THE WAITARA MEETING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5401, 19 July 1878, Page 2

THE WAITARA MEETING.

The great-.Waitara meeting is over. We do not know whether anyone is clever enough to discover what are thoimmediate results which sustain the Ministerial boasting that it has boon a great political success. Wo are willing to be guided in our consideration of tho case by the special reports which have been supplied by officers in the pay of the people of this colony for the particular benefit of the newspaper which an evening contemporary calls the “ Government’ organ,” and for the information of the readers thereof, and which reports no doubt have received revision and approval by the Premier. These reports are interesting enough, and readable enough as literary productions descriptive of scenery, and of the weather, and of the physical incidents of a native gathering at a place so famous in New Zealand history as Waitara. But when we come to look for the definite political results, and have stripped off the literary padding, the corpus is singularly thin and shadowy. After threshing a heap of verbal straw, and winnowing bushels of chaff, this is the solitary grain of wheat discoverable. Wo take it from the official report of the meeting at Waitara on Monday, July Ist instant: —

When the preparations were made, amt the natives seated,

Rcwi (addressing Sir George Grey) said; If yon are agreeable, I wish my interpreter to interpret what I say to tho natives. I wish this to he done, because 1 have seen what newspapers have done. If this is done, and what I say is misrepresented, the blame will rest on me alone, as I have my own interpreter. Mr. Thompson, a half-caste, acted as Rewi’s interpreter. Rewi then spoke a few words to the native people, after which, turning to Sir George Grey, lie said : What I have to say to you is this, I wish you to give me Waitara. Sir Oeoiuie Gnr.Ysaid : Waitara is now given up to both of us. It belongs to ns two. This is the-proper spot on wliich wo should loose our hands from one another’s heads and cease struggling. At Kewi’s request this was interpreted to the natives, Rewi gave a short explanation of what had just been said by Sir George Grey. He said : It is to allow mo to have a voice in the settlement of this matter, so that I may bo able with Sir George Grey to unloose our hands from off one another’s heads. I agree with what Sir George Grey has said. We have this matter of this land in our hands. I agree because there are now two of us to talk over Waitara. I liaa-e nothing further to say to Sir George Grey. He has agreed to ray request. Do not let the Europeans and natives of Waitara ho alarmed, they are perfectly safe in their places. Let them rest safely on their places. Myself and Sit.Goorgo Grey will talk the matter over.

It ia stated, by way of explanation, that at a previous private meeting it was arranged that Rewi should be recognised as the “Commissioner” to treat on the part of the natives with the Government for bringing about the final and complete union between the races, and that “ Wai- “ tara ” wasthe word to be taken as being symbolical of the original quarrel and separation-between the races. If what really took place at the “private” rehearsal between the two performers, and what was the nature of the “ request” made by Rewi, to which, ns that chief assarted the Premier had agreed, could be ascertained, the people would be in a position to make a guess at the object and effect of the public rubbing of noses herein recorded. But in this instance, as at Hikurangi, it is by “the Parliament of us two ” that everything is to be finally arranged. No doubt in this, as in the former instance, all the facts will become known in time. What we see, and what we are disposed to give the utmost credit for, is the earnest disposition which has been shown by Ministers to make an end of the isolation in which the King’s followers have held themselves for so many years. We will not go behind the fact to seek for personal motives. Only those who have had experience of the work of managing native meetings can understand the nature of the work involved bysuch a gathering as that at Waitara, and with an opponent so astute as Rewi; and even if the end of all the troubles has not yet come, it may bo frankly admitted that another step has been made in advance of those which have been heretofore, jwith equal labor and not less zeal, accomplished by Sir Donald McLean’s personal exertions" and influence, and by the policy of which he was the exponent and representative. The expenses involved in these native meetings are necessarily very great, and exporince shows that the results are rarely commensurate with their coat. In this case Rewi has been very careful to make it known that the Government have thrust themselves upon him aqd into his operations at Waitara; the fact that helms his own reporter, and his reproach of the “newspapers” for their past delinquencies, are very significant as showing his sense of the misrepresentations of which ho has been the subject in reference to the recent Waikato meetings, and to which wo have ourselves called attention. It will probably now bo found to be well to allow the native difficulty to rest quietly for a little as far as public demonstrations are concerned, and to leave to the Native Minister the work which properly belongs to him, and which he ia fully capable of doing. The recollections which the word Waitara must awaken in the Maori mind will not bo effaced by such performances as that which have just been witnessed at Taranaki. Time, the healer, will do much in that way, and justice and fairness in all our dealings, and a persistent effort to elevate and educate the people, such as has marked the administration of native affairs in late years, afford the best security forpuaoo and unobstructed progress, which is really all that is desired. The eager determination which is evinced to catch Rewi and put-him into the Legislative Council, as the signof the personal triumph of the Premier over him, will probably be found to bo a blunder.

Rewi’s name will always bo foremost in the history ot the native troubles in this island. In 1863 ho very summarily disposed of the Government newspaper which was published at To Awamutu, and gave notice of the fact in the following letter : TRANSLATION. To Awamutu, March 25,1803. Friend Governor Grey, —Greeting:. This is my word to you. Mr. Gorab has been killed by mo. The press has been taken by mo. They are my men who took it— eighty firmed with guns. The reason Is, to drive away Mr. Gorst,' that ho may rotura to town : it is on account of the great darkness caused by his being sent to live hero and tempt us; and also on account of your saying that you would dig round our King till he foil. Friend, take Mr. Gorst back to town ; do not leave* him to live with mo at To Awamutu. If you say'ho is to stay ho will dio Lotyour letter bo speedy to fetch him away, within throe weeks.—From your friend, Ebwi Maniapoto. To Governor Grey, at Taranaki. He would probably not think it necessary now . to take so much trouble about the existing “organ.” When the Runanga ot Mataitawa sent to Waikato for advice,-at the time when Governor Grey was talking of giving back Waitara to the natives, —and whilst General Cameron was taking military possession .of Tataraimaka by his orders, — it was Rbwi . who answered significantly, and with Spartan brevity, “ strike the Pakolia.” Ho has been wise enough of late years to note the signs of the limes, and has guided himself accordingly. Since his interview with Sir -Donald McLean, four years,ago, he has been working steadily towards the result of a peaceful settlement of differences, and with this view ho has detached him-

self and his tribe from the Waikatos and tho King. He has many personal grievances in the matter of land, his property, which has been sold without his assent or knowledge in Waikato. Of these grievances the purchase of Otautahunga, by Mr. Tole, is tho type. We do not doubt that in all these matters, personally as regards himself, and generally as regards his tribe, he has made a very hard-bargain at Waitara with the eager Ministerial, bidders for his favor. But about all this we shall know more hereafter. At present it is considered sufficient by tho Government for the public to learn that Rbwx has let go his hold of Sir George Grey’s hair, and that Mr. Joshua Joneses patriotic efforts to establish himself at Mokau will be crowned with success.