NEW PLYMOUTH.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3352, 19 September 1879, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH.

Last night. Bush now being felled on the south side of the Stratford is all on fire.

Another Native Meeting;.

The Paribaka meeting was commenced yesterday at which there was a large gathering of natives. The Hob. Wi Parata was among the visitors present. The usual preparations for a feait have been made, and after 2000 pannikins were served out it was estimated that about 300 more were required.

Te Whiti gave a speech which lasted three hours, and quoted largely from the Bible. Indeed, his speech was nearly made up of Scripture phrases. la alluding to the prisoners at Wellington he said that they would not be released until he released them by the power of spirit. If the gates of the prison were thrown open, the prisoners would not leave until he told them. He said there would soon be uninterrupted peace between the two races, the pakeha and the Maori, and that ail would own him as their Lord. His speech was simply a repetition of previous utterances, but one time during its delivery he made a mysterious allusion which, is not yet understood. He placed a stone on the roof of the whare, and put forth a parable in reference to it, bo mysterious in its nature however, as to be entirely beyond the comprehension of the natives themselves. He will possibly explain the parable before the meeting breaks up. The meeting was to be continued to-day, and most of the visitors remained at Parihaka to be present. There were 15 Europeans among the visitors at the meeting.

Tohu, the prophet, did not speak yesterday, but he will most likely address the meeting today.