The Native Meeting.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3192, 13 May 1879, Page 2

The Native Meeting.

Yesterday's Proceedings.

[Bt Telegraph.]

(fhoji ovn own courespondent.)

Sir George Grey's Address.

Ngakau inclined to Treat f^

Terms.

TE KOPUA

Via Alexander., Last Night,

The meeting commenced to-day abor: 10.20, underneath a cloudless sky. The was a sensible decrease in numbc present. The King's body guard filed "^ 100 strong, and prayers' were said befc ~. Ijihe Ministerial party arrived. The roeo ing was held in the same p]i»ee as on Frida '•'. close to the Ministerial quarters. Tawhi?; o came afterwards wififc4.about a dozen with guns, and some half score other followers. A chief stood up and told the Waikatos that they had said little hitherto, and that; they, were>to continue in- the same course of action, so that they could learn truth, and hear, and not speak. jWhanonga, the King's Major, told the people they were to keep silence, as only Wabanui and Ngakau were to answer the Government side this day. . Wahanui addressed the people, saying ithuy had heard what had been said from day to day. He went on in the same manner about tying their interests to the post, and wanted the people to understand what was done ; or that good may result from the meeting. He referred back to where the debatejrasleft offi and then sat down. After a few words from Ngakau, -who declared he did not care about Grey or. Tawhiao, but only wanted to clear himself from blame. He wanted his conduct to-be judged. There may be good with the pakeha, ( and good with the Maori, but who was"!to Ijudfli'e between 'theni4 IHe wanted to know^tlie 1 position of vGrey a*nd the King; to know where they were standing. He wanted to know what separates the people. :■ ' Paora failed to understand any difficulty, or what f^hi^: really t me;ant. Te told tLceiJame. story" over again about his not being to blame. He wanted nothing kept back. (Wanted to know i what, were the promises he-would -makeover tp. c.omj2 jn ufldet 1 the Queen with th» other*) l v:i rf V'j /,. d ..1 .:h • ; IPetera, of Rotorjiai];Bpoke,;for|his own people, and answered IV i^gakau" The rekson. Ijhejr,;We?e,wrong,was becausej thejjyy did. no,t v lie, -fthe ; tribes, knowing of .the King making,; some knew, some did not,, When f Potatau stood and : walked,! they knewabouihim and his words. Whan '■■ he died they commenced to do wrong.* Wjhen the wrong was done they threw" the onus on: ;all! [the tribes, and that' wisj the second wrongii'lThiis 1 Stf. the reason why the division took; place. .Sorae obeyed,the: call, to arms ; others did cot. He was not talking about one side more than another, because all had men and. land eaten. Take hold/of : Grey >an% Sheehan, he said, and not drive them aflfay.; Wahanui was right when hel said;; 3 take the^ question quickly;l; Grey wot'itl" doja?lot pf-good, for!Tawhiao. ;' ;rl'e jNga'f kau asked' how he thould ■ get' iti ag'a^ni-' Petera told him if he came.in he wo^d' not be wrong., 'The'.rpad "is. clear; nc%^ ing will nßrm you. V',. ■'; ■'' ."_ ', ; ',■- ri -'' Te rrgakau agaiii wantei the, ( ,'fu.;w,' shown ", andjbey,told! what,was,right,,^jd' then he could cleave to Gr,ey. r ,He,lu>fli noit said all :ie ;thpught/-buti hef^arii^i everything clear,, (.(He. ;wanted itheiieß*** ;dition»laid;down, and thatothey-shd & be permanent! and (continuous before 1 hi*; returnl and the people 1 to<theiQueenv)' %>? ".'! Petera*>Baid that he had nothing fS^ ■with the conditions, that was a matter iff the Government; 1 but he thought it wi«e to commence ; with small things, and larger things; would -follow. ; He wished 'to/awe't youNgakau, and Wahanui, and-Grtr i&^o-the house'arid talk together by JOWC'' "■Selves:-'''-''^-- 1- f"!" w-'M rvwt'J ;"i ; ;^.( ,%)?■ , Wahanui isaijin there. #aS?^ *fbngs&: making' a' 'cVmtee^cdm'ent^flna'Me^th^n,' "Kej foKme^^ij^d/'^e^p^opiey'werd^r afcaid," to 'v'say',' wtc|' were, wrbbji/'.^ecaji^ ; they^bja.ld incuif Gpvje^nment disple»sy>'rje,. • He ' claimed auihprity;6v;ejr. the jNJga|>pi>hi lari4?Jfor.;■;',tie : Kingr ,In ;answe,r n> t<!j .a--speßch : of ,<the,'JNTgapuhi, on; JPriiiff ,;jie wantedißOjmore.iwar, :■■■■■ -\ .•.,.■;; .-ijl ,^m\; ■- Petera told him that he had np wish) to be other thanta mediator > between tHeml* For Himself/theyi were going 46 place his 1 i land under* Gover'nnient" cusi;oidyv!rlHe' had received pid, money'for suppprting the Govern 'rAenp,: llai?d' VLl^gal£att v'Kad ls'!M^iin; !"stated;r^h;at;;ie,-'liad u a :wor3';df!:hiß; o^n 1' whicb:|'; jlie; 1' woiild-^": kebp: ; ,',;fii3dfe«f iJftWd" presf rreji. '''^ei'jth'erefpi^r^id'^^care jto," be|straighf butiideways.; f^ J. o '^"l fr Mangonui said there'were two'piMfs,'' ;pne : postj;here,D andf) another, at';^f^ J^apnhi»rwJ)at : ia,,|;he ,^aia«]of ithej f poit,, herej?(r:. ! ..', s .'(ov ru.;/.). !■??« auW ; :,ti .-.S t s£ ,M Ngakau said you have the rope »tonnd itns neckv. A debate then ensued betweeh ■ the two about some-letter that Honoki sent then¥i many years/since, all utterly {trivial. ' .'iy'aty,3, j',^>i>ri:s 7/.-io:\C''i ;.?Mohi of Ngapuhi said four Waikatos cut the r ( qpe,that .bauj^d ,us, T by T war. „A> , marriage ' having' taken place 'between the tribes, and this was; the,rope that JSTgakau complained of Was still round his neck. •*■ ••'- ■■' :; .' '■ is '••'■■'• !i i.

