TAUPO.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2564, 26 March 1877, Page 2

TAUPO.

Sunday. The following is a summary of the Hon. Dr. Pollen's reply :—

Friend, Rewi (Manga), and the assembled tribes, —I have listened with attention to all that has been said. Where there are differences of opinion the first thing is a conference. I hope that good will come out of this talk. By a little j concession- on each side good must, come. The possibility of my being able to help rests very much-with, yourselves. There is no reason why I should take one side or the other; my work is to serve the interests of both sides. With reference

: —~— <*, —: ' —: ifiSF to what liewi has Siaid about the KinK boundary, I hold that only those .jof the native race who accede' to it can lie expected to be bound by It. For the. sake of peace and quietness I would be inclined to respect it, but as it has been proved an. unsatisfactory arrangement I say it were better had; it never exited* and rather than it ■.should be the cause of strife it had been better blotted out, but I am not going to touch it. Your ancestral boundary is not a difficult question* It • depends: upon Maori customs, and upon evidence and law which can easily be proved in the Native Lands Court; (The Hon. Native Minister here fully explained the machinery of the Lands Court, aod advised the natives how to.act with regard to their lands.) With reference to roads, I repeat what I said at Cambridge, that, in country covered by Crown grants, the Government will construct roads whereever they think them necessary, but will not make roads throughout native land against the wish of the owners. We will not hesitate to construct roads through the lands of Europeans wherever they are required, for it is not right that one man should stand in the way of many ; but as you do not yet fairly understand our ways, we treat you differently. The Government will not force you to part with your land against your own wishes, for we consider it very necessary that you should retain large reserves for your own purposes. Allusion, has been made to irregular sales made by Waikato. lam seeking the way to remedy this evil* When I find it I will show it to you. I hold that the men have the right to do as they please with their own. I will do all in my power to help you in every way, and shall consider no labor too great if for your good. The promises made to you "By Sir Donald McLean I will fulfil. His iword I will make my word. (The Hon\ the Native Minister spoke at length witjb.'great force, and appeared to give the greatest satisfaction.) Manga then said: "ThisVmy last word; I am troubled because I, am blamed for being a party to the priTate sales that have taken place. I ask tha^tfaia question be left in abeyance until next spring, when I may see more clearly than I now do the way to a peaceful termination." . - Dr Pollen\has left for Napier, and purposes behgpat Wellington on Tuesday.