Opening the King Country.

Patea Mail, 17 May 1882, Page 3

Opening the King Country.

King Tawhaio has made his expected speech at the reads r (as translated)’ like va Madri enigma. There is a certain- clumsiness in expressing Maori ideas by equivalent English words. Each language'has its idiomatic raciness, and a free, transla-; tidn is needed to fender the essence of Maori speech by English language. The equivalent word so rarely gives the equivalent sense.--We gather Tawhaio’s: meaning -tn be this. He wants to abandon the.policy of isolation ; , but in; doing so he does hot want the Natives to claim individual liberty to make ; bargains, with whites for selling- or leasing land; ‘ He sees and feels the strong inclination of individual- Maoris and tribes to -get money for their land,and he as King must either control’this; land-selling movement or it will control hifn: He therefore tries to temporise, to run with the hare and; hunt with the hounds.

One idea pervades his speech, and it; may bh freely Translated thus :—-You; want to sell your lands—good ! But wait 'a bit. Let me manage the selling; for you. It will all come right if you don’t hurry, and don’t make private bargains. - Let the - Land Courts wait till I come to them then: they can settle the titles. Let "the gold: in our country wait till I have seen it : then we: can; holla share ; the profit. Don’t you open the gold country by selling or leasing land without my consent. Mokan and Kawhia belong to me ; they shall be opened, but .1 will settle the money payment. This is my word.

Beading the King’s speech in. this light, itpfpmises an early opening of the King Country to European settlement. Tawhaio has no trouble with dr jealousy of the whites; ' His trouble is .to manage his own people.