PAORA TUHAERE AT TE KUITI.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 177, 26 June 1873, Page 2

PAORA TUHAERE AT TE KUITI.

We extract tbo following from a long account of, Paora's visit from the D S Crosi • - In tho discussions wluqli took place between them Paul made a point of telling Tawhmo and Manuwlnri the- impressions made upon the minds of the Europeans, arid, so far as ho knew, upon the Government, that Tawhiao was tho author, the instigator, and the supporter of the murders since that •pecies of outrage became common, — including that of Todd, down to that of Sullivan. Paul distinctly wished Tawlnao and Man u whin to know this, lie then related to them fcbe storj of tho lizard being swallowed by Purukutu, and that thereafter he felt constrained to murder some European. He also told them of the order said to have been issued by Tawhiao, convoyed under tlie guise of the sbory of the mantis (ro) being found upon a tnte, that the Maoris were to pick it off; but if they found a reptile crossing the road that the Maori,s wero to. kill it ; and that the reptile in this case meant Sullivan, who wa9 murdered, and that therefore Tawhiao was tho instigator of Sullivan's murder. Paul informed him of these and other things, and that the impression upon the public mind was that these murders had been deliberately carried out according to Tawhiao's designs, and that those murders were the offspring of Tawhiao's and Manuwhiri's deliberations. He also told Manuwhiri that, so far as he wa9 able to learn, what the public <vnd the G-overnment desired was that the murderers should be given up to be dealt with by tho law — the same law which had been made for the white and black alikfl-r-the same law which Panl himself acknowledged as the law of the land ; and that, in the event of refusal, there might bo war, involving serious conse*quences, but which would rest with kherasetve* should they determine not to give up the murderers. Tawlnao said those charges had been made to him before, and ho would not dony thorn. Manuwhiri said, as for tho murder|of Sullivan having becu instigated by him , it was done wijthout his knowledge ; and he considered that Sullivan's murder was done by Purukulu in defence of Ins rights to his own property — to his own land, which was being occupied by Europeans against his wish,and in.den'ancc oJ repeated warnings which he had given; and he faded to sco that Purukutu had done wrong in asserting Ins right to the land in the manner he had done. As to the surrender of tbo murderers Manuwhiri said their mmd» were made up on that subject — they would not be given up. They had beon invited to como to To Kuiti, and it was intended that .there they should remain m peace. The flaubaus, Tawhiao's people had no intention of provoking a war, and they did not want to fight. He was quite sure there would be no fighting between the Maoris and Europeans. After the murder of Sullivan his mind was troub'ed as to what tho future would be, and ho hnd consulted his tohanga, and it had been nude quite plain to him, in a vision that no fighting would arise out of the present diUJeuHj . At first his people were troubled about the. murder, and most of them had nearly deserted his cause, so that ho was lelt almost alone. But when he had made known the results of tho usiuii, and that there would bo no war, his trouble left him : he felt porfectly safe, and many of his people had returned to their aUegianco. Ho repeated that he was strong in the belief that thero would bo no lighting, nor did ho think that the pakeha would make the murder tho cause of a great war. Panl replied by asking, if they desired war, why did they not come to it openly, and have an open day warfare ? If they wanted war they ah'oiuW have proclaimed * state of war, io

the Euaopeans mi^ht know what they were about, but, instead of that, they chose to knock dovm an innocent man. Had they chosen an open day war they might hare- got people to sympathise with them. . Mami whirt replied by saying that there was no occasion for war. They had already done what they intended — a r'ml! >n^> ha-l boon nvi<le, Imil Hu>\ did nut intend to provoke \u\ fuiir-or hu t lit*, firikiitu h>id bi> n invited t> fcike Mi |u>-.ition >it t/ie Kuiti, and they intended to support him fch'n> I* ml said lie sliould like to ask Manuwhiri' 3 views under the following circumstances: — If rst If you refuse to give up the murderer (now that PuruLutu is at the Kmti under your control), and if the Europeans are determined to pursuo him and arrest him at the how would you act? Manuwhiri replied : Tliore is no fear of war on that account ; neither will Purukutu be followed to the Kuiti. Second : If an aukati or a line of division between the Europeans and natives be drawn, and neither Europeans nor natives be allowed to cross it from either side, what would be your opinion then ? Manuwhiri replied : It would gire me little or no concern. I do not think it very likely, however. Third : If the harbor of Kawhia were taken possession of by a man-of-war, and occupied so as to prevent your getting ony supplies from the sea, such as fish, &c, what would you say then ? Manuwhiri said : In that case it would give me much trouble ; and that would probably bo at once a caußC of bringing on a war, bocauso m that case white people would bo trespassing on Maori lands. The opinion of Manuwhiri, Paul said, was supported by all the others who were present at the time. Manawhiri had anticipated some such thing as that, and stated that lie had sent word to the Hon Mr McLean not to allow the Luna to como again into the harbour, so that Bhe might pave the way for other vessels coming |m. Those were the three chief points Paul submitted to Manuwliiri, and those were the answers given to them, and ho believed it was their united intention to give effect to the opinions expressed in the event of Kawhia harbor being taken possession of.