REWI AND WAITARA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5392, 9 July 1878, Page 2

REWI AND WAITARA.

(FROM ODD WAIKATO CORRESPONDENT.) Hamilton, June 24. I have been very busy lately, and have not been in a writing mood ; but I have two or three trifles that I want to chat about. I sup* pose that theWaitara meeting is in fullswing by this time 1 The Ministerial Press have been directed to make a great fuss about this meeting, and appear to attach an importance to it for which they have really no warrant. Ido not think that it will be found to "have any bearing' at all on the question between Tawhiao and the Government. It is very significant that Tawhiao does not attach any importance to it, as lie is not represented at Waitara. The only Waikato of any note who has" gone from these parts is Te Aroha, a. disciple of Te Whiti,and the head of a small clique who call themselves “ The Twelve.” Ngatimaniapoto are not at all pleased with Bead's action. They say that he has- lost his bead, and may lose hisinfluence with the tribe, which is being frittered away at those illattended meetings, called for no definite purpose. Kewi’s motive for going to Waitara is, I believe, to .test a prophecy of Te Whiti, that “ if the principal parties to the Taranaki war could be got together at that Aceldama (Waitara), the Angel Gabriel would appear and restore to life all who had been slain during the war”—and, I suppose, relegate everything to the status quo ante helium. Rewi, anxious to give Te Whiti a fair chance for his prophecy, invited him to come to Waitara and meet Wi Tako, Matene te Whiwhi, Wiremu King!, and Sir George Grey, all of whom are admitted to have had a good deal to do with Taranaki troubles. The newspapers report that Te Whiti will not attend for fear of embarrassing Rewi’s negotiations with the Premier. It his absence should baulk the working of the miracle, it will, to say the least, be very unfair to those interested in the early resurrection ! The Waitara meeting will be another failure, and the Government will have to provide a third meeting before they can meet Parliament with the assurance that they have settled the Native difficulty. Tawhiao will not give a decided reply to the now famous Grey proposals until next summer. Ho is not the man to show his hand, and people are not quite certain what the answer will be, but the general impression among those who are in the best position to form an opinion is that he will reject the cash offer, beo'ause the amount offered is not worth quarrelling about, and he knows, that there would be a great amount of squabbling over the division of that portion of the spoil ; but he willaocept all the land he can get in the spirit in whiohit was offered, —that is, unconditionally. He would still retain his hold of what we call the King country, for fear that his mana would suffer if he gave that up. Those who think that Tawhiao will accept conditions likely to trench upon his dignity are much mistaken. He is a far more important personage now than he ever was before ; he did not appear at all fluttered when at a “banquet” given to him at Eaglan the other day the servile “chair” proposed “ Long Life and Happiness to his Majesty King Tawhiao." There is some misunderstanding about the offer of land on the left bank of the Waipa River. The Maoris understand it to mean all the Crown land from the confiscated line down to Waikato Heads ; the published accounts bear them out, and there has been great indignation in consequence amongst the settlers on that side of the river. To allay this it has been officially announced that Sir George Grey did not offer any land “ above Karakarild.” It this be correct, why did Manuhiri send Te Tuhi, Tawhiao’s brother-in-law and chief adviser, to stop the work, and to tell the friendly natives employed on the Raglan road that all that country was under offer to Tawhiao, and that all questions about roads must be referred to him until the negotiations with the Government were closed. An attempt has been made to show that Tawhiao had nothing to do with the stoppage of this road work ; but the Maoris take another view of it. The road in question is six or seven miles above Karakakiri Retrenchment has not yet found its way to Waikato ; on the contrary, a second “ Native Office ” has been created at Alexandra, the Maori Major being the chief. He has been permitted to add to his permanent staff a half-caste gentleman, who writes himself “secretary and interpreter to Major Te Wheoro,” and the Major himself has received, what he prizes greatly, an additional £IOO a year to his own “ screw,” which is now £SOO. General Cameron would be amazed at the promotion of his old'acquaint-' ance.

Mr. Cox having resigned his seat in Parliament, Waipaisthe arena of a contested elec - tion. The constituency appear determined to have a man of their own, and not a dummy who will dance when his master pipes. Mr. F. A. Whitaker is the popular candidate. Mr. McMinn, who contested) the seat with Mr. Cox, opposes him ; but although he is running on the Grey ticket, his friends • are not confident. The "head centre” haS telegraphed that ample supplies of the needful will be forthcoming. The Grey clique at Te Awamutu who got up the banquet to Ministers known as “ the raw turkey feed " tried to bring out the Hon. Mr. Sheehan, and there was a long telegraphic correspondence with the chief about it, ending with the conclusion that a personal canvas would be necessary to secure success. Correspondence was in code G. T,, of course ; a grateful country pays always.