Te Whiti’s Speech.

Patea Mail, 26 August 1880, Page 3

Te Whiti’s Speech.

At the Parihaka meeting, Te Whiti in his speech called upon all the natives of all tribes from the four quarters of the Island to come to him. Ho said : “ Springs of water which have become divided in my work shall not be made clear by anyone but myself, and there is no drinkingplace for the dogs who wish to drink. The two tribes of the Island are buried and know not my aims. Arresting men to prison is not good work, but I will not leave this quarrel to extend to another year but will finish this year. Though wo are arrested like bush clogs wc shall arrive at a satisfactory end to our work. I will settle this alone without land. Those who wish to settle it without me will fail. All arc ignorant of what they are doing. The Government confine their work to the appointment of Ministers whom they think fit. Those of two tribes who were wise concerning things of old are ignorant of my doings and my intentions. All I have to say this clay is come to me from the four quarters of the island. Come to me the members of many tribes, for the fence which confined this difficulty is broken down. lam an ignorant man, and the tribes I am sending to prison are ignorant men. Mine enemy will never know what I am aiming at until lie comes to me, I shall never be left for any but fo r ourselves ; but listen to me—there shall bo no fighting and no Land Courts in bringing the matter to a conclusion. Both old and new troubles must be brought before my face, and all shall be settled. I tell you again that no waters have been made clear by anything which has yet been clone. The works arc not my own but lam the agent of another. No one shall postpone it. What I give the Europeans to do they shall not be able to avoid. What I have appointed for the Maoris shall be given to them, but what I intend shall no more be discovered than one can tell the destiny of a bullet. There is no wisdom left to the tribes, but it was said in clays of old by -a convcnant that all should be known and settled. Are you Europeans vexed with me for speaking thus. lam not vexed with you for taking my people prisoners. Did I send anyone to steal ? Did they steal anything ? No? I nave a garden full of melons, and they think %ve ,rc sorry that some of the biggest melons have been stolen. They think that all the big ones have been taken away from me, and that they can take al 1 with impunity. They know nothing about the biggest melons. The melons taken are the important prisoners, and the melon left is the right and law, and the question its issue.” “ SLAUGHTERING THE INNOCENTS. ”

Tolm followed, and said . among other things : I don’t think the Government is the stronger of the two races, but I simply relinquish my people to prison, and I don’t say that there will be the end of my willingness to give them my men, my women, my children, and myself. There is a groat man raised by the author of creation to settle this question. There is a victim of war dead this day ; a very great one, and it only remains to bury the corpse, No such victim remains. It is the intention of a great nation which is frustrated. It is not Col. Roberts or Major Take who is the victim. No ; they have not come near enough to mo to be vanquished by my peaceful intentions. The prisoners 1 have sent are simply to prove that lam peaceful and yet persistent, and are not despatched to achieve anyresultjbutmy men are going and everyone. The Government gets incensed in its embarrassment. The Government has swallowed a worm and it disagrees with the Government, and they wish to discontinue the prisoners on that account.

The action of the' Government is like tliat of Herod, who, being afraid lie was going to lose his kingdom, slaughtered the innocents ; but it did not avail him. It was foretold of old that a great mountain should be raised up to apportion the ways of the whole laud.—Taranaki Herald,