LATEST FROM TE KOPUA.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3188, 8 May 1879, Page 2

LATEST FROM TE KOPUA.

[Bt- Temsgeaph.]

(FEOMptril OWNCpBBESPONDENT.)

Alexander Last Night.

: The meeting commenced about 12.30,, the Premier irid'-Native Minister having received • -an, .invitation .to attend • frpin Eewi. = :The 3 . meeting was,; held at s the King's camp, where the people were assembled in a circle to receive the, Minis-

'fieri and their party. The Ministers we^o followed by the Ngapuhi, and a number of'Europeans:;and- jNatites-^some '*' two hundred in number. I : isay that .there;were v yjabpu,t[f2sQQ people ,on the ground; nearly all men; < After the arrival ai pause ensued/ waiting,the arrival of the King, who came r tfirough a line of men to j*;place .reserved; forhim, and; followed bjy a body guard of some hundred 5 and fifty armed men. The Premier, with the Native Minister on his right, and Mr Grace on his left, Were nearly facing the Jang and , party, iwith 1 his ' European and Maori- following behind,' him; The King was clad' in a white sheet with feathers in his hair.' He is a thin, self-contained man, not conspicuous for ability, giving one the opinion of being: a political puppet in the hands of abler , men. Te Wahani, a portly man of the Wolsey type, followed on his lef£ and presented a more imposing form than the monarch himself. All the guard wore white feathers in their hair, and • their garbs were as miscellaneous as their countenances and the charaqler of their weapons. Te Ngakau, the ablest' men perhaps in the Waikato, walked in' front, clad iri a shirt and jacket, and a shawl reminding one of a game bag around his loins, the dress costume he wore when he honored us with his presence ,at dinner yesterday. After the King had 7 aat down with his more immediate followers his body guard defiled to' the right and leit. I counted them- as they defiled, and there were not more than 160. I hear from unimpeachable .sources that the Kingites have little or no powder.) Then commenced a Hauhau rarakari or prayer, and in the meantime Te JNgakau was busy taking notes. After prayers the body guard sat down; then ensued another' pause, and looking around I saw that the people assembled were nearly all males. I should think there were quite 2000 men. Then the King stood up and looked around in silence on the people, his gaze dwelling on the various tribes as they passed in renew before his vision, There was no hesitation in, his utterance, but much iteration after the Maori fashion. He was perfectly self-possessed, his countenance betraying no mobi'ity, and his utterances scarce any modulation.

Tawhiao's Speech. He said :—" Listen all you chiefs, lend my tribes here assembled, to what I have to say .'—This is my utterance for you all. £am the Rangatira of all the tribes. All this land belonged to Potatou. I now am the owner, and Manga'(Re wi; comes next. . The land is in my hand to do as I like -with it. The pakeha has nothing to do with this land, and nothing to say about it. I want no fighting in this Island for road-making, or any other! cause. I want no mere wars in Waikato. Send yonr fighting elsewhere; I do, not want them here. The road matters must be sent away, but there is no reason why there should be any strife. Why should another party, interfere with my lands ? If you want roads made, make them orer and through your own country." , Thencommenced prayers again from the Ngatihaua, who were on the King's left-hand in the rear. Te Whanui arose and iaid— The words

that hare been uttered are all that shall be said tfiis day/ The tribes here assembled must now consider and determine what is to be done.

Marsh, of Tauranga, then gave a warata, or song.

Te Heuheu, of Taupb, said that he would think over the words of Tawhiao.

v Major Kemp said he was a Government man, and did not come here to hear prayers. His Bishop had not said a word. He had nothing more to say. ] TeWheoro said if the people, though i strangers, liked to talks, they could do ' so, but his people would not talk to day. Te Ngakau said if there were talking to be done, he had much to say." '

At a signal from TeWheoro the meet ing broke up. ? " ; \