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Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3161, 6 September 1880, Page 2

PERHAPS that semi-lunatic, Te Whiti, has had au undue share of public attontion bestowed upon him • but seeing that the Government consider his vagaries serious enough to demand an army of a thousand men to watch him, he is necessarily an object of interest to tlie colony—aud a rather expensive ono also. The latest phaso, reported in our Saturday's issue, when fifty able-bodied fencers were arrested quietly in one lot, and 23 boys wore liberated, proves Te Whiti's determination to pursue his policy until every native at Parihaka is locked up. His last speech throws some light, not only on the motive of his present course of procedure, but also upon the much more practical question of the probable permanence of his ridiculous though baffling tactics. He opened by carefully assuring his followers that nothing has yet been done towards tlie settlement of the difficulty. He says that the trouble ho had caused had uoUin any way been | cleared up. From tbii we may conclude that the recommendations of the Koyal ! Commission are rejected as a solutiou. There is reason to believe that this is not because Te Whiti ia dissatisfied with the

area ot land reserved for tho use of tho Maoris, but because no quantity of laud, however large, will satisfy him unless he is a participating party in the arrangements made, so that he may bring the whole of his plaus beforo the Government. But a prophet is liothing unless mysterious, and Tc Whiti has rehearsed tho rOle too often to come down to commonplace details. His plans, he Baid, were past ecarchiug out, aud for himself, ho would never tell them unless the Government went to him. lt was fore-. told,, ,he added, that by a covenant should the chieftainship be known Without pretending to any special gift as au interpreter of mysticism or prophetical jargon, wo think it may bo inferred that this part of his speech is expressive of a desircto make a contract or treaty, or covenaut with tlio Government. That has always been understood ; but what kind of a "covenant?" The word "chieftainship" oilers a further clue to tho olucidatiou of tho riddle. We believe To Whiti uceks a recognition not motcly of his chieftainship over a tribe or tho land, but au authority ovor the natives as a pcoplo perfectly distinct aud separate from the Europeans. Ilia frequent declarations that tho Maoris nnut bo granted complete independence leaves uo doubt ou this point. The Royal Commission iv their final repart recommend that no time Bhould be lost iii making some arrangement with Tc Whiti. Presumably tho arraugouiont 'proposed is iv regard to tho land aud tho rcpcrves ; but it is quite clear that To Whiti will not bo satisticd to take the reserves unless accompanied by guarantees securing the permanent freedom of tho native race. Thia is plainly shown iv his speech of the 17th inst., whou ho said, "all troubles must bo brought before me," aud again, "uuy who try to settle this difficulty without me will fail." It is thia utopinu idoal that makes it ho impossible to deal With the mau. Assuming that iv accordance' with the suggestions of tho Commissioner* an emissary ot the Government should go lo Parihaka with tho object of discussing the laud question, he would bo miserably disappointed. However tho question may be brought beforo To Whiti, ho will undoubtedly challenge Iho justice of the confiscation on tho ground that tho natives of tlio coast aro a free aud independent nation, who, having nover signed tho Treaty of Waitaugi, have nover boon British subjects, and consequently could not justly have their land confiscated an rebels. But any official sent to Parihaka to " arrange " with To Whiti must troat tho supicmacy of the Govornmont as beyond dispute ; and resolutely ignoro To Whiti's claim to tho chieftainship of tho wholo native raco. Mr Bryco, when speaking on tho West Coast Settlement Bill, took tho right view of tho matter when he said that ho wished to deal "lirmlybtit generously with tho natives." To dial firmly is the only way to settle the dlflloulty, and nt tho same lime they ought to bo shown that tho amount of our generosity will depend entirely upon their amenity to British rule. For his efforts in tho interests of peaeo, Te Whiti desorvos our cousido.ntion, but it ought not to bo forgotten that ho has for years past exerted himself in tho collection of a body of natives, expressly to dispute British supremacy, and has succeeded in mustering a very formidable array of rebels. That tho peace haa been preserved is due quite as much to our forbearing as To Whiti's commands.

