NATIVE MEETING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 136, 17 February 1874, Page 2

NATIVE MEETING.

On Saturday last, His Honor the Superintendent and party, drove out to Pakirikiri. A large assemblage of Natives (about 300) met His Honor, and cordially welcomed him to Poverty Bay. The following address, and the Superintendent’s reply—both of which have been obligingly furnished to us by Mr. Woon —constituted the business of the day, although a deal of conversation subsequently took place on tbe several matters mentioned in the address, which ran as follow :— To John Williamson, Esq., Superintendent of this Province. This is the greeting of these tribes to you and to your native friends. Salutations' Welcome here to see into the sufferings of the people of this place. We will tell you them that you may listen to the complaints of Rongowhakaita, of Te Aitanga-o-Mahaki • and Ngaitahupo : — 1. The sales of lands which commenced in the year 1869 —The sales are not clear 2. The mortgages.—We do not understand those transactions. 3. The leases.—Will you put them straight ? 4. The Road Boards.—Abolish them. 5. The Maori lands that have not yet been Crown Granted.—Stop the erection of fences and houses on them. 6. In the case of deceased grantees.—Let reSo^ tereßt deßCOnd to surviving 7. Let your administration of the laws on this side of the province be clear 8. Give, ua some money for the improve-

ment of our roads. 9. The confiscated lands. To Rutknb and Chiefs and People op the Poverty Bay Tribes. My Friends, Salutations to you, — On behalf of myself and of my friends who have come with me from Auckland I greet you. I thank you for the cordial welcome you have just given us. It is very kind of you to come here in such large numbers to attend this meeting. I have your address and listened to your statements with attention. There are several matters referred to therein which are very properly stated for my consideration, and which I trust to be able to alter and improve so as to meet your wishes and the wishes of your European friends and neighbours in this great district; there are others which can only be made straight by yourselves, and by the Governor. Such things as come within my own power to amend, I shall attend to; but you must bring the other complaints under your friend Mr. M'Lean’s notice, who will, I am sure, do all in his power to remedy your grievances where he thinks you are aggrieved. I need not remind you of the cause of many of your complaints. Not very many years ago you were going on well, and you had a large trade with Auckland, you had your own vessels on the Coast in which you conveyed to the port of Auckland your own grown wheat and other produce. But darkness suddenly overshadowed you, and you were scattered in the deep gloom of that terrible time, and your European friends who had settled down beside you were obliged to fly for safety to other places. lam very glad to see that the light of day is again shining upon you, and that bright prospects are opening before you and your children. You have been greatly discouraged by the evil deeds of bad men ; but now you have been encouraged by the Queen to return to your places and resume your industry. You must not allow yourselves to be cast down by the past occurrences. Be active again in your works of industry. Till the ground ; it is rich, and will readily yield food for yourselves and your children and leave plenty over and above that for sale to Europeans. Let schools for instruction of your children be again established near your dwelling places, and assist your European friends who have confidence in your land, and who are settling in large numbers in your district, without any fear of a repetition of the dark deeds of the bad men who have passed away from amongst you. These are my words of advice which I am sure will not be disregarded by you. Enough from your friend. J. Williamson, Superintendent. Pakirikiri, 14th Feb., 1874.