TAWHIAO'S MEETING AT WHATIWHATIHOE. (BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN REPORTER.)

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1533, 2 May 1882, Page 2

TAWHIAO'S MEETING AT WHATIWHATIHOE. (BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN REPORTER.)

Yoc?R Reporter arrived in 'Alexandra .this morning, and proceeded ~to~- the' 1 Maori* settlement at Whatiwhatihoe. The settlement is situated about three quarters of .a mile from the European ■rownship' wtfch/? Nothing whateye'ij Ito recommend it, either as^regarcla picturesque, oF'sitviatibhJ" or Health. 'After crpssingxthe -Wavpa.in-a canoe, -pear the site jf or, $he'new Bridge,' 'the visitor finds himself wading through a sort of quagmire,*" the'^water' in the vicinityof thispart of the settlement being in some places several inches deep. The Rev. Samuel Williams, of Napier, addressed the natives here on Sunday last, and his discourse seems to have made an impression on his hearers. Whatiwhatihoe is subdivided into several small settlements, each containing several small whares, and all occupied by different tribes. - The settlement, in appearance, is anything but consistent ; and, as far as accommodation for visitors is concerned, there seems to be none whatever ;. indeed,, hacLTawhiao's generous jnvitafjion.'.been* responded to/ anythingiike what was 'expected, **I cannot at all see how he would have entertained his guests. At the time I visited the settlement there was very little indication of an approaching meeting, and the natives lounged.a'oou't in their customary manner. Representatives from various outlying tribes were rolling in on horseback and on foot, but at present there are apt mbref tl^an;' 700 1 natives/ on [the ground. The chiefs Mahuhiri, Aihepeni, Kaihau, Paul aud Te Ngakau, with Tawhiao, are moving about, but when questioned as to when the korero will commence, or what is likely to be debated, are very quiet, and their answers are usually foreign to the point. Nothing dehnite whatever can be ascertained when business .wilt cbmmppce. j / , Having ' paraded' tlie settlement, we ( Mr C. 0. Davis, Mr Bush, R.M., three other gentlemen and your reporter) had luncheon in the fern adjoining one of- the 1 whares, but the material I may say was brought by one of the party from the hotel, the natives generously assisting to the extent of boiling the billy. Tawhiao honored us with his company, and partook of the improvised repast. I merely advert to this matter in order to inform Europeans who contemplate attending the great May meeting, what they may expect, so that tbJ&frnW $6vide accortlifigly.' J / f q ' IWliiatf after lfanclr Vent Vuffon a pigeon shooting expedition on the Pirongia, aiuUfrom wJiatX could learn contemplated 'aril all night- > encampment. This does "not look-as- if business was going to be commenced for a few days, and no doubt the end of the week will have arrived before anything i 3 done. Te Whitiora^ the defender of Rangiriri, entertained us with a fewreminisences(for which I am indebted to Mr C. 0. Davis, for the interpretation) of, the big fight which I shall hold over for the present. The same native when questioned as to when the talk was likely to commence, replied that the Governor had not arrivecl, and' until then the talk , would all be*on one side. On being informed that Mr Bush was , the representative of the" Government, lie said " yes," but Mr Bush is not the' Governor. Puti said " yes, Governor." This fact, together with wjhat I learn from other sources, leads me to believe, that the natives are not satisfied with tlie way in ' which the Government is to be represented at the meeting/ TThey "apparently ~ prefer a member of the^Ministry/vyKo can reply to what they have to say, and if possible, inform them as to the views of the Government. Several small whares are being built on the ground ; they are taken up" by the, visiting » tribes, and some enterprising • European is erecting a store near the river bank. The police, 1 acting under instructions, gave orders to the hotel-keepers not to provide the natives, either directly or through Europeans, with spirits, but it would seem as if this restriction has been taken off, as, while~l am writing, a number of natives are indulging somewhat freely not- far distant. Perhaps this restriction only refers to the time r of the meeting, and will' not be enforced until the korero commences. '",*,*

" Te WMtiora's Narrative of Rarigiriri. ' There are generally two sides to every story, and it would seem as if that of the ] fight at Baagiriri is no exception to v the rule. Te Whitiora' commenced liis narrative by giving us to understand that he was a very great general in command of the natives at the above encounter. There were about '200 natives in the redoubt at the' time, the others Having retreated on "the advice of the chief William Thompson -to Tamahere. About, 1200 of the British force advanced to attack the stronghold under General Cameron, ' and 'on - their 'approach, Whitiora, having his men all in readiness with their guns aimed,' gave the order to (in his own words) " Scorch the pakehas," which was complied, with, all the men firing 'at the same time. ' When the smoke, i cleared away the soldiers had disappeared, and not even the remnant of one was to be seen, all having, it appeared to the natives mind been blown to nothing. In^he morning Whi- , tiora discovered wh"at he "believed to be ' the flag of truce flying on the steamer on the river, and as he understood this to be vindication on the) part of I the' Pakeha of their desire to treat for peace, or. at least a temporary cessation of hostilities, he ordered a rwhite flag ,to ,be , hoisted , likewise, indicating their desire to treat for peace. General Cameron with fifty ' of his men advanced to, the redoubt, an<L instead of entering into a verbal negotia- ' tion for peace s>s the natives expected, he ordered them to lay down their arms, and took about 90 of them prisoners. Among ' them taken were Whitiora, who was particularly singled out by the General and presented with a flask o{ whiskey, w.hich he did not spare. The narratorhad taken part in several Diigagements. during the^Taranaki. war, and 'having always 'seen Ishe white flag sent up when the pakehas were desirous of a peaceful treaty, he was under the impression that in this case a Like significance- 'was attached to the hoisting , of the^ag.pn the, steamer. His confidence, lipwe'verVwas misplaced, and bad ' they"* 1 known" 'ihat' r General Cameron and his " ' men ' advanced bo meet them with the intention of making an arrest, all would have Buffered the penalty of : "death. rhe- prisoners were, however,' secured md conveyed ;,by the steamer,- to Auckland*. They- were' then informed that it was the intention of Sir William.' Pox to send^tbjejn.: fo^Kawau,. but Whibaora remonstrated and gave[ Sir William' Fox f to^mHersta¥d^what'jN;he natives'; stouM do if they were sent there knowmg that 4 they could^e^'il^^ake their escape 1 from the- island ;andt he ■, (Whitiora) was iesirou^tMtMlpafpp&n^sH'ouldnot! b>' dec^eiyM & He fecommended thm?-,tlieytfshould >be sent

genera^., "had \rejairned to Waikato. Whitiora' wheiy%uestioned aa to the bravery of -the* Maoris wfien compared to that of Europeans, said it was the big guns of the pakeha which frightened the nativeg, but that in a hand-to-hand scuffle, "our sojdiers 'fusing theif swcffdSl and\the Mabrii theig ancient articles' of i warfa*te7"the latter were by far superior.