APPENDIX TO REPORT OF

Browne's kind words to us, and an account of his visit to, and return from, Rangiaohia. His words were these, —" I take this opportnnity of calling upon all the New Zealand Chief's to assist me in this work. I wish them to give me their opinion, and also to express their wishes : let them do this in my hearing, and also by letter. Chiefs of New Zealand, let us unite in suppressing the evil, and the sin of this land. If this is done, I shall then be enabled to send a favourable account to the Queen." This, O Europeans, was the cause why, we, the Assembly of Hoani Papita at Rangiaohia, agreed to write to you. We said, Let us write, and let the Assembly of the Pakehas know all the proceedings of the Maori Assembly, whether right or wrong, good or evil, what matters it ? Let us send an account before the Europeans. Listen, O Europeans ! Formerly we were in ignorance, one tribe at war with another, and abo eating one another. This ceased upon the introduction of Christianity, but evil returned, on account of the land. That you have seen, as in the case of Taurangarum, and Te Ihutaroa, but have also seen the good conduct of the Maories, as evinced when the Powder-store of the Queen was plundered by Te Kouarehua. It was in expressing our thoughts, that we perceived the evil of quarrelling and fighting among ourselves ; but it was not long before good thoughts entered our minds, and the result is the present assembly, to enable us to carry out the laws of God, as delivered to Moses : " Thou shalt do no murder ; Thou shalt not commit adultery ; Thou shalt not steal ; Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour,—Exodus xx, 13-16. Our desire, O Governor, sprung from this, to have laws enacted for this Island of New Zealand at present lying in ignorance, in order that the blessing of God may light upon us, and save us from our sins. We are now assembled for the purpose of appointing an Assembly for each and every tribe in New Zealand, for the purpose of examining into the good and the evil, with their Magistrates appointed for each, to carry out the principles of Christianity, that we may be one flesh. As St. Paul says, '' Who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (2 Eph. v. 14-15.) This is all upon this subject. The next concerns the King. O, the Government in Auckland !We are here assembled for the purpose of appointing a King to check the evils amongst us: for Paul say 3, "For he is a minister of God to thee for good ; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain ; for he is the Minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil" (Rom. xiii. 4). Also, " Submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be King as supreme, or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well" (1 Pet. ii. 13, 14). All the other Islands have Kings, and England has a Queen (king) to give power to her people, and to give them good thoughts. On this account we say, Let New Zealand do so also. We have heard, friends, that you blame us, and say that we have done wrong in electing a King for New Zealand : do you explain to us the evil of the laws of God. Are we required to be holy, or to be cannibals ? Tell us, that we may thoroughly understand the wrong we have done in electing a King. We see only what proceeds from God :it was he who gave the kingdom to Saul, to David, and to Solomon ; after which Christ came. What is wrong in his words, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you." (Mat, xxviii. 19, 20) ? Paul also says to the Corinthians (1 Cor. iv. 8), " I would ye did reign, that we also might reiga with you." Then again (Rom. xiii. 1), "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God." It is from what we have heard that we say, "If we trample upon His word, we shall be cast down by Him to the death, even as the Jews were given to destruction." Friends, we have heard that you will not yield to our wishes in this matter. Perhaps you think that the Maori King will be separated from the Queen : not so, but it will be better for them to be friendly. O, Bishop, and you Ministers of the Governor, let us work together with respect to the regulations concerning our King, that they may be properly carried out, lest there be strife between them, lest one should clash with the other. It will be better for the one to be friendly with the other, and let the law of God govern both, that is, (the law of) love. But, as you live near us, you can instruct us. We have heard it said by some person, that you are displeased with Charles Davis ; you think that it was through that European that we thought of electing a King. Now this is utterly incorrect, and unjust to that European ; but it was because each Island had a King. Be pleased or displeased at this, as you like. We hear it said of us by some persons, Charles Davis is to be killed (or persecuted) by you. If this is true, then these words are false : " Think not that I have come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them." Friends, it is now ten years since the Maori Chiefs first talked about a King for themselves. It was commenced by Te Heu Heu, who proposed it to Potatau ; afterwards by Hoani; and after that by Wiremu Tamihana Te Waharoa. If you disapprove of this (act) of God's, take back the Gospel also : let it not rest upon us, and let this Island remain a heap of dirt. This is all upon this. This is for the Press : O Governor, our reasons for purchasing a Press are, that we may unite in friendship with you, that our words may reach yt>u, as yours do us, Ths Gospel comes from the press, from which we derive all good. Let these words be printed in the newspapers, that our European and Maori friends may see them ; and also that they may go to England, that the Queen may see our words, whether right or wrong. If these words are not put into a newspaper, for all the world to see, wo shall then say. it is quite true, what the people say, that Charles Davis has been expelled from their Assembly by the Europeans. Let everything be clear. Hitherto you have donejwell in instructing us in thegood things appertaining to God : therefore we say, let Potatau be a King for us, the same as the Queen, whose word has power with all her people, who obey her voice. The Europeans say that the Maories err in making Potatau a King, as he is a Chief already. Towhom, then, are we to give this name —to a common person, or to a slave ? I should say it should b©

Appendix A. Letter of Waikato Chiefs,. 10 June, 1857.

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