, many indeed who’ have come from a distance to mourn for him who has-gone, rather must I- join with you iu tile taugi -Xon tlio .common- Iqsu £liat. we have sustained; As the day is advancing, and many of you- have to. return to your; homes, I will be as brief as possible. I need not remark how thoroughly I respect the feeling of sorrow you have, this day- .expressed Though our friend has gone, what has been initiated and laid down by him for the welfare of you and your children we must strive to carry through -successfully.'., .As the rain is now descending, I will now but add another word. The present of food that, in obedience to your own customs, you . have presented to Mr. Ormond, Mr. Douglas McLean, and myself, we heartily accept, and fully appre : ciate the kindly spirit, so ebaracteriatic of you, that prompted such an act; . Having done so; we beg our visitors from the Wairoa, Mohaka, Porangahau, Tamaki, then chief l o Hapuku, the people of W>imarama,r those qf the Ngati-whati-a-Riti tribe, and the visitors from other parts of the island, to accept; from us the present" that yon • and your tribe, Tareha, have made ns. Now that this is ended, and as the train that’ is to carry many of you away will ahortlyl depart, I ask you all to partake of the ■foo'd that is prepared for you. Again must I say it affords me the greatest pleasure to see so many of you assembled here to-day. Fully concurring'as Ido in the kindly sentiments expressed by :you, I sincerely believe that the same spirit will be evinced by all the native tribes throughout the different parts of the island that you have this day shown. The meeting mow formally broke up, when • the natives adjourned to partake of the ample repast that was prepared for them on another • portion, of the ground. The presents of pota-. toes—about thirteen tons —alluded to by Mr. Locke, were subsequently apportioned equally among 'the Napier schools attended by native children, viz., the Church of England and the Roman ‘ Catholic. With the exception of a slight shower in the early part: of .the afternoon, during tho whole of the proceedings the day was remarkably fine. 11 was estimated that for the greater part of the day over two. thousand people were on the ground. ; The proceedings came to a close about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. The natives throughout conducted themselves in a mannor deaerving of praise.. The majority returned quietly to their homes when the ceremonies were oyer.