Passing from Tc Whiti, it may not bo un. interesting to uoticc a few of tho utterance* of Tohu—tho man of action, tho chief men • tioned by To Whiti as the antagonist of th) Government, aud the loader aud dirootor of Parihaka affairs when defiance nnd »g^ro«siouitro tho'ordei' of the day, Tohu, at tho commencement of his speech, admitted thai the Government was the strongest, but snid ho sent his prisoners to gaol to prove that thoy wore truthful and peaceable It may be fairly concluded fiom this statement tbat Tohu has no intention of lightiog. The imprisonment of his men would provent even if he had the inclination. Totii wont ou to say that he was not at ah likely to bo tired of sending his men, women, and children, to prison, nnd that lie would even go himself. Wi Marsh!, who visited Parihaka at tho liust meeting, and heard his statement, states that he believed it, and our correspondent is of the same opinion. Having tried all means in their power to attract tho Government or Governor to Parihaka, and failed, To Whiti and Tohu are willing to go to prison Ihcineelrcs, in order that tht-y may there havo an opportunity of making the Covenant which shall secure freedom to the Maoris, and undisturbed possession of such lands as they may bo ablo to obtain. The conlidenco they manifest in tho certainty of ultimately achieving succes* is very marvellous, and there can bo little doubt tluM it springs from one of those fanatical possessions which have so often moved men to strange deeds. When questioned they declare thut it U not thoir work, but a work that has been given thorn to do by a "great mountain," which has been raised up by the " Author of Creation." This great mountain is, of course, nn eminent man, nnd it is to bo hoped for their sakes that he will not do*-crt them when the timo comes.

When some of the fencing party who had been arrested wero returned to Parihaka, Tohu concluded that wo were lired of the prisoners nnd reluctant to tako any more, aud ho pertinently remarked tlut " the pakehushavo swallowed a worm, and it ha* disagreed with them." Every prisoner that was arrested, ho said, added to our sorrow. Te Whiti and Tohu are undoubtedly actuated in sending theso men to prison by a hope that tbo heavy cost nf maintenance will bring us to termi. They aro tolerably well-informed, and most likely imagine that iv tho present state of colonial finance wc cannot afford to feed them and will go to Parihaka rather than continue to receive and provide for those singularly inconvenient donations of idlers. Whilo Tohu's speeches thus indicate that though a man of war, ho moans to koep the peace, they also contain abundant evidence that he is in perfect sympathy with Te Whiti. Like his master, ho delights in parables, and alluding to our arrest of bis men, whom he affirmed had done no wrong, ho said that Herod killed the innocents because he was afraid tho kingdom would bo takon from him by ono of tho children, so we wero arresting his men because wc imagined that by their means tho chieftainship of the Island will be lost to us. II will be seen,from what has been written, therefore, how little hope thero is of any settlement of the West Coast dilliculty by negotiation with two mon who madly stipulate, ns their first condition, for a concession which it is utterly beyond even the Parliament of the country to grant—the existence of the Maories as a separate nation. To ignore To Whiti altogether, and settle the land, appears therefore to be the only course open to tho Government.

In response to an advertisement requiring a man for tho country, out of 15 unemployed who applied for the job this morning, only four appeared at all willing to take 15s a week aud found. The others declined tho pay.

The meeting of shareholders of tlio Golden Point Gold Mining Company, which wa* convened for to-day, did not take place, there not being suflicient members present to constitute a quorum. James Heaton, lato of the Goth, wishes his old friends to know that bo is not tho James Heaton who was conlined to gaol for vagrancy.

The sweet singer's harp, and tho " ready writer's " pen have seldom been more truly consecrated than in the life mission of Frances ltidlc/ Happily h^r influenco as a writer will long lire after her; being dead she will yet speak, and her books will bo read by multitudes. On Friday evening, 10th September, the 1-fov. Allan W. Webb is to deliver a lecture on tho life of this most gifted und remarkable lady. Judging from the rev. gentleman's efforts in other directions, avc are suro his lecture will be an ablo ono. The proceeds are to be given to the Young Women's Institute.

The report of tho committeo appointed to enquire into the fearful railway accident at Tay Bridge has scuta thrill of indignation through the length and breadth of England. Stripped of official technicalities, it amounts to this —that everything connected with the f»ted structure was bad or defective. The deign was wrong, tho matorials were not of tho best, the execution of tlio work most perfunctory, and the supervision practically nil.

