Paying the Chiefs for Kaitangiwhenua.

Patea Mail, 30 December 1880, Page 3

Paying the Chiefs for Kaitangiwhenua.

KEMP THREATENS MR BRYCETE WHITES LAND DOCTRINE. Mr W. Williams has had an adventurous journey to the upper Wanganui district. Six c-Jiie/s ivhr» agreed to the sate of tne Kaitangiwhenua block, over a hundred thousand acres, should have received payment last week, Mr Under-Socrelary Gill being here to hand over the money. One Wanganui chief, Hakariha, was absent, and the settlement had to he postponed till ho could bo secured. Mr Williams, who bad arranged the purchase for the Government, started for the Wanganuiriver, but being warned that Kemp would not allow pakebas to go far up the river, lie proceeded overland. Mr Williams mot Kemp a few miles beyond Parikino. Kemp told him no officer of Government .should come within his boundaries : and on learning that Mr Williams’s business was to complete the sal--of Kaitangiwhenua, Kemp said he did not approve of that, because Williams was reported to have said he would oppose Kemp if ho put up boundary poles on that block. Mr Williams denied having threatened to oppose Kemp, and said he had tried to preserve peace between Kemp and the Waitotara natives. Kemp said the whole blame for hostility lay with Mr Bryce, and that he would throw down the Native Minister “ before long.” Kemp would not believe that Mr Williams had ceased his connection with the Government, bat permitted him to remain one night, ami lie was hospitably treated. Mr Williams has communicated the following report. Turi, a chief who had been away at Parihaka, returned in a canoe, and a tangi was held in Ids honor. After a formal welcome, Kemp then rose and said I have two words, and they are. of great weight. I do not know which to speak first. One is for you Turi, and one is for yon Williams (turning to me.) He then addressed himself to Turi and made a speech of welcome, repeating the words You arc the light of our eyes, you are the joy of our hearts, wc arc glad to sec you.” I have commenced a great work and 1 am determined to carry it on, and I want you Turi to help me. My work is to oppose the present Native Minister. I want the native people to unite to oppose the Government, to prevent our lands going to the Government or any large purchasers. I have sent out notices that I am going to set up my boundaries, and those boundaries arc from the Patea river on the north to the Manawatu on the south. I have already set up some of my boundaries? and I shall set up the rest, and 1 shall maintain 1113' position, and not allow any land to be parted with except as shall be agreed amongst us. We must not have large holders) we cannot allow it to be sold in large blocks. The small man must live as well as the groat man. I ask you Turi as a great chief on this river to come and assist me in this mv work. Our troubles arc caused by that person who calls himself the Native Minister or Minister for the Maoris. I do not acknowledge this man. He is a man of no rank, and consequently to me of no importance. I will throw him down, and I feel sure he will be thrown down before long. (Kemp then became very excited, as also all the natives present.) Who is this man, the Native Minister ? Who is his father ? Where does he come from? Is he not tutua ? Who made this man ? Have wc natives of this river and the Europeans not made him what he is ? Yes, but we who made him will also unmake him. I will not allow him to interfere with my rights as a chief. I am chief of this river, that is of the boundaries I have marked oil, and 1 will not allow him within my boundaries. If he should come I will meet him with force (slapping his thigh and jumping in the air) and I know I have force sufficient (natives very excited). I will not allow him to send any officers up this river. There is only one man I will allow up this river ; that man is my friend Richard Woon. He may come and hold hia courts as he has done before, but if the Government scud any ot hers I will turn them off, and if that maiq my enemy Booth, should come I will kick him off.” (hemp here showed the assemblage how he would do it.) After repeating some words of welcome to Turi and those who had come with him, and asking them to assist him, he turned to me (Williams) and said : “ My second word is for the white man who is here with us. The work in which he is engaged is hateful to me. He says he is not now a Government officer, but he only says this because he thinks I will allow him to proceed on his mission, but I have told him, and I tell him now,he must not go, but must turn back from this place.” Kemp then went into the history, sale, and purchase of Kaitangiwhenua. He spoke also of the Land Courts, and condemned the action of the Governments and natives who had sold, stating that he still held the land and would not part with It, no matter whether the Govern-

ment paid the money or not. He laughed in derision at the Land Court proceedings, and said that the Government thought by passing land through the Court they could do as they liked, but he would .show them better. Crown-granting land would not make it the property of those who received it. What were Crown grants to him? His law was his power, and he valued Crown grants and Land Courts as nothing. Turning once more to mo he cautioned me against proceeding farther, and .sat doirji.

Turi tlmn got up and said i-r-Salutations to you, my father, ; salutations to you, my brethern ; salutations to you, my beautiful river ; salutations toyon tbo land of my birth, and of my progenitors. I am glad to see yon all after my absenceIt gladdens inv heart to see you have commenced a new work. I tell you that for 20 years or more I have been trying to do that which you havo begun. It is the work nearest my heart, and it is work which will save us as a people from being annihilated by tbo sons of Shorn. The sons of Slu-m are covering the whole world, because it is prophesied they were to he a great people ; but it was also prophesied that God’s people, the sons of Ham, were to be protected against encroachments, and that we, the Maoris, the true Israel, the children of God, would be protected. Although tbo sons of Shorn are in our boundaries, they will not be allowed to possess the land, because if we are faithful God will again give us our lands, our forefathers’ lands, and tli 1 ' strangers, the sons of Shorn, will bo driven out. It makes my bean glad to see the. Lord carrying on his work, and causing you, Titoko (Kemp), to sec it carried on For many years I have hated the white skin, and I will continue to do so to the end. It is true that they think they can hold the land. They are surveying and cutting it up and selling ; hut it will not be long before the whole will fall into our bands. Be faithful, my brother, and be strong, and the work will .soon be accomplished. Tc Whiti, the prophet of God. has said so, and his word cannot bo broken.

To Uraugi, elder brother of Hakariah, the native I wanted, addressed the assemblage, slating that he was going to see his brother up the river, but he did not make known what his business was. Several other natives spoke until three o’clock in (he morning, when I addressed the meeting myself. PAYMENT TO THE CHIEFS. The payment to six native chiefs for the Kaitangiwhenua block was completed on Tuesday at Waitotara by Mr Gill. Under Secretary, in presence of Mr W. Williams, whohad arranged the purchase forGovernm -nt, and Mr D. Williams. The balance paid was £4,500. We have received an interesting communication on this subject, which slmll appear on Saturday.