SECOND EDITION.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 49, 27 August 1894, Page 3

SECOND EDITION.

DEATH OF TAWUIAO. « TROUBLE ANTICIPATED OVER THE " KINGSHIP." [By Telegraph. I (united rrebs association i Auckland, This Day. King Tawhiao, tho Maori " monarch," died yesterday at Parawera. A large tangi will bo hold. Complications are likely to arise among the natives as to tho succession to tho " kingship." [Tawhiao, who was originally named Matutaera, was tho son of Potatau (Te Wherowhero), the first Maori king, and waß chosen to succaod his fathor in 1860. His position has long beon an anomaly, for his powor has beep but nominal, and his muna of very limited extent. Early in 1875, Sir Donald M'Laan,* tbo Native Minister, offered to rocogniso his authority over tho tribes within the King Country, with a Ooanoil of Chiefs to keop order and redress wrong, and to provide him with a house at Kawhia, and grant him certain lands on the Waipa and Waikato rivers out of the confiscated aroas, but no apreemont was como to. Sir George Groy, in IS7B, when Premier, met Tawhiao at Bikurangi, and promised him 500 aoros near tho grave of his father, the restoration of other lands to his people, Ac, but Tawhiao neither aoceptod nor rejeoted theao proposals. In 1879 Tawhiao again met Sir George Grey, and repudiated all compromise with Europeans, tolling Sir George that "All f oroign innovations must be swept away . Then there will bo no evils " The conference ended fruitlessly ; but in 188 • . Tawhiao, to the surpriso of eyorybody, visited the confiscated territory in the Waikato, and professed friendship towards the settlors, surrendering his guns and those of his party to tho resident military officer of the district in token of poaco. In 1882 he visited Auckland, where at various entertainments given in bis honour he nrged amity and just dealing and forgetfulness of past evils, and in 1884 ho went to England, his object being to enlist the influence of the Qneon in checking the aggression of the New Zealand Government. Ho obtained an interviow with Lord Derby, then Colonial Socrotary, who promised to forward a memorial to the Queen, but the tone taken up wa« that Now Zealand having been granted KosDonsiblo Government, tho Colonial Offloo could not interfere in a. matter ominontly of local concorn. Throughout his late career, Tawhiao's attitude towards the New Zoaland Govornraont was one of passive protest against their land policy. He was induced to accept a pension of £225 a year in 1802 by Mr. Cadman, tho then Native Minister in the Ballanoe Governmont, but this he subsequently refused to retain. Ho < leaves several sons. Tho deoision as to his successor rests with the chiefs, who will probably consider the question about a fortnight honoo It is doubtful whether any of the sons has obtained a sufficient position to warrant his election. The Maoris now in Wellington have sont a letter of condolonco to the family and tho chiefs.