Mr Geo. A. Brown delivered a diicourse last evening in tlio Temperance Hall on "The New Birth," basing his remarks on the question of Nicodemus on his visit to Christ by night, as related in the third chapter of St. John. The subject was treated differently to the way in which it has been generally taught in tho churches, and though many might not incline to MiBrown's definition of the now birth uuto righteousness, or, in Mr Brown's words, "into eternal life," still there was an amount of sturdy, common sense teaching in his remarks, associated with a due sprinkling of natiro. He was not, he said, a freethinker in the ordinary acceptation of tho term, but thought freely on theological subjects. He was a believer in the Bible aa the inspired word of God, but wished to rub out many errors in translation, so the Christian scheme might bo withiu tho grasp of rea;on. At the close a number of questions wore asked, moat of them being of such a character as rendered reasonable answers impossible. Mr Brown hinted that ho would establish a week eveniDg theological- class shorty for inquirers. ______

Wo aro clad to hear that Mr McLaughlin, mastor of the Pakuranga hounds, who met with an accident, is rapidly recovering, aud will bo about again iv a day or two.

An interesting children's service was held yesterday afternoon at St. Paul's Cathedral Ohut'Ch. The hymns wero sung by the Sunday-School choir, and an instructive tlddress oil the " Prayers of Hczokiah," delivered by Roy. C; M. Wclson.

We arc requested to correct our mistake in Saturdays issue. Tho subject of Mr Goodson's address at tho Oddfellows' Hall was not "Tho Health of tho Wilderness," but " Tho Heath of the Wilderness." — Jeremiah 48, 6.

The Pnkumnga hounds had a good run on Mr Mclaughlin's farm last Saturday, although the worthy mastor could not participate, owing to hia recent accidcut. Tho dogs imported by Mr J. M. Clark proved tho sterling character of their breed, Tho next appiintmout is a drug huut on Saturday at Epsom.

From enquiries Wo havo mado, wo aro pleased to learn that thero is an improvement in Mr Hall who was knocked down and trampled upon by a cow at Peuroso, as reported in our last Thursday's issue. Dr. Keuderdino has beeu iv attendanco ever since. It appears that the cause of the cow's attack on tho unfortunate man was tho barking of a small dog while Hall was removing the calf. The cow rushed at him, threw him down ou somo broken scoria, and then knelt ou him. Tho prcssuro waa so great that tho scoria penetrated his back, breaking his ribs and forcing them iuto his lungs*. Tko romarkablo vitality of Mr Hall is shown hy tho fact that though so old a man, thoro ia a still probability of his recovery.

Mr Feutoti, tho hatter, has clipscd his former productions in tho head-dress lino, by tlio unique and haudsonio holnict de-si|-uod for tho Waikato Cavalry. It is made of blue felt with elegant mounting*, and white horse hair plumes, It was lirst intended to havo tho lottery W.V.C. om bossed thereon, but it has ultimately boon decided to substitute V.R. Mr Fen ton ia to bocomiuoudod for tbo creditable productions which periodically aro turned out of his establishment; in tho prcsont caso ho has arranged that tho helraot shall bo conb true tod outircly by local talent. The chaste mounting* aro tho skilful work of Messrs. A. and X, Tutenberp.

Tho Hamilton Itoad Board ou Saturday voted £100 for a road between Kuox'e corner and Hoguo's farm, £'.10 for tho Ohaupo-road near ltothwell's, nnd £G0 for the Ngaruawahiu-roud between Ur. Carey'H and Hand's corner. Tbo only work to bo dono on tho road lo Ohauno racecourse is the cutting of tho lust hill. Tho opinion of the engineer being udvorac to tho road through Do Quincy's, it was resolved to apply to Mr Silkcu for a road through his proporty.

His lixcolleucy Sir Hercules Robinson loft Wellington ou Saturday evening, by tho s.s. liotomahana for Syducy, eu route for England. Salutes wore fired from H.M.S. Danio, nnd the artillery. Tho steamer is expected ]iv tliis port nt eight o'clock tomorrow morning. On tbe arrival of His Exeollcucy, his Worship tho Mayor will preaout an address from tho council. It was hoped His Excellency would be present at tho opening of tho Free Public Library, but this cannot be, ns tho fcteuiiier caunob be detained for tho time.

