PARIHAKA MEETING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5610, 22 March 1879, Page 3

PARIHAKA MEETING.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Opdkaka, Friday. A largo number of native* congregated to welcome Mr. Sheehan, the tahipa, to the kainga. It rained almost from the time he left Opunake until his arrival. Ail the following, and the Native Minister himself, got thoroughly drenched. He drove into the centre of the village and gave the people a general greeting. Mr. Sheehan then crossed the creek and came over to the whare provided for the Government by Te Whiti. Major Brown, Mr. Lewis Williams, your agent, and several others accompanied him. Te Whiti • is much pleased at Mr. Sheehan’s arrival. He considered it a concession to, his mana, while the Native Minister states that he makes this concession to increase the power of the peace party on the coast, lest Te Whiti and his confreres shduld throw their influence into the recalcitrant .West Coast faction. At about half past nine the Native Minister and his party went to the marae, where a .large party of natives were assembled, not quite as large as on the previous Monday, but nearly, the tidings of his being expected having kept the people together. Te Whiti has told all the people that Hiroki’s bravado could not give him safety, and those men who were blood guilty and ran to a city of refuge should remain hidden, and be content with the protection they claimed. There were still a few white men sprinkled through the audience, but only a few. The Native Minister ■ and his following sat in the middle of the marae, the same delay of expectation taking place as on the previous general meeting. After a short interval Tohu arose and said : The 18th day of the month was the ordinary time for their meetings, but the 18th had passed, and this was only a supplementary meeting. After a short interval Major Brown arose and with a fluent tongue and happy manner spoke as follows : Te Whiti and your people, greeting. The Native Minister has come to see you, to hear what you have to say, and to correct any wrong impression that you may have arrived at from the reports, often wrong, that travel and may have reached you. Such reports travel to and fro until what was originally no bigger than a man’s head becomes as large as Mount Egmont, who is now looking down upon us. The Native Minister therefore. says, “ Do not believe anything imputed to him unless you hear it from his bps;" and he will believe nothing as coming from you that you do not tell him yourselves. Then Te Whiti arose and stated that he had spoken all he had to say at the present meeting, and would say nothing more until after the feeding. Then another delay arose awaiting, the production of the food, during which we sat squattedon the ground waiting with the multitude, • in accordance with Maori etiquette. Then the Native Minister and his party were shifted further back in the marae. Fern leaves were spread on the ground, and a huge mound of food piled thereupon, with huge pots of tea, and strings and bags of pannikins, sufficient in number for all the people. Then Turi, of Ngaterenui, stepped up and declared that the food for the meeting was prepared and placed. Then the distribution took place a crock of tea, a kit of bread, surmounted by sufficientpork to have lasted us foraweek,when five or six stalwart men provided with knives commenced cutting up the meat, and the general distribution took place, There were three thousand pannikins procured for the guests and the residents. The people, as in the first meeting, were tribally located—the Taranaki at the head of the marae, while the Ngatewaunui were immediately below them. Around inside the marae were tte Wanganui and Waikato, and the Ngaruru, the Ngatiawa, and other representatives scattered according to relationship. The Native Minister gave the food presented to us to the wife of Kuakere, our hostess, her husband being a cousin of Te Whiti, and a man of higher rank than the prophet himself. He is, and has been,' a zealous servant of the Government, but like many others holding similar positions, underpaid for his services, which are almost unknown and unrecognised. It was about half-past eleven when the food was distributed, and the impartiality of . the distribution was all that could be desired. After the meal had taken place, and the place where the food had been placed was cleared, the people drew nearer together, hut the middle portion of the square was kept clear. Te Whiti then arose and said ; It you, the Native Minister, have any special reason for coming here,- state it, as the greetings are over. Theft tfid Native Minister yveut into the clear place, and after greeting all the people said what may .be thus summarised : Salutations to . you Te Whiti, and to your people, and your guests from all parts of this island. You have asked me whether I have come merely to greet you and to discuss any questions of importance. I will tell yon my reasons for coming. Only my respect for yourself as a man who has for years past guided his people in the paths of peace, and that I might show to the Europeans that the stories published in the newspapers about the Unfriendly attitude of the people under your direction were without foundation. These are my reasons for coming. As I am here I .am quite willing to talk with you and your people about any matter in which you take any interest. . If these matters are mentioned, I will talk about them . with you, so that it may discover a means of removing any evils that may exist, and combine together to promote the happiness of both races. To Whiti stood up and said that the meeting held on the 18th was the proper time for it to be held, and that he thought that the Minister had something to say ; that he was not responsible for the reports that were put in circulation ; that newspaper people were not this people ; and then'sat down. The Native Minister asked Te Whiti to repeat what he had sa}d on the 18tb for his infonpatipn. The reply was that the 18th was gone f and what he had then said bad become

public property. He should not_ again state what he then uttered. The Native Minister replied that this was a Maori Parliament, i e Whiti’s own in fact ; and he having the power of its conduct should regulate its proceedings. Te Whiti replied that the Parliament wag shut; other people might be ignorant of what he had said on the 18th, but Mr. Sheehan certainly was not. The Native Minister said he wanted a distinct answer as to whether he had anything more to say ; if so, he would fix any time tomorrow to hear what he wanted to say to him or to the people; . The remainder of the day might as well he devoted to amusement as to idle talk. It was a trial of skill in fencing throughout, the prophet apparently wishing to show his followers that he could hold his own against an educated pakeha. Amongst some sections of the people dissatisfaction is expressed that the presence of the Native Minister was not taken advantage of to discuss the questions that are of interest to the people. There will probably be a further talk tomorrow.