NATIVE MEETING IN THE WAIKATO.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4980, 9 March 1877, Page 3

NATIVE MEETING IN THE WAIKATO.

SY TELEGRAPH. . " Alexandra,, February 16., Rewi, accompanied by Taonui, Tupotahi, and other Ngatimaniapbto chiefs,, arrived here to meet the Hon. Native Minister yesterday morning, and await his arrival. Shortly after the'Hon. Dr. Pollen arrived,' Reyn and his party came to 5 Fincher’s Hotel to see him. After remaining about an.hoiir, Rewi.returned' to Te Whenoa's .house, having arranged when the'messenger was to be seiit by him to fetch Dr.. Pollen, who' proceeded to the' appointed place, accompanied by Colonel Lyon, Major Majr, Mr. Bush,'and a few of the principal settlers of the district. 1 ' /, V ; itTpeii Arrival, Rewi said ho supposed it was for him, as the person who, IhvitedDr. 'Pollen,' to open discussion, which he would do by Wei-' coining him as the successor to/ their friend' Mctiean. ./Rewi continued : I have/heard you ,haVe/said I ‘j/bu are placed to. carry but the works has 'commenced, therefore I am here to meet .and welcbmejon/m/ordor that' we jnay know 1 each other and discilss matters .that interest; both jron and I. ‘I have a griev-' ane'e to bring before you. It refers to a clandestine sale' of/land by certain!' persons who had rio right/tb sell it. I do not think such proceedings 1 correct. I have no complaints to make with reference'to my Jands, that were included within 1 the confiscation boundary. I, only refer tb those pieces' that hay i been sold by persons that’boundary." , 1 ■ Dr.' Pollen informed 1 Rewi that the Government had discontinued" purchasing fresh, blocks of land. 5 They would only conclude he-/ 'gotiatiqns already Comraendbd, after which the Government would 'cease for the present./Tiiat' with reference to what Rbvvi had !ing|bis" land'which had been sold By stealth 1 , , he would recommend him, if Audi were 'really ’ the | case, to bring the matter into a eburt of law, which, wds -{he"proper plabe 'to nedrbss grievances of this nature. . Acts of violence/or talking over them, would-nbt .settle,them.' "If, (said Dr.' Pollen) you /feCl' ’dispbaed ; tb /take advantage of English lAw 'the courts are open to you! ; , I will give you'ali the assistance that I can in"redressing ypur ,wrongs. /Ido so in order tb show ’you that this is the proper way tb 'do .these 1 /things? The law is!’open to all. That can'give yon ', a title, which' rffi biie can dispute. ! have; no, desire but'/to, ■promote/' 'pbace, which 5a the. 1 best/for hoth raCcs. X wobld like 1 to hear your desire in these matters, opejnly/ then 1 we ‘ can each’ o(h'er r and assist each other in making arrangepients; which will benefit both races, which we* cannot do unless we meet’ as friends. - -- Rewi replied;: I do not See my way to go to the! courts at present. ' If the matters were satisfactorily settled it would be an easy matter. I wish peace maintained, and am prepared to assist you, a»I was to assist bur friend McLean, ,whb is now gone. ■ ~■.•<!■ ■ TenoakAu said ;> Why did nbt; Government agree to allow the Waitara to be 1 taken into court before-the war ? If this had been permitted, what you say. now now about appeahng to the, courts would be easy.,,: Dr... Pollen . replied, that the courts were open to . all if they chose to appeal to them. The law was above the Queen or any other person. There, is an. old proverb which says, “No one so blind as those who woh’tsee.” Lest you should misunderstand, Waikato cannot be given back. I am a new man, and am willing to bury the - past, in order that we may commence afresh. I call upon you to do the same. If yon consent we will soon settle matters satisfactorily. I am prepared to treat you fairly. 1 After this some of the Ngatihaua present spoke abput the land which Rewi alleged had been sold wrongfully, ; asking .him who it was that brought the subject forward, .Rewi answered, I did./’ A conversation ensued amongst'themselves/ and Rewi asked permission .to adjourn thp discussion until to-morrow, which Was agreed’ to, and the day’s proceedings terminated. ~ Mr.' Mackay arrived last evening, and had a two -bouts’’ interview with RbWi at Major Tb Wheoro’s bouse. We understand'that Rewi informed M!r. !Mackay that ho would neither do nor sanction anything being done which would cause any broach of the peace, lhat he objected to murder or small acts of aggression.

