THE NATIVE MINISTER IN WAIKATO. MEETING AT KIHIKIHI. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Kihikihi, Tuesday 18.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1788, 20 December 1883, Page 2

THE NATIVE MINISTER IN WAIKA TO. MEETING AT KIHIKIHI. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. ] Kihikihi, Tuesday 18.

Mr Biiyce and party antved heie at 9.2 U tliia morning, and put up at Wilkinson's Hotel. Several hunched natives were awaiting his arrhal, giving the township an air of bustle and activity. All business was postponed till after dinner. Mr Rochforb who has been exploring for the central line of railway has been here since the 13th waiting for Mr Bryce for instructions, as he has been stopped by the natives at Taumarunui in the Tuhua Valley. Mr Percy Smith, Assistant Surveyor General, Mr Cussen and Mr F. Edgecumbe are here also. After dinner the natives assembled in the Public Hall when Mr Brycie addressed them as follows • Greetings to you all. I understand you desire to make certain statements to me, I am here to listen and if need be to mak* 1 reply. Hauauru : — This is my word to you, Ido not agree to let the survey go on in this district. lam a Ngatihaua ; we will deal with our own land. Mr Wilkinson, said Mr Bryce was waiting to hear the grounds of objection. Hoti Ta Wahawa said the reason of their objection was that they wished fiist to have their claims decided so that the boundary survey could go on. Several other followed in the same strain. lumauako said : — let Wahanui and Manga (Rewi) have what they are enentitled to, you take up that. This land was given to Potatau long ago, after him to Tawhiao as far at Taupo. Yon must go back, we will manage our own affaits. Mr Bryoe : Listen to me. The first man who spoke objected to the survey. Then, when it was suggested that he should give a reason for his objection, he simply said he objected. Bacli one repeated what lie, said, only it was put in this way : Let Wahanui survey his own piece, i Each one stated this reason except one, who contradicted what the others said. This other person stated a totally different reason to you all. He he has not said, Let Wahanui deal with his own piece. He says the land was handed over to Potatau ; afterwards to Tdwhiao. This person spoke out like a mftn j he tells me to go back ; he did not say let Wahanui deal with his own piece. Therefore, I say he spoke well, and deserves a reply froni me. Let me give it in the same words I gave Tawhiao at ! Whatiwhatihoe. •' What I said tQ hinr was, this place (N"ew Zealand) is too small} for'two sovereigns/ ". I suid I never, will recognise your mann, except over your o\\ u Vtribej What' I-s'ay 'lidw^ is what 'I said; to 'TaM hiao. , Any, -agreement or promise made to acknowledge him as ■king 13.80 ihueh waste. papei'e ,No, I 'ahl - ppt gpi»g to rt'tiie, iiijj maroji U qn\?im|,t ail' l the sooner that,Jji "apuspla.l, byr,,the.Minvis the lwttW' t fhi' lJ( tlife!m'tari<l us, 1 wouJtl not go hiok if I uould. lam not on i%uTl iviu"'Mi{it^tteH4 > uu"tlfe frutfc;

I landi} such a thing never existed in my niinil, and liever Let him 1 who thinks so'sny he recognises Tawhiao'iauthority, and I will regard him as something! no bettor thai i a fool. Now, the other reason, j£ ( reasoioj| could be called, ad- v mit^ WalsH jiave said, that is, Let all"* manage tljeijv own land. I say so too. Do you Uuderst.xnd what an application means, or are you only pretending yon do not know. It is not who shall manage particular lands ; it is mi application' to the courb to ascertain who aie the owners. lam speaking to you as men:, not as children. Let me see that you understand my words. If you have any real claim on the lind, you need not fear' to let it go to court, but if you have no' claim, I understand „ you. fear to let it go to court. You ' ask ■ to, manage your own lands ; show me your lands, and you may do so. No interest of your* can suffer. Again, what is the application 1 It is to determine boundaries h§-; tween tribe and tribe. After that yon can make applications for subdivisions between hapu and hapu, possibly afterwards applications for individuals, and this (the boundary survey) is the first step. I said I would speak to you like^ men ; let me understand by your answers you have listened to me. Sevor.il natives then spoke One said it was. true the land was h aided* over to Tawbiao, but Wahanui and Rewi would have some consideration for him. Another said : If all the people were of one mind they would tuin thesuryeyots back. Another said : If the Lind went before the court there wouM be many claimants and counte-claims, which would give rise to a great deal of trouble. Mr Bryoe : It seems to me the course now taken is this very one to remove the evils he complains of. I remember when I made my first speech in Parliament many years ago on the subject, I said no fairer means could he adopted to ascertain titles. I advocated large trib.il boundaries as a first step to determining cfaims on fanil ; that is still my opinion. j When a&ked to have tribal boundaries fixed, lat once acquiesed- Tribes and hapus can be admitted into blocks, the outer boundaries of which lure been surveyed, after that individuals. I put that before him for his acceptance. He says leave us our own block till we survey it ourselves : that sounds fair, but I will point out objections. One of them is that cl.iiman.ts and counter-claimants are bound to crop up in any ease ; that ia but a preliminary objection altogether, for before the fit at step is taken it cannot be told who the land belongs to. There is only one way to solve the question, that is by boundary surveys, afterwards subdivisions. You must not think because certain persons made applications they will get the land. One man said he belonged to the four tribes mentioned m the application ; if that is the case he should have no objection to the work. Personally, I do not want your laud. If, a block were given to me as a gift, I would throw it luck at you. I have no interest save a public one, even as a public servant you never hoard me pestering natives to pait with their land. I have no doubt, before the lands go through the cou it, there will be trouble, but for all that there need be no trouble now. 1 would say to all you in the room who own land to help the movement forward ; you who arc not owneis withdraw your objections, for assmedly they will be useless. I do not know that it would serve any good purposes to say or listen to any more, therefore I say, Good-bye.