Tauri asserted tha,t tlie rppe mentioned not tEe one isevered/ but one Bytvfeep the two races, for wHen Ttwiatl l /^ka wanted to/.fijjlit'Vgains't '.the'''^aikatps| Grey told him that Ms/Grey's, -arm ;waa covered with hair, meaning ttat ithere were Europeans enough to dptbefighting without tribe being set .against tribe* Ngapuhi wanted Grey - and Tawhiao; to talk together or he would go away, there W.ai no use'in staying: ;- „ Ngakau said he was of the same opinion, did not expect days proceedings. Jfe only wanted (o know his faults'/an'^thiitf were 5 not told him. (Meaning if he r ir^re charged from blame,' why did'the Govef-n----ment confiscate, his land ?) . . 's f Mete Kingi, son of WhangWif > id the reason'why yoii should jbintfis^ v;u 5 hav-e few men and little land left, a ' a

tfgakau asked who ;xaade the ]. d small and the people fewer. JDngi said, he w,as a small man, at you know best what to do. „,:.:

Ngakau said he had not gone into vhia. matter, but as it had been brought up let theiquegtion be. answered. ''■■.■:. : -,' ; '.,-■ i.i',Then ensued some finaktalt andi anjournmeni for lunch at 1.15.

'-■ THE AFTEBNOON MEETING,

; The meeting're-asgenibled at 4 p.mii when prayers were again recited, in which a female was. one of the leaders." ' "

Te Wheoro said that the Government side had nothing more to say than what

had been already said. If the other side hadjanything tP' laayhlet them speak out, and*-what they wanted. His side had done talking, and nothing more can be said, if they talked for a week. If wrong has been done, say by whom, and let the talk be finished.