All doubts regarding tho succe«s of tho proposal to have a yacht built iv Auckland to compete at tho Melbourno Exhibition Regatta have now been set nt rout by the commencement of tho vessel. Final and satisfactory arrangements hkving been made, tbo work will bo pushed forward as rapidly as possible, and our representative yacht will in due time be »cut forth to do battle on behalf of this port, and, iudcod, of the whole colony. Tlio Hon. Defence Minister hai ordered two more tc3t matchet.—dark targets and white rillo sights versus white targets nnd black ritlc sights. A lirst pi izo of £3 and n second prizoof £-2 iv each match will bo open to nil volunteers who have nover won. General Government District Rifle Association Company or presented rillo prize. Fntrics mutt bo given to commanding oflicerc* of Corps before tho 30th ioM. Programme of the matcbcß and rule*- will bo pouted in tho drillshod. Ammunition will be supplied ou the range to tho competitors gratis. The mooting on Saturday evening in tho Young Men's Christion Association Booms was well attended. The llov. T. Ilcckcnham, from Nelson, gave a Biblo rot dine Tho usual Evangelistic service in tho Thentro Uojnl wai largely attended. Dr. Konderdiue occupied tho chair, and earnest addresses wore delivered by Mr Court nnd tho Rev. A. W. Webb. Tho amount placed in the contribution boxes ou Iho previous Sunday w»f* £1 12*.

The Parisian Exhibition was opened on Saturday evening in Queon-street, nud well pntrouieed during the evening. Tho views of tho Seine. Notro Dame, Boulevards, and magnificent buildings of tlie French Capital, ouo of the most beautiful cities iv tho world, attracted tbo interest of tho more intelligent visitors, whilo tho exploit, _ of tho Kelly Gang, forming a striking contrast, on the opposito Rido, were a subject of much discussion among tho excited lads of the city.

MrE. B. Dickson roports on the weather Inst week :—" Mostly showery but mild and very equable — generally fino (ill afternoon; wind moderate—rain in frcqiKnt and heavy showers: barometer abovo avorage. Barometric pressure a little higher than In last week. Approximate mean temperature 52dee. 7min. being a littlo abovo that of August, but two degrees below that of September. Total rainfall, onoand one sixth inch. (1.155) on six days out of seven ; falling on fivo afternoons and four nights; occasionally, as on Friday afternoon, very heavily ; wind moderate."

New York ladies of tho Baptist persuasion go in for the most elaborate costumes for the garment immersion, tho robes being made perfectly waterproof. It ii questioned whether this process is cfhcaccous. One Hdy of the old school says :—This is splendid for feminine vanity, but the question arisos in my mind docs it benefit tho condition of the soul quite ns much as a veritable oldfashioned immersion, when instead, of being dressed iv a waterproof garments and carefully dipped in a tank of w«rm water in the church, wc had to rido milos to the river bauk through mud and often rain to reach tho appointed spot in midwinter, clad in flannel or alpaca garments, aud after the service wo shivering men anil women wore teuderly wrappod in shawls and cloaks aud rode homo in wot garments f

Hitchon's blood restorer is a purely local composition, aud as such- was forwarded to the Sydney Exhibition. While under criticiam it appears to have received considerable favour, and a steady demand has set in for this Auckland panacea. The other , day Mr Hitchens foi warded a consignment of fifly-four cave? to Now Soutii Wales, thus giving tho Union Sash and Door Company an order for oases, which may prove the forerunner of many moro. Mr Hitchens has appointed os resident agent in Sydney Mr Graham, a well-known Auckland gentleman. Tho Melbourne Exhibition will also be favoured with a supply of blood restorer, and if the judges thereof arc1 troubled with any constitutional disorder which has hitherto billlod the skill of Melbourno physicinns, it is to be hoped they will drink freely of tho medicine, and receive instant relief. Tne Victorian Government aro welcome to the suggestion that it might bo tho best te>t of the efficacy of Kitchen's blood restorer to pick out half-a-dozen invalids and ply thorn well with the medicine, the ordinary judges boing deputed only to sco that each patient swallowed tho prencribed quantity aud gulphcd down the required number of pills. By this method tho Melbourne peoplo would receive practical testimony of its worth.

