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Paea, was brought to us at Hauraki. AVo had nothing to do with her going away with any man. Wo thought that as she had returned to us, that would end the matter. Then Eiw-i Kaitawa and others wrote this letter to us :— Xi a Tukua. Maruata, Whangarei, Tihema 18, 1878. E koro, tena koe. He whakatu tena ki a koe kua oma atu a Paea raua ko Hatama, ko te take kua patua a Haki c Hatama me te Kawana ko Peru tetehi ona ingoa, mo Paea ano te take kite tae atu raua ki kona me whakahoki iho me hopu ranei c koutou a Hatama. He mea huihui c matou katoa tena kia hopukia c koutou taua tangata ka whakahoki iho ai me tuhi iho ranei c koutou, ka nui te kino o te mahi o taua tangata ki a Haki ora iti kua mate rawa a Haki, ko te kotiro nei kei te noho pai. Heoi ano. Na to matua aroha, ara na matou katoa, Eiwi Taikawa, Eru Nehua, Haki Whangawhanga, Me te iwi katoa. When we received that letter the Ngapuhis assembled, and the man and the woman, who were prisoners. AYe looked at the words in this letter, where they told us to apprehend them and to return them. We considered the matter, and decided upon writing a letter to those who had sent us that letter I have read. When they received our letter, they did not reply. I forget the words of our letter to them, but I can remember some words of it. I remember that we said, " Let Eewi Taikawa come up and take them away—that is, the woman and Hatama. The sea is smooth. The road is open. This is summer." And the end of the letter was, "If you come up, bring the girl with you." When they received the letter, the Ngapuhis considered it, but they did not answer it. They sent up a messenger to say that they wrould give back the girl that was at school. The Natives told us in Auckland that Haki Whangawhanga went to the person that was in charge of the girl, but he declined to give her up to him, and Haki paid the person who was in charge £10, and took her away to a Nativo settlement. The Ngapuhis said that giri should be payment for Paea that was stolen away. The Ngapuhis say, if we will send back Paea they will give up the girl. AYe considered that it would be wrong for us to do so, as the woman was stolen away from us, and was then taken by one of Haki Whangawhanga's people, ans brought back to us. If we knew that it was one of our own people who stole the girl, and took her to Ngatipaoa, then we would consider that Haki Whangawhanga was right in demanding her back. Therefore we have brought the matter before the Chairman of this Parliament, and before the chiefs of this Parliament, to say whether it is right or wrong. You can see by the contents of the letter that it means, if we go down to take the child, there will be trouble. Paul: Have you anything else to bring up? Have you sent a letter about this to the Native Minister ? Maihi: No, I have not. Paul: Have any of you spoken to the Native Minister about it? Maihi: No. Paul: Then I will tell you what you should do. You know that Mr. Sheehan is going to that place —AVhangarei —in a short time. My idea is, that Tukua should go with Mr. Sheehan and get the girl back. If you had written to the Government and they had declined to take action, then it would be right for this Parliament to deal with the matter ; but as it is, I advise you to see Mr. Sheehan, talk it over with him, and he will get the child. If the meeting agrees with what I say, hold up your hands. The meeting voted unanimously in favour of Paul's proposal. Paul: That matter is finished. It is settled that Tukua shall accompany Mr. Sheehan. Ido not see that there is anything more for us to discuss at present. This will be the end. The Parliament is over now; but there will be a ball on Monday, and the meeting will collect a little money to moisten the mouths of the dancers with ginger-beer. I declare this Parliament now closed. The Natives present then stood up and gave cheers for Sir George Grey, Mr. Sheehan, Mr. Commissioner Kemp, and Paul. The proceedings terminated at 1 o'clock. Saturday, Bth March, 1879. To-day the Natives were assembled by Paul outside the runanga house, and arranged as nearly as possible as they sat during the discussion inside the building. Paul sat in front, with Mr. De Thierry and Mr. C. 0. Montrose, at a table, and immediately behind the principal chiefs were seated on the benches. An excellent photograph was then taken of the assemblage by Mr. Stuart, photographer. A second view was taken of all the Natives in the settlement—men, women, and childrenarranged in a picturesque group under the flagstaff, with the British union jack flying over them, and the settlement in the background. It is worthy of mention that even a number of the Hauhaus sat in this group. In the afternoon the steamer " Takapuna " made several trips to Orakei with passengers from Auckland, amongst whom were many of the leading citizens. Many of the settlers from all the surrounding districts also came in vehicles and on horseback. There were nearly five hundred present at half-past three o'clock. The Natives then gave a grand war-dauce in honor of the Europeans, followed by a haka, and at the conclusion a subscription was made up by the visitors, in order to provide refreshments for the Natives. Throughout the proceedings of the Parliament the Europeans and Government officials who visited Orakei were most hospitahly entertained by Paul Tuhaere. Mr. Gittel, of Parnell, had a licensed refreshment tent on the ground during the meeting, but the proceedings throughout were most orderly, and there was no drunkenness. The Eev. Mr. Gittos frequently visited the Natives, and held Divine service. The supply of food appeared to be abundant. Almost all the Natives were decently clothed.
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