THE NATIVE MINISTER IN THE WAIKATO.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1026, 4 November 1882, Page 3

THE NATIVE MINISTER IN THE WAIKATO.

The native meeting came off on Tuesday, the'same number of natives attending. Mr Bryce gave Tawhaio a memorandum of

the Government proposals on Monday, to - think over before the meeting took place, so that he should have full time for their consideiation. At two o'clock precisely, Mr Bryce came on the ground. Tawhiao commenced speaking in a metaphorical manner, hampered evidently by his knowledge of the Government proposals. He said he had striven to get nearer the Queen's people by coming to live at Whatiwhatihoe and goiDg to Auckland. So figurative was his speech and intended to avoid any definite meaning, that Major Te Whero, M.HE, had to be consulted as to what it implied rather than expressed. Mr Bryce, in reply, said when Tawhiao was in Auckland he had consulted with • his colleagues as to whether it would not be more expedient for him to go to Auckland, and to state to Tawhaio fully what were his intentions of the Government, but it was decided tha-t as the visit was a friendly one it should be held Vis such, and the business not introduced into it, but he was ready now, as be had been for some time past, to tell Tawhiao and his tribe what the Govern-

ment proposals were. Some inexplicit conversation about the sovereignty then took place, the abandonment of KiDgism being apparently the sole point in dispute. After this conversation Mr Bryce said he would tell the Waikato tribe and the people assembled what the Government proposals were. All he offered must be taken or rejected as a whole, and no opening must be left for any future trouble to arise, ai would be the case under a dual authority. The proposals must be accepted or rejected before he left Alexandra. They could not stand over for an indefinite time, and if they were not accepted he carried them away with him. The sovereignty and all other matters were included in these proposals; the bulk of the unsold confiscated land on the West side of the Waipa river should be returned to Tawhiao and his

tribe ; the section of land Tawhiao asked

for at Kaipara should be given to him ; he would make an appeal to the Maniopoto chieftains to aid the Waikatos with land as they were co-participators in the troubles of the past; the Government would build Tawhiao a house when he pleased, and furnish it tor him, and would give a pension of £4OO a year for life. If the proposals were accepted as to defining 1»3 status and authority by the Government, Tawhiao should he appointed an assessor under the Resident Magistrate's Act, an office never before given except to Europeans. He should be mada an Assessor of the Native Lands Court and a Justice of the Pe:ice for the colony, and Government would advise the Governor to call him to the Legislative Council. Tawhiao then asked for delay, so that the chiefs 3 could eojsider the proposals, and after some conversation, Saturday was fixed as the day for the reply to be given.

Mr Bryce does not know for certain the exact amount of unsold land across the Waipa, but he considers it about 20,000 acres, and that at least 300 of the Waikatos had to be provided for. Tawhiao, after the meeting broke up, went into Alexandra in Mr Bryce's trap.