MAORI MEETING at MAKETU.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1590, 12 September 1882, Page 3

MA ORI MEETING at MAKE TU.

While in Kawhia last week I embraced the opportunity thus afforded me, and paid a visit to Maketu when a native meeting was at that time being held. On my arrival there I found a large gathering of natives. From all appearances, I should imagine that there was at the lowest computation, three hundred Maoris present. The Maori king was there, and although I noticed several influential chiefs on the ground, Te Ngakau and Wahanui were not amongst the number. The meeting continued for a week. Little business of any importance was, however, transacted during the first few days, the principal interest during that time being apparently centred in the supplies of food, with which the asbemb lage, individually as well as collectively, appeared to vie with each other in the satisfaction of their gastronomic propensities! From afar the olfactory organs of my companions, like my own, readily apprised us ot the fact that soaked maize formed no small item in their dietary scale. Any person at all acquainted with the culinary operations of the native race will feel a mutual sensibility with us in this respect. Above all this, however, large quantities of splendid fish of various kinds had been caught for the feast, which together with a plentiful supply of potatoes and kumaras, assisted in making considerable recompense for other deficiencies. Cooked as they were in the Maori oven (haiigi) they were probably the only articles there which in a hygenic respect could be deemed suitable for human consumption. The piscatory labours of the natives must have been more than ordinarily successful, which was testified both by the variety and quantity of fish I saw ; mullet, schnapper, flounder, herring, kumukumu, stingeray and shark, being some of the sorts I noticed. One canoe came from Oparu with not less than three quarters of a ton on board, some of the stingerays being fifty pounds in weight. All this was the result obtained from one setting of the net. _ Should not such information as this stimulate some person to start a regular transportation of fish to Waikato ? (to which object I drew the attention of the public in one of your late issues), for I have every confidence that the adjacent bays ot Aotea and Whaingaroa ai cas full of fish as Kawhia. I could not hinder myself from imagining how readily the greater part of the fish I aaw could be disposed of pio\ided they were in Waikato. Amongst natives, the abundance of all things in the district of Kawhia which go to nourish the inner man, making life, from a main standpoint, so much more enjoyable, has almost become proverbial. Such a happy state of affairs can easily be understood. The land, in a great many cases, is of the richest quality, and although by far too broken to ever prove of much service for European cultivation, is nevertheless quite well adapted for Maori tillage, when most of the work is done by manual labour, which is also easily procurable. The crop returns realised are generally excellent. Then fish can be procured in abundance, and in the proper season there seems to be no scarcity of those fruits usually grown in this colony. Soon after our arrival at Maketu I had a conversation with Tawhiao, but found him very reticent in regard to any business which was very likely to be brought before the meeting. In fact it appeared evident that it was against his wishes that any pakehas should be made cognizant of their probable proceedings. On observing this my companion and myself did not linger much longer on the ground, but made our way homewards. Afterwards I found that such was actually the case, for the talking was commenced almost immediately after our departure. The principal object for which the meeting appeared to have been convened was to consider what would be the most fitting course to pursue in regard to the reception which is proposed to be given to Mr Bryce when he visits the king* at Whatiwhatihoe The king was very anxious that as large a number of his followers as possible might be with him on that occasion. Some of them signified their willingness to contribute towards the supply of food required, but few, if any of them could be persuaded to be present in person. Little intorest is manifested by them in the approaching visit of the Native Minister, and it is evident that few of the Kawhia Maoris will respond to the invitation of the king. It is probable that they are coming to ' realise the useless expenditure of money, as also the large waste of food which takes place at these • native meetings, and from which np benefit, , as a rule, ever results. I bati honestly say that the greater part of the 'want and 1 staTvationwMcfrirsoiSfteirseenmmprilat'" the natives.' (may rbe'f ascribed rl»ir 1» iv 'the quantity of meetings bMd'^'tnem,V»ft4 from wffioh'^fem>plpeW'fea4eparc