SOUTHERN MAORI DISTRICT.

Press, Volume XXV, Issue 3228, 5 January 1876, Page 2

SOUTHERN MAORI DISTRICT.

Nomination at Kaiapol The election of one member to renresenfi XLn I?nCt T Waß > ld afc the CourCso Kaiapoi, on Tuesday at noon. In conT* CT °V he una detention of T Tffackay Esq returning officer, C. White! foord E B q, deputy returning officer, menced the proceedings. There I I

Te Koti, Hohepa Huria, aud Hori Keroi Tarnroa here registered themselves as SeS, Hone Tamanuiarangi said he wm,vi v ' registered and stood a? a caadTdate T none of his people would pr? P ot or

The Deputy Returning Officer commenced the proceedings by saying— l have bean ™ pointed by Mr Mackay. the reSSuSSS" as his substitute ou this occasion-[cheSS Mr Mackay having telegraphed to mc thl{ he is notabe to get here by steamer from Wellington in time. rCheers] Mr MackiJ may arrive by midday (rain, but it is n«S! saryto hold this election at noon, becaura the law directs it to be done. [Cheers! 1 will now read the writ and letter appointine mc to act. [Read.] The writ is SS on February 2nd. 1 shall now call oa an* registered elector to nominate a candidate. He then explained the mode of election, and invited one of the duly qualified electors to propose a candidate;

Te Koti stepping forward said—l am a member of the Wagatikahunu tribe, and a registered elector of this district, and I propose Hon Kerei Taiaroa as a fit and proner person to repreeent this district in the General Assembly [ Cheers.] My frienda and electors, I will give you my reasons for proposing Taiaroa as member. Although I am a native of the North Island, and native of another tribe to yours, I have great pleasure in Btanding before you and proposing your member. At the first election for a member to represent the Southern Maori electoral district I had the honor to propose Hone Tamanuiarangi, and ho was elected. On the next occaeion that we were called together to elect a representative I had the honor to propose Taiaroa, and he was elected on that occasion. ("Cheers 1 During the time that Taiaroa has represented us in the General Assembly I have watched hie proceedings, and believe he is the best fitted to represent our interests. What I approve of in Taiaroa is, that he takes notice of all matters brought before him by you, and he agrees with your wishes. [Cheere.] If I had seen during his membership that he was unfit to represent you, I should not have proposed him, but since I have seen the zeal and energy with which Taiaroa has discharged his duties to benefit and help yon, I have great pleasure in sup. porting him. I have had plenty of opportunities £of judging his character, and think that we could not have a better man to represent the Waipounamu (Greenstone, or South Island). I am not moved by unworthy motives in proposing this candidate. Ido so for the reason that I have your best interests at heart, of which my office (Wesleyan minister) is a guarantee, and believing I am doing my best for the people whose spiritual good I take so much interest in. [Cheere.J

Hohepa JHuria, stepping forward, said—l second the nomination of Taiaroa as a member for the Southern Maori electoral district. What I want to Bay now is this, we used to call our swiftest canoes in olden times after the names of our men, and the canoe on this occasion which has shown speed in competing with the European canoes in Parliament is Taiaroa, [ Laughter and loud cheers.]

At thie janctrire Mr Ttfackay, who arrilred by the midday train, on entering the court was received with continued cheers, and took his position as returning officer. The returning officer asked if any other candidate was to be proposed, and receiving a negative answer declared Hori Kerei Taiaroa duly elected for the Southern Island district. [Cheers] Hori Kerei Taiaroa said—My friends—l have to thank you all who came to vote for the member for this district. I should still have thanked you if the election had been contested. In these affairs the man who gets the most votes in a contest is elected. I am glad you are saved the trouble of polling on the 15th, as I am now elected. I chill not say much on this occasion as to what I have laid before the General Assembly. I shall only say there are some matters—unfulfilled promises regarding our land—to be brought before the Government. [Cheers.] I have tried my best to bring your claims forward, and you have petitioned and now I will continue to push them into the notice of the Assembly. [Hear, hear.] This is a matter in which not only one man, but all Waipoanamu is interested. [Cheers.] You have seen in the newspapers the report of my speech in the General Assembly with reference to our claim for £2,000.000. It was a wrong thing: for the Assembly to ask mc to state the amount of the claim, and on my having stated it, they should object to the sum as too much for. 6 4hn compensation we are entitled to. I snid, and we have all said, that we have a claim to the land, because of the promisee being 'unfulfilled, and till these promises arc fulfilled, we shall still have a claim. [Cheers. J That is all I have to say on that question, but there is another, and that is, the General Assembly docs not pay B'ifficient attention to the Maori members. [Hear] On several occasions, lam sorry to say, I have been alone, and no one has been there to help mc to bring the Maori matters before the House. [Hear, hear,] I consider we ought to be put on a par with the Europeans, and that matters relating to us should have greater attention, and thus the reason why I urged for a greater representation. I think it is a shame that there should bo only four Maori members in the Assembly to represent a population of 40,000. It is my wish, and you barre it as my opinion, that the representation should be increased. | Cheers] There is one other matter to- which I wish to refer, and if it had been fulfilled I ehonld have spoften to you to-day in English instead off through an interpreter, it is a wish that we all knew the English language. f r heerj.J Yotr know that in thoughts passing through, an interpreter sometnnes the sense ie altered, which would net be so if we knew English. [Cheers.] TSere is no donbt this is the reason of confusion in dealing , with Mnori matters by the pereons through whom our words pass to the authorities. It must . not be left to mc alone to pTess yoar claims. Yoqt m<-mber must support thete and yon must support him. [Cheers.] Also in the matter of what was right and proper m the esJiibMshment of schools in the msdst of yon. I myself have seen tbe folly of net lcnowingEagliahaoddependingjoa other mens'ropgues. I wish to see our children taught English. * have seen considerable progress made ia come native echoo's, and I do not consider it yight that Government should put schools m gome and not in other districts, so that all their children should be taught to know everything. (Chcera] This is all I have to say now. I do not intend to make any promisee. I will do my best for yoh. Yo» must support mc. [Cheers.] Mr Taiaroa proposed a vote of thanks to the returning officer. Three cheers were given to the returning officer, deputy returning officer, and to Mt Taiaroa, when the proceedings terminated.