A VISIT TO PARIHAKA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3225, 31 October 1881, Page 3

A VISIT TO PARIHAKA.

A gentleman who visited Parihaka and interviewed Te Whiti and Tohu the night before they received the proclamation, has given us (Wanganui Chronicle) the following account of what he saw and heard. He started from New Plymouth with a Maori lad who had agreed to go with him and procure the introduction. They passed through the camp at Pungarehu without stopping, and on nearing Parihaka were met by a Maori policeman, who shook hands with the white visitor and asked if he wished to see Te Whiti. On being told that such was his wish, the policeman escorted him to the house where Te Whiti was. The prophet received him most kindly and proffered him hospitality for the night, which was gladly accepted. The visitor told Te Whiti of the proclamation, which had already been made public in New Plymouth. He said they had heard nothing about it at Parihaka, and listened very attentively whilst its contents were being related to him through an interpreter. At the conclusion Te "Whiti asked the visitor to come with him to the councilhouse and tell the tidings to the natives. They went together, and the visitor repeated the principal contents of the proclamation through the interpreter to Te Whiti, who explained it to the assembled natives. The natives treated the matter with ridicule and contempt. Subsequently Tohu sent for the visitoi*, who had to go through the same explanation to about 250 natives assembled in Tohu's council-chamber. These men received the news in a far more savage manner than the natives surrounding Te Whiti. All the natives were, however very civil and friendly to the stranger. After the meeting at Tohu's a return was made to Te Whiti's house, where a plentiful meal of bread and meat and tea was served ; and after that had been discussed Te Whiti conversed with his guest till nearly midnight. The prophet is described as a handsome,, well-built men, with a complexion light as that of a half caste. • He is getting up in years, and hia hair is turning grey. His manner is exceedingly courteous and winning, and he seems to be naturally very intelligent, and to have acquired a great deal of knowledge on matters of public interest, altogether apart from the native question. He displayed not the slightest sign either of madness or fanaticism, and the general impression he made on his guest was exceedingly favorable. The conversation was principally about the assassination of the Czar, the death of President Garfield, and the position of affairs in Ireland, concerning all which Te Whiti had picked tip a surprising amount of information. At about mid-night Te Whiti said it was time to go to bed, and a { supply of clean bedding was given the visitor, who occupied the same Maori house as Te Whiti and his secretary. No sooner were the three in bed than twenty-four men came in, each wrapped in a white blanket. These were Te Whiti's body guard. They marched in without uttering a word, and betook them to their several places of res<; on each side of the whare. In the morning the visitor had breakfast with Te Whiti, and then about eighty Maoris, each haying a kit and a potato hoe, ranged themselves in order in front of the whare. At a sign from the prophet they marched off to the plantations, followed by about twenty women. Then four of Te Whiti's troopers, dressed in -uniform—boots, breeches, blue shell-jackets, and foraging caps—rode up,

and the prophet despatched one of the ,men to each or ill? fences recently erected on the Government land. It is iZVj. that Te Whiti maintains about thirty of these troCpers in Jterihakft. The mounted men having been sent, out, foul* of' Te Whiti's foot police made their appearance" arid received their orders to go through the village and see thafc all the- lanes were thoroughly clean. By this time the visitor began to think of starting on his way, and after another short conversation with Te Whiti they took leave of each other in the most friendly manner, the prophet expressing himself well pleased with the visit and giving an invitation for another, Te Whiti also made the visitor a present of a very handsome piece of polished greenstone. In his conversation during the previous night, and again afc his final interview, the prophet repeatedly said there would be no fighting. He laughed afc the preparations of the Government, and remarked in a sarcastic manner thafc he was sorry they were putting themselves to such unnecessary expense in sending a force up there. Our informant says that Parihaka is a very clean place ; there is neither dirt nor stench ; and the lanes are regularly swept and all refuse removed. There are no signs of any warlike preparation. The plantations of wheafc and potatoes are considerable, and a great deal of the time of the inhabitants is spent in looking after them. Our informant says that the fences about which so much has been written are of the flimsiest description, of small timber and scoured by flax lashings. > -