A.—No. 13

10

NOTES OE NATIVE MEETINGS

In the evening Mr. Fox was visited, in a whare which had been set apart for him, by Pehi Turoa, Tahana Turoa, Topia, Hoani te Whetu, Hori. Patene, and Ihaia Tatarimaka. Mete Kingi also was present, and one or two other Government chiefs. Tahana Turoa made a speech in which he welcomed Mr. Fox to the Upper Wanganui. He said :"I am glad to see you here to-day come to the Aomarama. Let this be the beginning of the good work of the Aomarama. It has been our desire for some time to live in peace and good will with the Pakeha. We have all lived quietly at our homes during the late troubles : we do not sympathize with those bad men, although it is true the evil came from our side; we wish to put down Tc Kooti. Let the good of the former days be restored. I have a grievance, but let this be the day of the Aomarama; let us all strive together for the establishment of peace. Welcome, O friend, you who are a stranger in this water; it is well that you have come; our thoughts and wishes were conveyed to you at Wellington, and you hastened to assure us of your good will." After Tahana had finished, Hori Patene spoke, requesting that the Ngaruru might be pardoned and the Pakakohi given up. Mr. Fox made the same answer as he had before made to Kemp at Ranana. Hoani Te Whetu and Ihaia Tatarimaka then spoke to the same effect. Pehia Turoa then spoke. He said : "Welcome, friend Mr. Fox, the man of wisdom and of good thoughts towards the tribes, you and Mr. McLean ! We have heard Mr. McLean's words to Rewi and to Manuwhiri, and their words to him. It is well; those good thoughts went from this place; wc wish to live in peace as we did in former times : for this purpose we built the Aomarama. I and my people have claims in the Ngatiruanui District. Let the Pakeha live peaceably on his own land." He then spoke about boundaries up the Waitotara. Mr. Fox said : " All questions about land or boundaries must be brought before Mr. McLean, who will shortly visit you." Topia then said a few words of welcome, and thanked Mr. Fox for the confidence which he had shown in him by bringing the arms. He said :"I accept them as an earnest of your good feeling towards us, and I will not disappoint you. You arc in that Marae and lam in this, but a door of communication is now opened between us."

December 1. After breakfast Mr. Fox Avas requested to go into the large house Aomarama, where the Natives Avere assembled. After a short time, Topia stood up. He said: " I want to thank you publicly for those treasures which you have brought in reply to my words which were sent to you. I do not intend my work to be in Avords only; as soon as I hear of Te Kooti I shall go against him ; do not think this thought is only Avith me : the thought has been matured there (Tokangamutu). The people of this Marae all have the same thought; let bad men be punished for their evil deeds, and let the path Avhich leads to peace be clear. We have heard your words about Taupo; they are good, they are the same as those of Mr. McLean in reply to ReAvi. Mr. McLean says, let a man of wisdom and thought be appointed, that together Aye may secure the peace of the country. Let me be the man with whom Mr. McLean shall consult on those subjects. lam a man of influence with my OAvn party; my desire is, that good may noAV be firmly established. This is the Ist of December : let this day be marked as the beginning of a better epoch; let me be the man to carry on this good work. I have before said there arc two Marae ; let this, the Aomarama, be the opening of the road betAveen the Marae; let Te Kooti be caught, let his name be defiled ; let us together work for this purpose. The works of Te Kooti and others have made the hearts of the people of this Marae dark. The Hon. Mr. Fox, in reply to Topia, said : " I was in Wellington), O Topia, Avhen the words which were spoken by yourself, by Mete Kingi, by Haimona, and others in the Aomarama, Avere sent to me. I was much gratified when I received the report of the good words of Topia, of Tahana, of Pehi, and of the friendly chiefs who Avere met together at the Aomarama. Topia asked for guns to go against Te Kooti, and I at once determined to bring them; had I thought that Topia was a deceitful man, I Avould not have brought those guns. I kneAV Topia was a great chief, and I felt sure the Avord of such a chief Avould not be broken. I thank you Topia, and Pehi, and Tahana, for the Avelcome you have given me, and for the good Avords Avhich you have already spoken to me." Mr. Fox then went on to speak of the several subjects or burdens which had been brought forward by Kemp and others at Ranana, and gave the same replies as he did on the previous occasion. He concluded by saying that he left the arms and ammunition in the hands of Topia, feeling confident that he Avould make good use of them against that murderer, Te Kooti, as soon as he had an opportunity. He hoped that he, as well as Mr. McLean, Avould often be able to visit them at the Aomarama. He also thanked Mete Kingi, Kemp, Haimona, and the other Government Natives, for the part they had taken in this good work. When Mr. Fox sat down, the Natives gave him three cheers and a chorus. Tahana then stood up, and after indorsing Avhat Topia had said, he addressed the Government Natives at some length. He said : " Let this first of December, 1869, be the first day in our new life; let all the old thoughts and grievances be Avashed out; let this house, the Aomarama,