THE NATIVE MEETING.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1068, 29 April 1879, Page 2

THE NATIVE MEETING.

The •" Herald' publishes the following from what it states to be. authentic sources: — "It is now announaecl that the native meeting will commence on Tuesday next, at Hauwai, Kopua. I need scarcely bell yoa that a great many preliminaries will have to be arranged m the meantime. Ib is beyond ioubb that the natives interested will assemble m council before the arrival of Sir George Grey aud Air Sheehan, bo talk over matter.* generally among themselves when most of the propositions whioh are to be. submitted will be discussed. These details completed, • a special invitation will be issued to both tbe Premier and Native Minister to proceed to Waikato and atten I the meeting. The discussion m refeience to all important matters will be confined exclusively to Sir Georire Grey and liwhiao m public, .ud if, as m ali urobability will he the case, the Lo-ffls to be discussed ac- satisfactory >o both sides; the King and Sir George wi 1 then telegraph an invitation to Si'" Hercules tlobinson, the new Governor, to come up and be present and ratify the whole proceedings. This intelligence, I may tell you, if> authentic, aud no mabter what may be said or.wi-i-ten by croakers or opponeuts of the Government, evei-ythiug points to the satisfactory settlement of tho native question when the meeting of Sir George Grey and tbe native King bakes place. There is very little news communicated by the principal chiefs to outsiders, aud I f<incy even the many wire-pullers will be seriously and sadly disappointed at the favorable results which are to follow to the people of the colony from this great native gathering, and many will have to acknowledge that the prognostication.-} of the nowerlessness of Sir George Grey and Mr Sheehan are not correct. . . .

. . - . Tawhiao and his natives from Hikurangi have taken up their abode at Hauwai. Rewi arrived at Kopua to d .y. He had invited the Premier and Native Minis'er to meet him on the 2ibh at Puniu. Twenty five tons of flour, sugar, anal dried shark, have gone up this week, being the contribution of Tawhiao, Te Ngakau, and the Lower Waikaro natives towards the meeting. I have had long conversations with several chiefs about the Government being present. They say if the Government wishes to come they may. Tbey also say Tawhiao and the Premier understand each o^her. Some of them say they are not pleased with the Premier because he mado the road from Whatawhata to Raglan ; that he promised Tawhioo no roads, railways, or surveys would go on without his (Tawhiao's) consent inthe King country. Others condemn the Premier for holding a meeting with Rewi at Waitara. They think their dignity has been lowered by holding an important meeting with a large section of natives without their sanction. They feel very sore about this.. When told that the Raglan Road is made on Government land, they say, no matter. They looked upon it as theirs, having been pro* mised it, and ib should not have been made without their Consent. However, my opinion is that this meeting is principally for the native tribes to gather together from the Island to hear and speak their minds. you, wiU Timber; *fe gikww^i

Tawhiao said he would have another meeting, and would think over Sir G. Grey's proposals, and it is quite possible that this is not the meeting thatTawhiao thenallnded to, because he said he would meet tbe Premier again. When Tawhiao was asked by the Kingites chiefs was he not going to invite Sir G. Grey, he said " I met Sir George Grey at Whakairoiro, and subsequently at Hikurangi." The raeai.ing I would j take from that is this : After what uas said at Hikurangi, those meetings named were socially for SirG. Grey, and this meetioo; is for the tribes. In a native point of view it would not be right for ihe Premier and Native Minister to attend without being specially invited to attend.