THE RECENT TE KUITI MEETING

Press, Volume XXIII, Issue 3037, 17 May 1875, Page 3

THE RECENT TE KUITI MEETING

The Thames Adcertiser of May 4th gives the following account of the recent meeting at Te Kuiti:—

" Mr John Davis has jnst returned from the King country, where he has been since for some time before the late meetiag. As Mr Davis lived with Manuhiri (Tamati Ngapora). and is on intimate terms with most of the Kingites, he had better means of information than any other respecting them. He states that there were about 2000 persons present at the meeting, consisting mainly of Waikstos and Ngatimaniapotos, with some visitors from Hauraki, and frem Wanganui and Wairarapa. As our readers already know, Tawhiao never put in an appearance, but with most of his own hapu, the Ngatimahutu remained at Kawhia; Tapihana is also at Kawhia. Manuhiri was at the meeting, but never spoke. He is still, however, as influential as ever he was amongst the Kingites. Tawhiao was represented by Te Ngakau, who has been his emissary for some years, and who has occasionally made trips in that capacity to the Thames, just to see how things were progressing amongst us. This Te Ngakau and Rewi (or Mauga, as he is called now) were the principal speakers at the meeting. There were three points put before the meeting, and agreed upon unanimously—l. The reaffirmation of all the edicts that have hitherto been issued by Tawhiao. 2. That the system of accepting raihana from the Government should be put a stop to. 3. That tbey should keep the country now possessed by them, and should preserve themselves as a separate people. These include a good deal, if narrowly looked at. The first amounts to a reassertion of their position, that they have not and will not move from the demands made during and after the war, and that they will continue to ask for the restoration of Waikato, and adhere to their king as a sign of selfgovernment and of independence of the European. In respect of the second, it appears that some of the Government officers j in Waikato have been furnishing supplies to certain of the Kingites; in fact, pressing all kinds of things on them, giving not merely to men who have done nothing worse than fight openly against us, but to the men who have committed the worst murders. Of course the Government cannot, in respect to these raihana, get a quid pro qxw as at Ohinemuri, but the Kingites are afraid lest they should thereby attain any influence amongst them. The third point is a renewed declaration of independence and of hostility to all roads and surveys. Besides Rewi and Te Ngakau, the two principal speakers on the above subject were Pakukohatu and Rangikaharuru. The Thames was represented by Te Hira, Parata te Mapu, and Pineaha te Wharekowhai ; the chief among the visitors from Wanganui and Wairarapa were Mete Kingi, Te Ngairo, Te Kawenga, aud Te Manihera. When the above points had been settled, some discussion took place respecting the position of the Kingite party with reference to the Government. The Wanganui natives urged that the Kingites should lay the whole matter before the Assembly, but this was emphatically negatived, as a virtual abandonment of the position the Kingites have taken up. Te Ngakau was most energetic in opposing any such step. The Kingites still talk of having a full inquiry into the cause of the war by some impartial tribunal. There is, however, some hope of dealing with them. They would have liked to have seen Sir Donald McLean and the Governor, although they would not yield a point in reference to his coming. It will be remembered that Sir D. McLean promised that tbe Governor would come if they would meet him at Kawhia, but that the natives insisted that he should come to Kuiti. Probably they refus d to yield the point, partly because if the Governor came into Kawhia on an official visit, it would be regarded as an opening of tbe harbour; and partly because they do not wish to yield, a point, however small, as they would thereby confess a superiority in us. Why Sir D. McLean insisted that the meeting should be at Kawhia we cannot understand, unless it was that he was afraid some native, panting for 4 ntu' on account of some relative, might take a shot at his Excellency, and therefore wished to restrict the meeting to a select assemblage on board the Luna. The natives Ihink there is no ground for such a fear, and appear to be somewhat anxious for a meeting with the Governor and Native Minister. A good deal of talk took place on this subject after the meeting, but the natives are anxious that their deliberations should not be made public. The people wero assembled at Te Kuiti for a fortnight, but the chief part of the talking was done within two days."