The Native Meeting.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3191, 12 May 1879, Page 2

The Native Meeting.

Saturday's Proceedings.

[By Telegbaph.]

(FBOM OUB OWX COBBEBPONDENT.)

TE KOPUA.

Via Alexandea, Saturday. All through the after part of the meeting there was a strong desire to make Sir George Grey speak, and after James Thompson had spoken,

Sir George said, some ask me to answer '.' whiao, some ask me to answer Waha-

: li, and some ask me to answer Manga. The answer to Tawhiao has been given by all the chiefs who have spoken. Tawhiao would say that he claimed authority over the people of: the island. The chiefs answered that'; they knjew nothing of him or his claims; Oil behalf of the Europeans he could say that they kuew nothing of, his claims. yVahanul asked with whom the blame of the strife should reit ? His: answeri to that fwns r, let those who were without jsin;;cast line first stone. Manga asked why ttere. TraWj a difference between the conference today and that held at Hikurangl?; - There was, he said, no, difference on our part; he would say the same to day as he did at Hikurangi. If complaints were made o'f^the -conduct of the GoveTnment|" jlet them be made openlyy and they wouldjbe answered. ' ;: ■> ■' ' ■■ ■''■-■'■' ■•^■'•'■') \ Apria,here accused Kew.i of evil,action, a^ertibg that Grey and Itewi^ Were, th^ blood-spillers in Waikato, and that Manga

bad received bribesL ■<;,"; -ii>v ■■<■>* \ ' 'Manga arose,' and in-a iipeepti^ of *|btne length, which was only very imperfectly heard,r took on himself the onus; of the blood-spilling in Waikato, and announced his determination, before the tribes to!go bpk tqtihe, words ofJPfitatau,,, in,., the pi-e*: servatibn of peace'between the races. He indignantly repudiated * the! ideal'of his taking bribes,: ahdi stated that: aothiDg ; was offered to him ; he was going for the "good o£ the people :£Qa&&^xMtfGfep by, or in, his right'hah<i. He had received no Government mosey; the land under his feet was hii , money.. He was anxious- fb provide a-seal for his |bj>y, ? wd- wouidujnotj^rejst until he achieved that object. He (had.'.iipt jlefthis.'sonrnpr I*9 do 10, but to, provide for him ;was?the cause of the action he had' taken. 1 He would work uhtil he diedlto get.a^ealfpr his son. All the other chiefs ;had gone to Grey, and he went also to find a place for !fnt6nd6d' to adhere to him' ,;,;Yourri'WilL i see.. i that , I have;lavoidiid idiomatic forms or speech, 1 ; cbntcfhiing myself irith giving you in'common parlance the meaning of the several speakerk,

and what they sought to convey to their hearers. •>"'•'->>"■•'• '■■':- '■■y-i,-'.-.-';'-}. j Sir.George Grey said before the meetingconcluded, he knew Potatau and ( .his children for many years, and there never \:w;ac*;anyidifferefa^betw3en!lthem.y Ije believed if he. ( had , ruled in the island there never have been any dispute between,,'l^aikato: and":hiiijAel£;.'rjHejjrjj-' garded Tawhiao as hf, his' r :qw|n t child, fiHe knew -all the tihiefs n'aWell as' hedid his own people. Therer was-only, one, thing that bound them altpgether, anjd lhat Jwasioye"ior") tliiv, people", an<i J they

were all. determined to , work ' for the; common good. ~ In the present time ther« jvere two old, meri, Bewif^nd' himself,; diteeminedi (icj \fpik for" thbcommon' good.' 'It {was muttewdjiif} |he corners of houses that Kewi had beeh influenced by the Government to take thb course., he had -taken. „. These-afsertiona | were untrue, as no word of the" kind" had ever passed' between JBewi and himself. He came here to find and see Tawhiao',

and had never listened to any word against him. Any man who said an eril word against him, he would order him 'out of his house. He came here hoping to settle both himself and his people in comfort. He was delighted •to Jiear Tawhiao say that there was to be no more fighting, when he heard that, he felt;that the son was worthy of his father Potatau; and his last words to-night were that he would be first friend to Tawhiao and his people. Those who told him different were not his friends; like Manga and himself, they were their enemies. To themselres these Europeans were enemies to: the country. Who did tkose things P Let all unite in promoting a lasting peacer-let all assist. -* When men like Rewi took- the part 1 he had taken he felt ashamed to hear such words as had been this day spoken against him. The truth was Tawhiao was surrounded by people who wanted,to make money by the purchase and sale of his land, and yet they were striTing^to prevent others from t doing the same thing. I The sun being down the meeting dispersed. Whether any definite arrangement is made-with the KingUes or not Eewi intends having his lands surveyed and leased. Hib defection is such that the natives say; that he cannot go-backA ,