The rosi-lcnt* iv the vicinity of Shortland Wharf were startlod out of thc'r slumbers yesterday morning, about fire o'clock, by tho continued shrill whistling of a steamer, and several dressed themselves and went out to investigate the cnuso of the alarm. On arriving at tho wharf it was found that tho steamer Vivid had just started off for Te Aroha, with nearly lifty armed natives on board, and that tlio Momsahib was about to follow her, It appears that one of Tapari's wives named Wanna—a good-looking woman of about 35 years - had a difference with her liego lord somo timo ago, and tho result was that they agroed to sooarato for ever. She took up with Alii Pipene, the well-known Aroha chief, and at the beginning of the week was taken to Omahu by her new lord and master, who is a married man with several children. Taipari's tribe disapprove of hor conduct, and' yesterday morning left for Tc Aroha to bring hor back. Pipoue considers that as Talpari had relinquished his claim toher shcshould bcallowod to do as she liked ; and not to be outdone by the Shortland tribe, he got up steam in his vessel early yesterday morning, aud started off after the Vivid. As the latter vessel is mucli faster than tho Memsaliib, as she had but an half an hour's start, Pipeue intended to go as far as tlie junction, and from thence to Omahu, which placo he expected to reach •at least a couple of hours bofore the rescuers. He intends to do all lie can to resist the rescue, and it is probable that he will succeed. Tho Shortlaridnativeisare.however, determined to have possession of the woman, and it is likely that there will be a disturbance, if they carry their threats luto execution with the determination they expressed when leaving on their errand, —*' Thames Advertiser." :

Tho Loyal Pride of Newton Lodge, holding its meetings in tho Masonic Hall, Newton, anuounced a special meeting this evening at 7.30 p.m. sharp, the business being of importance. Wo learn that unusual interest is attached to this evening's meeting, from the fact that tho B.W.GM., Bro. K. T. Wheeler, who arrived from the South yesterday, is to be present. We have no doubt that all the tho brothers of the Order in Aucklaud will do their utmost to bo present on this occasion. Visiting brothers are especially invited to attend. For further information we would refer the brothers to the advertisement in another column.

One or two incidents whioh cropped up during tho inquiry at the Hospital at Wellington ci eated a feeling of merriment which ovon the gravest of Councillors entirely failed to suppress. First of all, Rose Hamilton, whoso brogue could not bo mistaken, said that someone or other had naked whether she was in "hay favor." "In what?" asked tho Chairman, looking puzzled. "She axed mo was lin hay favor, sor," was tho reply. Someone here explained that the witness here mcaut "high fever.'' Upon this Mr 801 l suggested that a certain Councillor, whoso namo is about the only thing Irish about him, should bo engaged as interpreter. A littlo later, whilo Klleu Crotty was under examination, Mr Bill ventured to ask her whether she had uot a sweetheart at the Hospital, and haviug recoived a short but affirmative reply, asked whether it was not tho cook. This was too much for Misa Crotty. Was she going to tell a dozon men who her sweetheart was? Not she- so after a short pause, during which the atmosphere was laden with indignation, shefouud words, "I'm uot going to toll unyouo about my affairs; they're my busiuess." "Ah I but you must," soothingly replied MiBell. " Then I'.n not going to tell you who it is I Indeed I" And as Ellen was full of dignity and determination she was allowed to carry hor point amidst roars of laughter. But the climax was probably roached when Donuy Cachen, whoso profuse verbosity forces itself uppermost on all possible occasions, was making his statement. Among other things he suid that several horses wore at ono tiim* kept on tlio Hospital premises, that they wero allowed access to tho straw-shod, and that thoy ate nearly all the straw. " Hut," Councillor Greenfield ventured to say, "horsos don't cat htraw?' "Not ate straw, bedad ! Faith, nud Mftgill'a horso poisoned hißself atin' ould powlticcs." No further evidence was taken.—" New Zoaland Times."