The Parihaka Meeting.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4743, 20 March 1884, Page 2

The Parihaka Meeting.

OptjnakE) Tuesday.

Yesterday wag a? great feast day at Parihaka. About 1000 natives and 100 Europeans were present. Te Whiti entertained the pakehas and Tohu the Maoris. Te Whiti, was nicely dressed, and proved a most attentive host, having table cloths, cruet stands, knives, forks, spoons, and everything in regular European fashion. A. sirloin of beef, shoulder of mutton, fowls, plum puddings, blancmanges, almonds and raisins, and various wines, beer, &c, composed the dinner, to which Te Whiti welcomed all the pakehas — men, women, and children. On the marae, where Te Whiti and Tohu formerly harangued the multitude, a large crowd of Maoris sat down to a repast, Tohu going up and down and seeing everything was right. Each man and woman was served with a cup and saucer, breed and butter being brought in on large trays, and served out by waiters attired gaily in worked aprons, and with towels slung across their shoulders in orthodox fashion. There was a procession of about twenty women dressed in European clothes. For the privilege of exhibiting their figures and dresses they had to contribute some silver as they entered Te Whiti's house, but to what the purchase money was devoted did not transpire. Tobu, who was dressed in European costume, addressed a few words to them, denouncing extravagance in dress, one of the women replying. There appeared a general tendency towards European ways and customs, so different from two or three years ago, when all the natives who came to Parihaka at once assumed the Maori blanket or nut. Yesterday, on the contrary, most of the men were smartly dress i in European costume, and many of the women also, especially those belonging to the younger generation. Although Tohu served out grog to all the natives, no drunkenness and no disorder of any kind was to be seen. Everything was scrupulously clean so far as the food was concerned, and the pa was much cle ,ncr than it used to be. it is anticipated that the pakehas will invite the Maoris 'o partake of an entertainment. A public meeting is talk, d I of to petition for the right of Maoris to use the public highway like other people.