THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1091, 21 June 1879, Page 2

THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Wellington, Thursday. The news received by the Government in regard to the Parihaka meetiug is generally to the effect that Te Whiti's. influence is on the wane. Many of his followers are disgusted at the nonfulfilment of his prophecies, and are alarmed at the warlike preparations being made by the Europeans in direct contradiction to Te Whiti's prophecies of peace, and a revulsion of feeling is taking place in consequence. It is stated that Titokowaru's tribe have openly declared their determination not to fight against the Europeans, but will make oommon cause with them. Hawera, Thursday. 3£atene visited the Waihi. stookade on Tuesday. He counted the number of men stationed there, He was evidently getting information for what purpose is unknown.* He said he had a great liking for the review at-Waihi of late. It is a pity that an order is not issued to prevent all friendlies visiting there on any pretence. Mr J. Mackay has gone to Parihaka on private business. Mr Thompson, Avho is thoroughly acquainted with the Maoris,. has been sent by Sir George Grey to interview Te Whiti at Parihaka. There are hopes of peace, but rather than have a patched-up truce, the settlers would undergo the hardships of a sharp and severe war. Many talk of rushing headlong into war, but the experience of the last war, where poor Von Tempskey and many others were left by untrained men in the wilds, should be a sufficient warning. As a deputation represented to Mr Macandiew at Hawera it is better for the Government not to make an aggressive movement until thoroughly prepared. The latest from Parihaka is that Te Whiti is not cowed by our armaments. He says if the redoubts are built at Parihaka the Maoris are not to fight, because it would be impossible for the whites to fight the Maoris if the Maoris take no notice of them, and show no fight. THE PARIIUKA. MEETING : TE WHITl's SPEECH. New Plymouth, Thursday. From the special reporter at Parihaka it is learned that about 800 natives were present. There was a large quantity of food, and all seemed content. Tho wet weather prevented them moving' about. Te Whiti spoke first, and was listened to attentively and applauded. The following is a literal translation of the first speech of Te Whiti: —l am the man who stopped the rains out of tho Heavens Hooding the lands. I am the man who spoiled the land in the place. I choose. If any man molests me, I will talk to him with the tongifc. That is the weapon with which I will fight forever. Whoever bqlievea4u %e'

