Letters to the Editor. THE HERALD AND THE KAIPIHA CONFERENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 637, 20 June 1876, Page 3

Letters to the Editor. THE HERALD AND THE KAIPIHA CONFERENCE.

Sin, — Tn-a late issue you reprint from Iba Herald a letter purporting to throw more light on the meeting at Knipiha, from tho pen ot Mr Alley. "The absurdity of tho statements made by Mr Alloy must be plain to every one who hai any knowledgeof native matters, or indeed to anyone thut takes an interest in them. For feat, however, that tl>ere might bo ono or two persons ready to believe them, I think it my duty to lay what I can in opposition to that most falio letter. Lot me begin at 'tho beginning. Mr Alley says — ' Instead of receiving the Nativo Minister and hia parly or eondiDgJor them, the King party treated them with the utmost contempt. They presented tho Native Minister, by way of insult, with an unclean animal eallod a pig. They are. well versed in the Old Testament;, henco their cuo to piggy.' And further on he writes— ''Only one old woman shook handi with McLean, iund a more degrading meeting on the part of. a colonial Minister I never heard of.' Tho.£rßt portioaof the ftboreds simply a deliberate lie, ut is alto: the latter part relative to shaking hands. It would have been impossible for any one to hay* been more cordial than were the natives to-Sir Donald McLean, nor wore we and the other members of his,p*rty treated with anything bub attention and kindness. -I distinctly saw the King and all the chiefs ahako Sir Donald's hand moat warmly every separate timo they met ; and unless Mr Alley would insinuate that Tawhiao is an old woman, I am at a, loss to know with what, old woman Sir Donald did shake hands. What a plausible Btory does Mr Alley -make -up about the pig : • They are well versed in the Old Testament, henco their cue to piggy.' I think they are also well versed enough in our customs to know that we do not, like the Jews, regard the pig ns an unclean animal. And further that wo think it excellent food. 'It may bo that lam ignorant, but it seems to me that they can hardly look npon the gift of food which both Maoris and Europeans enjoy, in tk» light of conveying an insult. Mr Alley must cudgel hi» brains for something better than this if lie would be heard, I could dilate upon tho rest of the lett»r, but I have already taken up too much of your space, besides the remainder is- so ridiculous, so uttirly grotesque, that it .needs little comment from anyone. Ono thing, however, I, will mention before I close, and that is the oonduct of a portion of the Opposition Press during the lato negotiations. One instance of their manner -of procedure will suffioo. The correspondent of ono of the Auokland Greyite papers requested another gentleman < (reporter of a GnrerDmont organ) to send a telegram on his behalf to the above paper. -This iras done, and judge of' tut latter's «urpriia when he beheld on the arrival of the paper in Alexandra, the- telegram mutilated and altered so as to change its whole ienor. In faot, a message containing the truth and consequently faTourable to the Government, was by this system made to assume quite an opposition tone. <When I went to Kaipiba I was disposed 1 to beliare that the Grsy party were not altogether as bad at they *roro painted butil know > better now, thanks to the unjournalistio conduct of ont of its organs, and to the impudent falsehoods 6f Mr Alley.— i nm, \&o, .Youb Spboui. 0QRBB8BlfBa»T JLT KIIPIHA.