THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL AT ONEWHERO. ADDRESS TO THE NATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1191, 14 February 1880, Page 2

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL AT ONEWHERO. ADDRESS TO THE NATIVES.

The Hon. Frederick Whitaker, AttorneyGeneral, accompanied by the Chief Judge of the Native Lands Court, his private secretary, and a native interpreter, visited the Onewhero block on Wednesday to meet certain hap us of the Ngatipou tribe, to whom the Onewhero block has been granted by Government on the condition of their returning to their allegiance to Her Majesty, and leaving the King natives, with whom they have been living for the last 15 years. The Onewhero block originally belonged to the Ngatipou, but was confiscated during the war. The Attorney -General' s visit was made in accordance with a request from the natives concerned that he should formally hand I the land over to them. 'I he party were enthusiastically received by the natives on arrival, and the proceedings commenced with an address to the natives by Mr Fentun, in which, after referring to many of his old friends of the tribe who were dead, he referred to the reason of Mr Whitaker's viaifc, and concluded by introducing him to them. Mr Fenton waa followed by numerous native orators, amongst whom the principal were — Te Tauwhara, Kata, PdtH, I'angatawhare, Te Tatau, Taraiti, c Keti. They all welcomed Mr Whitaker and Mr Fenton, and referred to the timea when they had. last seen them, and also expressed their pleasure that the Government had acted as they had with regard to the Onewhero land, as they were much attached to ifc, tbeir ancestors having lived and many of them been buried there. Mr Fenton then introduced the •* ttorney-General to them, and he briefly addressed them as follows :—": — " Ngatimaru, Ngatikahu, and Ngatikaituti, hupus of the Ngatipou tribe of Waikato : I have come here to-day at your special reque t to hand over to you, on behalf of the Government of >ew Zealand, the land in Lower Waikato, on which we are now met, called Onewhero. The Queen of England is Queen of Sew Zealand, and noue h3re&m be permitted with imp uir'ty forcibly to contest her authority. Many of the tribes of Waikato, and you amongst the number, attempted with arms to resist a power which the Maoris are quite unequal to contend with, and the result was that those tribes were driven from their homes and land. The Queen is always desirous of being generous to the Maoris who yield to her authority and obey those laws which are [ intended to protect all her subjects — I European and Maori alike; and for years past it has been the desire of the Queen's Government in New Zealand that you should return to the lands of your anceators. The General Assembly of New Zealand, always anxious to promote the interests and happiness of the Maori people, passed a law in their last session authorising 1 the Government to give you a European title to Onewhero. This land is now secured to you by a grant in the name of the Queen, and this involves an assurance that all ths power of the Government of JSew Zealand will be used, if necessary, to maintain you in possession. tfo man will have a right to disturb, and he who by force attempts it will be an enemy to the Queen, and will suffer the consequenoes of her displeasure. The laud given you contains 4314 acres, and it is capable, from its position and fertility, of becoming the happy homes of yourselves, your children, and their descendants, it cannot be sold or parted with, but must remain set apart for ever as the place of abode of the .Ngatiraaru, Ngatikahu, Ngatikaituti, hapus of the Ngatipou tribe of Waikato, who have returned to their allegiance to the Queen, and for no other purpose. I now desire to present you with a plan of Onewhero, and I desire to express the wish of the Government of New Zealand that you will preserve it as a memento of this day, when you elected to place yourselves without reserve upon the same footing as the Queen's European subjeots, and livo peaceably amongst them. I hope the example you have set may be followed by others of the Queen's Maori subjects, who have for no many years held themselves aloof from their fellow-hubjects, and still continue to do so. The treatment they will receive may be ineafeured by that which has been accorded fro you." — he natives were much pleased with the plau> and evidently attach great importance to it. They have recently received a lotter

from Tawhiao, informing them that they might reside on Onewhero, but desiring them not to accept a Crown grant for the land. They do not, however, appear to pay much attention to Tawhiao's desire. Other hapits of the Ngatipou tribe are desirous of returning to their. allegiance and their old lands, and Mr Whitaker was asked by a delegate from one of them yesterday whether they would receive land to reside on if they applied for it, and he replied that they would.