and if there was to be fighting .he would do it ‘openly arid on a large scale. ■ : At ten o’clock ,f his. morning Dr, Pollen, accompanied by; .Col. Lyon, Capt. .(Maiiv and Te Wheoro, arid Messrs. Alackay and Bush, proceeded to Te Wheoro’s house. Rewi commenced on the. land question generallv, and made pointed allusion to the Ngaruako block; the dealing with which he characterised as a very wrong and improper proceeding. Dr. Pollen said this matter was now in the hands of the Government, who were taking steps to cancel the Crown grant. ; ■ Rewi then said he had another request to make about the lands at Tokoro belonging to himself and others of Ngatiraukawa. These had been given up by him to Potatau ; and the Queen natives, who had left them to settle Otaki, were now-returning to them and attempting to .sell them to the . Government. He wished this to be stopped. Dr. Pollen said : I have nq power to restrain natives who consider themselves to be the lawful owners of lands from selling them. I suggest that the best plan is to refer these questions to the Native Lands Court, which will decide fairly between alb the claimants. Rewi ; Do not hasten the action of the court. If anyone has anything to say about this land; let me arrange it outside.; lam able to do that. I fear : that hasty action on your part or mine may. cause a misunderstanding, and prevent a peaceful settlement of affairs. Dr. Pollen- : .1 wish all natives; and Euro-. peans to be protected in their just rights,.and iri their lawful occupation of their lands. I deprecate natives wasting their landed estates by selling them for large sums of money which they squander in drink or other foolishriess, and derive no permanent benefit from the sale. I wish to give every man a fair chance to protect his own interests ; and if I can do-any-thing to forward your . views in any land question, I will do so; All are liable to make mistakes through ignorance, as we. are all mortal., If Ldo, wrong unintentionally, let me know it, and I will endeayor to remedy it. I cannot, however, admit the rights of lawful owners being (inf erfered with., I again suggest the Native Lands Court as the best machinery to deal with the question. : Rewi : I propose that (as soon as I have finished my wheat harvest we arrange, the Ngatiraukawa land question finally. I am a Ngatiraukawabn one’side, and a Ngntimaniapoto on the other. T have a great interest in that matter. -We had better go to Taupo and have a meeting of all parties interested. Then you can hear my side of the case, and theirs also, form, your own; opinion, and come to a proper understanding: This will be better than a court ;■ and,! have before proposed this course to Sir Donald McLean, whp coincided with this view of mine.

Dr. Pollen; This question cannot, stand over very long. The, Ngatiraukawa, whether rightly or wrongly, urge me constantly to arrange this matter, either ,by completing the purchase of the land for the Government, or by j allowing them to negotiate with'private Europeans, subject to the replacing- of the moneys advanced by Government, on account. This; must be , decided with as little delay as possible. ( .n , • , "! Btewi: I. will hold the meeting; at Taupo immediately I finish my wheat harvesting. Dr.. Pollen • I agree to attend the meeting, and will do. my best to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion! Rewi.: That is arranged ; we will meet at Taupo. 1 Mr. Mackay asked the boundaries of the land claimed by Rewi. Rewi , explained them, and mentioned ; 1 a place, called Te Tatua, near Taupo, among others. ■ • ... , : Mr. Mackay said :',I think Oraamii and Te; Tatua .have been dealt with for the Government. ( Rewi v : Oruanui has been purchased and Te Tatua leased.' Mr; Davies was the agent, and I found the resident natives had ; received £BO on account of rents. I took that money from' thein, and intimated in relation to a' licensed interpreter that he had better not come back to Te Tatua, or it would .be ugly for his head, especially as he had beem instrumental' in. fostering the election of Pptatau as King. (Great laughter here took place.) , Rewi. continued ; •I only mentioned this incidentally. There was . nothing in the threat about his head. I only wanted to frighten him and make him desist from pulling down the King’a ‘ raana,’ which ho bad aided in ‘ putting up. I now, come to another question. lam vexed at, the'natives from the King country coming into the European townships and stealing goods’ from the settlers;' The people’should be' punished. ' I Suggest that when you capture , any of them .they should be locked, .up, and a messenger.fsent ;me, : in.order;, that• their, parents or friends should at puce make a money restitution for the goods stolen.-y. (The law to give four times the value "of the articles stolen). P’would prefer keeping them like that than ■sending' them fo gaol,; whiqk'dp.es .thetti, nq good. 1 "if Major Mair ‘ captured v any thief, or if any known- thief ;of Ngatimariiapoto 'escaped, if he -wouM ’ let me khow. I would have : him ■ ! captured' and sent back. * J list be- ; fore I came to meet Dr.Pollenlhad been dis'ousting with Tawhiaon and ' others !as > to ’ the 1 , best manner of dealing; with theae-delinquents,,/ and 1 now ; suggest 1 the : method of t 'punishing them. -O':. -ill Dr. Pollen : In cases of larceny Euro,peahs( are imprisoned when, convicted. ’With Maoris the laws, are different, r ,and ,allow -the! alternative of a heavy fine ( in' default of -imprisonment. 'Major ,'M'alr tells; me, as a- Resident Magistrate, that robberies have been'numerous; and he found it'necessaryto resort 1 to imprisonment as a punishment,'in* order to check-these. ’ The culprits will I fear be likely, to continue their courses if they can; get l parents or relatives to,-pay; fines for them., 1 " Rewi laughed; and said : I. think-it.ispro-•biible. too. ,1 wish- 1 -to, ,stpp- these ’thieves; and hople' that enforcing, heavy, fines will dp, so. i- Rewi,then advanced, and l shook hands,with 1 the 1 Native Minisfer iti a most cordial manner, said his tfteaeak business wad concluded • and Ke would meet him again 1 at Taiipoj , ■ ” ‘ ’ The proceedings throughout were interpreted ■WtMajw Mair. This day’s'Jmeeting; cannot bh looked en otherwise than oasi being! highly, satisfactory. ; Rewi behaved in a most reepebtful; manner (throughout, and ifrom,hisi,earnest' and straightforward, utterances, ’ gained . the good opinion i of, all .who were present.-,’;Te, Nghkaq.'toot, -su>] !®»rtr dn theipro.ceedlnM,’ ReWiVand 1 party .left" "about 2p’clock., The -‘Native' Minister; left' tod. ’’ Mr. 1 Mabkay remained about'poibb Jijndj purchase" business,' We believe'.he hai ren-; considerable assistance to Government.’