jvilwoman, eau'fc bo one of my followers. C will cast him out. The time is fast ipproaehiiig—is even now at hand —when ill shall be ended and the Heavens shut. All things are enacted now on the earth. All people, nations, and tongues are under my feet. All things are givan me, and ill men war against me. The Heavens will come down. The water will be iisturbod and muddy, and you will not see it clear. Four great earthquakes will be m divers places, and men will be shaken,,and they will stoop to mo. All the sayings of the prophets of old are now adcomplished. I will rejoice and be exceedingly glad because the end is near. In the old times God and Satan worked good and evil. It is God and I who work all things. The man standing before you now is Satan and God in one. My work is now nearly accomplished. I will not address you any length of time. If any walk in dark places, turn to evil, let him go his evil way, Those who chose the light let them walk there. Keep what I say in your mind and cherish it. Don't let it slip from your memory. I have been crying like one sighing in the wilderness, calling sinners to repentance. Come! come to me and be saved. Bo long as / you remain with me no man can harm you. The mighty of the earth laugh at you, because you are poor, and lowlyminded, but wait till yon see them humble themselves and bow to your feet. I will v look after and protect you. It re j oices my ** heart to see you all come in time to the happy place. From the beginning of the world up to the present time war has not ceased from the earth. This generation (Te Whiti) will stop war for ever. This is the last generation of the world." Te Whiti continued in this strain for a considerable time, stating the world belonged to him, and calling himself Jesus Christ, and saying that if the Government were to send a large force to Parihaka, and to take him, and to crucify him, that after three days he would rise again. He said he would not offer resistance to the soldiers wheu they came, but he woidd gladly let them crucify him. He also stated that the Government are determined to put surveyors on the Plains, but he said he would not fight then. He stated he had received a telegram from Sir George Grey, in which the Premier proposed to send a commission to invistigate the claims of the natives to the confiscated lands, and invited Te "Whiti to employ a lawyer to look after his interests, the Government paying all expenses. He said the answer was, that the matter had been delayed too long, and that the end of all things was at end, the Court of Commissioners included. In addressing the men who ploughed the land, he said: " Go, put your hands to the plough; do not look back. If any should come with guns and swords, do not he afraid If any smite you, do not smite them back. If they tear you to pieces, be not discouraged. Another will take your place to continue the good. If evil thoughts should enter the minds of the settlers, and they fear a repetition of the scenes which happened during the last war, and they should fly to town, do not enter their houses, nor take their goods or catle. My eye is over all. I will detect the thief and worker of evil, and the punishment will be like that which fell on Ananias. Therefore, do the work appointed to you. Do it without fear or trembling." Te Whiti then addressed the newspaper reporters, who were present taking notes of what he was saying, thus: —" When I speak of land, the survey, and the ploughing, and such matters of little consequence, the reporters' pencils fly with the speed of wind; but, when I apeak of the Avord of the spirit, they say this is the dream of a madman. They are so intent in accumulating wealth, that nothing appears to interest them except what is in some way connected with the acquisition of wealth. The storekeeper who has succeeded in acquiring wealth by short weight, and inferior articles, and. the numerous ways of picking and ' stealing known only to the initiated, who steal the land of the Maoris and acquire flocks of sheep and herds of cattle; the men who would take the bread out of the mouths of tho widows and fatherless, and acquire riches by so doing—are all looked upon as gentlemen of property, while the humble seekers after truth are passed by unknown and unheeded. The time is at hand when their goods will rot; their ships will rot in their harbors for want of sailors to work them; the merchants will wring their hands in despair when they and all their accumulations melt away like the morning mist before the rising sun." The speech was not delivered all at once, but at different intervals, when the natives were not speaking. John also spoke, but his remarks contained nothing fresh. The meeting broke up in the usual way. The idea of an intention on the part of tho natives having a general rising, appears to have been altogether groundless. Not a word of fighting talk was uttered. Te Whiti leaves the consideration of lands and worldly things to other people. The Europeans present were treated kindly.

The Licensing Biw- op next Session* —lt is said that the Hon. Mr Stout has prepared a Licensing Bill to be submitted unofficially by Mm to next Parliament. It is, practically, a " Permissive Bill." It provides that licensing districts shall bo identical with Boroughs or wards of < * Boroughs, ridings of Counties, Road Districts outside Counties-, and such other districts as the Governor may for the purpose constitute. No new licenses are to be granted unless and until the ratepayers have determined by a general poll whether the number of licenses shall bo increased. The bill also provides that tho Licensing Court shall entertain any peiition or memorial from residents or ratepayers of district, and on proof of the authenticity of signatures, if it appear that at least two-thirds of tho residents or ratepayers in tho neighbourhood of the house to which the petition relates object to the licenses, the Court shall refuse to grant the application. The Licensing Court is, at its discretion, to determine what is to be decided as " tho neighbourhood." Sunday trading i 3 to be strictly limited. No persons arc to bo supplied except lodgers and bona Jido travellers, who live at least five miles from the premises, and anyone falsely representing himself to be a traveller is liable to a fine of £o<

A Pheasant writing recently to the Press says:—Would-be farmers and cockatoo settlers have indulged in many and bitter complaints against me and my kith and kin, and loudly complain of the loss of crops, because, forsooth, we have helped ourserves to the grain sown by them- Last year one of the complainants sowed his field three times with oats. We and our little friends (the sparrows) managed to devour all, or nearly all, of the first two sowings, and then he had the bad taste to plough in a third, which Ave could not get at, with all our skill and long beaks. He has had the selfishness to do the same this autumn, and, to our intense disgust, his fields are most attractively green and nourishing. The consequence of this is, we have left him in his glory, and he has not had tho pleasure of seeing a cocktail on his tabic.

We must again and pointedly remind our readers, and especially advertisers, that Business Letters and Advertisements must be addressed to the Manager, Literary Matters to the Editor of this journal. By adopting this very obviously neuesdary rule much inconvenience and many mistakes would l?e. avoided*

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