THE GREAT NATIVE MEET ING.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1073, 10 May 1879, Page 2

THE GREAT NATIVE MEET ING.

FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.

KOPUA, Friday, 9.30 At 8 . o'clock, the King s bugle was heard, summoning his faithful followers together ." At daybreak, Te Kooti ehanted prayers for the good guidance of their deliberations, and he twice repeated the ceremony last night. There was very little sleep in the camp. All -through the night, danoing and singing were kept up, and hide and seek of a peculiar character rendered sleep almost impossible. At 9 o'clook, Wahanui had been on the ground twenty minutes, and word was brought that we were required.* I left immediately, and arrived first upon the scene. On my arrival, at the scene of aotion, fully 2,000 were present. To-day, there were no women, as usual. They sat in a close column, about 100 in length, and 20 in depth, backed by the guard, armed. At 9.45, Sir, George Grey and party arrived upon the scene. Tawhiao was not present. Topia said, lam going to follow on the talk of yesterday. The words, the day before yesterday, were Tawhiao's, and were replied to. < Now, I am come to continue/ Settle what was said at; Hikuranga. I am one of the persons mentioned. I have to say, that we should consider. Grey said, at Hikurangi, you are to conduct your affairs. in' this district. The chief tanship, the knowledge and,profit. This is the bag in which all these things are placed, sales leases railways— but torday Grey says you are to manage the affairs of your own district. Leasing, sales, teligraphs, all these things were in the bag. Well now I have taken theso-thinga ' from the bag, and lscatterthemtothefour winds. Every man now' is to oonsider what has tobe done with them. *■ Wahanui, I shall! speak clearly to the hauhaus.. Here he quoted scripture largely. There are two words for the hauhaus to consider. This I shall speak openly. Hokomai's canoe is tainui, he his looking for a place to tie it to. If he finds it he will tie it. The post to which tainui is to be tied is alive. The war was not mine. I am not the cause of the war or the consultation when the treatry of Waitangi was made. The war was commenced at Waitara, but where' was I ? lam not the cause of the war, the fighting was at Wanganui, bnt where was I ? Let us consider this. Where is this land Waitangi point it out. Is it in my country ? The war commenced with Ngapuhi. Where was I when that happened ? When war commenced at Wanganui where was I ? Be careful in looking at these things. Do not blame me. I have not seen any way where you could tie up iny words, nor you can tie them to my words. O Lord ! they have destroyed your prophet, and I alone am left, and the murderers seek to destroy my soul to-day. Wont you all be ashamed of this ? All I ask is. where is Waitangi. Is that treaty mine. All I have done is tp seek for a post This jus what I mean. It was after Waitangi and Wanganui. All I did was after that and I erected a post, when the people began to get mixed. Some people say let us become one. I say that is correct. But who divided the unity, who caused the war ? The Queen is one, she is my mother ? but who severed her from up ? Where is the axe ? Who broke the treaty of Waitangi. Fonr or five breaches were made, I ara the fifth. Why then do you say this to me ? All I have to say is to the iriendlies to support Sir George Gyey, in order that you may get salaries. If you do not ypu will not get them. Te Ngakau : There was one head you spoke under yesterday, about divisions — who divided us ? Major Kemp : I only said a few words yesterday. I speak on behalf of Ngatikau. I am a Wanganui Chief, near to the west. I speak for my tribe. At the time of Waitara, I wrote to the Government, asking for an investigation. I came to Faua. I asked, there, for the same thing. I went to hear Tawhiao and Grey talk. Be urged the Hauhaus not to talk round the subject any more, but to come to the point, and talk about the railroads, roads, . eto. We want to hear what Tawhiao and Grey say. Is what Topia said, to be laid aside ? Rewi : Look this way (here, he chanted.) This is I. I flew to this word, "plant the tree," and let it grow. I ran awaw from the word, because you (Bauhau) would not follow it out. It was said, at Hikurangi, I should have the management of my own people. I went tp Waitara, and did, it. Whose is thie day ? It is not my day, hut Grey's, for, at Waitara, my hand was lifted off his head. Why not talk? The words oi Hikurangi have been put aside. The . words at Waitara were preserved at I Wangohgoro. Who is the cause that it has come to this day. I will say to Grey, now, speak, let us hear why the Hikurangi talk has been laid aside. Let us hear why you have come to this position. I flew on the words, that the tree should be planted, and now it is so much altered. Tumutumu "Ngatimahoto " Kemp you are right, let no one say that Grey is wrong. Let all you Maories follow Grey to. his money, and hip feed if you approve of it. We cannot overthrow the Government, and we cannot overthrow the King. Investigation oannot stop war. All I have to say is if you choose to advert to Gfrey do it. Tunoti (Ngapuhu) with respect to what has been said to Ngapuhi we were the cause of the first war at Waitangi in the North and I agreed to the treaty. I also fought that war of mine about 35 yfears ago. I think with respeot to that talk that need not be braught up. There is no reasoß why that war and treaty should be brought up here. I think all the Pakehas praise us for the way we carried out that fight, our people fought and made peace and did uot commit acts of. depredation. I have never seen all people come to enquire into my wrong acts ; from the day of my making peace there has been no disturbance. In reply to Tawhiao's speech that his mana went to the North Oape I do not agree that Waikato should have anything to do with the North. Because you know that the Government and I are firm friends. That is why I say the word of Tawhiao shall not be allowed in my district. We will manage our affairs ourselves. Let the King remain in Waikato. Mqngonui: It is my tura. What wrong has Ngapuhi done. Speak out its crime against a treaty and fighting. Pull it all out (long). Ngapuhi has made peace. A Hauhau Chief said : It is no use us standing up, because no reply is made to us. The question is as to who divided us. This is not yet answered. Te Ngakau : I rise to reply to Kemp. It was not you and I who prevented the investigation of Waitara. It was Governor Browne and Sir George Grey. You say Waikato broke the treaty of Waitangi, hut it was ypu (Ngapuhi) - who broke it. There were five fightinge before it came to me. That is why I want to know why it my fault. . . . Tell us something new, |if it is not an investigation that is being held to-day. Pukukokatu said : The last speaker has not replied to what Ngakau and Wahanui said. He has shirked the question. He proceeded to give the history of the King movement, tracing it to the time that Potatau was chosen. He then said, Wahanui agrees to the King movement. and i ask whm is it ? Js it ympt

KLJKLM,.,././