NATIVE MEETING IN HAWKE'S BAY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 286, 24 July 1873, Page 6

NATIVE MEETING IN HAWKE'S BAY.

The Hawhe's Bay Herald states that the following are amongst the resolutions proposed by Henare Matua, at a recent Waimarama meeting, and passed :— " Religion. — All pay more attention to this than they have lately. That Natives cease to fight against each other, whether on European side or not. All should cease to shed blood. That no more disputes about land should arise. The chiefs in Crown grants should cease to exercise unfair power over their hapus. That all tribes, chiefs, and committee with seventy or eighty Maoris to be members of Parliament, instead of a few who now attend. The chiefs and committee bring the confiscated lands before Parliament, for them to decide whether to return it or not. All tribes, chiefs, and committee object to million loan, which has to be paid for by both races. All chiefs, tribes, and committee write to ask Parliament to pass a new Native Lands Act. That Parliament be requested to destroy Native Lands Act, Crown grants, leases, &c. All unite in overthrowing Government and their servants when acting wrong. All carry these resolutions to Parliament. All request Parliament to ignore all disputed signatures. A ll tribes, &c, to have a say in remaining lands." Perhaps the most significant observation made in reference to these resolutions was from Htta Matua, the younger brother and right hand man of Henare Matua. He said :—": — " These resolutions have come from tbe sea and the clouds, not from the valleys, hills, and cliffs of this Island. They were made by Europeans, who when they wish, will find some means of putting them aside." At the close of the meeting, a collection was made for the lawyer : about Ll3O wa3 raised. Karaitiana and Renta have already subscribed L2OO between them. Some difficulty was felt as to how the balance should be raised, hence Henare Matua coolly suggested that the Government should join and subscribe i.IOO. Another Native interposed that perhaps the Government would require all their moneys to defend themselves in the cases to be brought against them. Old Harawira, and one or two other gentlemen were much exercised about " the million loan," as they called it, for which " New Zealand had been mortgaged," and without their consent. One of them, named Mori Te Aunga, objected to it very decidedly, "because,' he said, "if it were not paid back* New Zealand would be taken as payment, and if that were not sufficient, then his horses and cattle would be taken as well." This is the sort of political instruction that the Natives get from the precious European advisers to whom they have betaken themselves.