Ngakau said Wheoro was right. What Grey said the other day about casting the stone was right, but they had been all blamed on his side. If they were wrong, how could they come ? If they were not to blame they could come over at once, Tawhiao cannot throw the first stone, because he is in fault, it is said. It is useless putting food before a man to fill him ; he can look at it, and remain' hungry, but to; be filled he-must eat, (meaning that C'rey had not put the food in the way to be eaten).

Te Wheoro again urged them to state what ..they wanted, when Ngakau repeated his story. Here followed a long pause, the parties having apparently talked themselves out, thj»jillß'orii;iflTidsntly waiting for Grey 6* Sheehan to spetk. ; „,,.,,,.., a. Sir George.Grey then rose and spoke at considerable' length. " His Speech'may Be summarised as follows :—He had heard; muifniurings since he h^ b^en Tiero^but no open ut'tbranbe;',' T,He, bffers he made atj^i^lirarigi-Ke made,as a Servant of t]U people'. ■' The,'payment ';he! ( \K.ad':'receiyeil'', fo|fethi| service was that he had much! infljraVence, discomfort 'and annoyance 1,5 Half health had been hurt in so doing. JB||b.ad no power to go back from his offers or break them. There were three alleged complaints—lst'ii The making!of' the road to: Raglan. That road had not been .through confiscated land, but throngh land which the Government had acquired' bj^ purchase, and it was for the cpn^e-, nie^ce, pf, both races. There was^o breach of agreement on that subject. The next wai the sale of some sections.at Harapip*. These sections, about,whi£h complaint had been made, were used,as: an. endowment for a school for all the people!; sections were included,^ the previous offer to, Tawhiao. He-bad taken care to inform himself what were the promises of the .previous Government before heiventto' Hikurangu>!Ttfetalfcrat Hikurangi was this, if you accepted the prjomisfes^ all tWunsbld confiscate'd^laM' 1 oni theiwest bank of * the Waipa,UßK6uld l be given back. He had also offered what had (m«f?r 7 been* pfferedgthem ib.efprg,T sekions in the towns^ jpf jthe Waikato. -The third cause or complaint was that money~*had been ATrangedfor, and would bej provided tp^ake a.railroad t-> Mpkau ; but then provision was made only when the people were agreeable that the road ißhH<i^b£ fyiorfcfflnm 'vmader» Uflder the .belief i that] it was., -for. thb^good of; al^.^JH©' ppint^d Hl !put= . th^ipwiitabiUtyjDpft „t imu• >Japd^,■ffor.j making a line of railroad, and the richer that would > accrue to the people^ from' oppning 1^ the land and 1 deVlloptfig^iW Mineral resources. He asked i whether thpy were blind to the advantages accruing ftfbttf: such: "action? and w.hether' tEeV \ would 5 tie 'led; by a lfe¥people, wild'wW .makinfthbiey 'bu^t'oosf s ,iKe nbiilk'"bf'*P' pep^lel'wHo We're'ign'orant: 'He «rofilft^t persuade th^ tl^ aJI^W] M I d9,ns|ru._ptton. Tile offers He made at Hikurangi were ; «ny Ha, shpuid wait to^lQpa^j^Ojinojrjow, and they should decide in the .meantime whether they; would- accept. them; or. ynot;;. and if i by.s that rtime tthi»y did.Mnot<decide|(jn ,j;a^re acceptance they—would be withT:h]^jjhpjttld £^fiem^ : ,ber that, any future arrangements, would have to be qua new jUnaersUpding,; on a 1 dif^ent^a^i, land iip|| ( ijihaij; -^arprp^we^jr . At,Hj jejjor »^f fifty. If j.tj&ey didftot aseieptilie | ;>P^fWse8 f Uh;e^^wld,;it^fi^^n;wf«^ <jonsider: T; himi their friend,i*n4ih,ewp»|d i dbi what b© could lo"!helpi tUe«»i ittjany | time. The Ministerial party then went !lWajr ti^ipßffli.OKOO'.'jA-iiT.jmfrpwA opm Te Ngakau wanted to raddreii the meeting,biit the peoplediip^rwd. '-;.-'