A Trip to Whakatiwai:

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1760, 24 August 1874, Page 2

A Trip to Whakatiwai:

By a Law-breaker. — <>'"•—t—Like many others in the world I must admit that I am not always within the? limits of the: law, and as an instance of my wickedness I took advantage of the temptation offered by theowners of the new steamer Hauraki to visit the great council place of the tribes of Hauraki—a place which I fancy will be anything but venerated by the representatives of the noble savage fifty years hence, for near the old graveyard at Whakatiwai the great "land league " was broken and the lands of the tribes sold for pakeha gold. The steamer a little after 10 o'clock left the Tararu wharf (with a good many of my class aboard, some even for the purpose having come from Auckland) with a course: nearly straight across the gulf. The day was anything but the most favor? able-looking, and promised, with the wind then blowing, the prospect of not being able to get ashore on the opposite "side where a surf lines the shore. The boat, on her almost trial trip, .proved herself able to do her work well, for in less than an hour and a half we were lying off the shore, close by which were the canvass tents of the assembled tribes. The Hauraki, if placed on the Thames trade, will become a favorite, for her accommodation is very good; her large saloon, very tastily fitted upi; is capable of accommodating more than the average number of passengers travelling to,and, freni Auckland. The :cargo-carryiug capacities of the boat seem am^le, and her engines are powerful enough to send; her? through the water at the rate of nine or ten miles an hour; aHer engines, manufactured in Auckland, are of' 64 horse-power, nominal f though of actual, power, equal to, 104, and. on yesterday were working with only _5 lbs of steam, though the boilers will carry, a presiure of 75 lbs. After a little work —everything being new—a much greater speed will be obtained. We cast anchor a good distance from the shore, and as soon as the boats were lowered a scramble took place as to who should get in first. The surf wast rolling in pretty roughly, and the landing of the first boat's cargo was watched with interest. • i The .noble savages were seen in numbers, splashing i through the with, to say the- : least, as little clothing as was necessary; and the unfortunate breakers 1 of the sabbath were taken by force on their shoulders and carried to dry land. tJf course .all (who ■ were \ green enough- paid the shilling, but half the amount was taken with thankfulness. Some who were anxious to assist their bearers on. leaving the gunwale of the boat, -gave what boys would call a "kick-off," and" not unfrequently found themslves "kick-;; ing off " the natives, but under water. Those who submitted to their fate, and took it quietly, as we all should take what rater, allows] us in itliia world* got the best off in the? ehdi vAsa former contributor to your columns described the appearance of those surf waders, by stating that half a shirt would clothe half a dozen noble forms, I will say no more on tho subject. On the shore we weia recognised by a aumber of our acquaintances who, intent on business—the acquisition of land or kahakatea—had "been in attendance on the council of the tribes. By these we were shown the place and its lions. We entered the talk? ing ground by the road upon which Karauna and his people had selected, and. from which Mackay summarily ejected them. Close by this entrance road Mr. Adlam has erected his place of business; and besides being a great acquisition to the place, has no doubt managed, to profit by|the meeting. In his store

you*:an provide yourself with every crea* turc comfort. After payinjj'our respects to the-famous Mary Jteru, we met the king of them all (Mr. Mackay), and from him we learned the result of the gathering, and got the correct tip. It hag been • well-known fact that th« General Government through Mr. Mackay has. paid these last two or three yean sums of money ns part payment upon lh« blocks of land lying between Cape Colville and the Aroha Mountain; and-it is also well known that Te Hira and several of the older ehfefs/^entered into a league not to dispose of thoir lands to Europeans; but the- Government finding ninny of the natives, principally the younger members of the tribes,-willing to take money on their^ lands, although at the same time professing for several reasons their adherence to the league, hare advanced the money spoken of, and have thus established a claim to these lands! The natives when individually accused of having taken this money always denied it, but at the present meeting Mr. Mackay had so far the whole of them in the same boat —pointed but to them the fact that their best plan was at once to sell the land to the Government; although many of the old chiefs, principally Te HirtfUhad not taken money upon, such pieces of land as they individually possessed, they found that over the tribal lands the Government held liens; and seeing their inability to prevent the Government in time from possessing the land, have determined to withdraw their objections and submifcthe final settlement of the matter 3 of price and mode of payment to Mr. Mackay and two influential chiefs. This course will be adopted at a meeting of the Ngatitamatera, which in a few. months will be held at Ohinemuri.' From the remarks of such of the natives as we heard, our impression is, that they cannot help admitting that Mr. Mackay is more than a match for them all. :; And there cannot be any doubt but hisi task has been on* that very few men in the island would undertake. The natives are leaving Whakatiwai now that so much is settled, and within a wetk very few will remain. After enjoying a very good dinner we thought of home and had again to betake to the boats througk the surf. The Hauraki landed us again at 5 o'clock on the Tararu Wharf; so ended our trip to Whakatiwai on a Sunday excursion.