Native Grievances.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 6 (Supplement)

Native Grievances.

WORRIES OK FIFTY YEARS AGO.

CA >M V f.Ai NTS A LOLT CON FI3CATiONS.

A STINGING REBUKE.

In November 1873, thrtiien ."muivo Mini ter, .Mr. fattm .uirtis S.r; Lomild Hdxiin, paid ;i visit to 'I iininga (nmr - (ii-Ijoi n>M and met leprcseutatives o* I ho v;ii ions tribes fit tlx- old Courthouse. Amount those v. ho were present wire the Hon. '1 e Aiukunm Major Hopatib, Mciutro Potao, Buika Wlmnga find various other chiefs. When ho Native Minister had t.nt:tnateil that he was ready to hear what the local chiefs wished to speak upon Paora Kali arose and said: “Be have nothin" in paitienlar to sa.v; we have roirio here to listen to von. ’ A sustained pause followed winch Afaionga 'f’ot.- relieved hv remarking thiit the resident (hiols wished lo have rotirii'■d th-j i[in: flans of the Aitangi-a-Mfihffki who v. i>' e in Wirernu Kntgi s cluirgo at Orw-t ki. Again tiierc was a 'pause find W'i Haronga rose and suggested that if the Minister intended to return land to the To Aitanga-e-Al.ihaki trine and the I’ongnivhakaata Gibe all would lie weli. “Let the chiefs from other places,’’ lie added, ironi administerin'’ our affairs. Wliat though we he Han Mans? Get u- trv if we cannot manage our own hosiiie-s.” Interrogated h.v Mr. Mef.ean as to who lie was referring to \Vi Harongo said: ‘‘l refer to Henaro put :>e. Meiha Rouata. Makemi Kolioro ■ ami Paeva To Apatu.’’ Jn due course AVi Fere took a turn in the discussion. He emphasised that thev wished tu ’nave given back to them their burial grounds at -* ‘ (.alii, at AVahamii and at Kmteratnhi: that thev sliould receive £SOOO ot the Paiutahi purchase money from the Crown and the return of the Hau Hans at Opotiki. Supporting Mi Pore, Panapa Waihopi said that some of tiie Hau Ifaus who had hc-n exiled had already returned. Hoani Rum then entered upon an explanation of the position from Ins point of view. Incidentally he sate that the Rmigowhakaata tribe had lost all their land for the crimes of all the Hau Hans at Turnnga; that the Ngnituhupo did not lose any land; and that only a small portion of the 'hind confiscated luul ‘belonged to Ic Aitanga-n-Alahoki. Pi,.ora Kiui favored a more extensive outline of any grievances. He told the Native complainants that they wore wrong in objecting to what they regarded as interference on the • part of Pupate, H.cnare and Mokena for they had benefited as a result ot their administrative work. He disputed the value of some Crown grants made at the instance of Raharuhi. _ According to Wi Pere, Patutahi was taken and divided amongst Ngatiporou, Ngatikahungunu and the Government. The tribes mentioned bad promised to return their shares as an act of gr;u e. r riiis had not been done; instead"' the tribes had divided the lands amongst themselves. Such being the case they did not want any furtln r interference on their part. .Mr. .Mef.ean, in reply, said: — “You, the people, of Turanga, have not hitherto shown yourselves • capable of managing your own alia irs; you talk ' largely of your powers, A on could not do it even irlieu your old chiefs were alive; and voti have always evinced a fickleness and a desire for change, without considering the consequences which would follow. When the Han Plan doctrine came among you, you readily adopted it and you were completely led away. Now you express your jealousy because otl.er chiefs are desired to come here. It vou refer to the Ngatiporou chiefs, j tell you they have a light,'to come here iit auv time and will do so whenever requested I have asked them to come here and will do so again.when I. consider it necessary. You have no chiefs to whom any attention is paid; and the old proverb holds good—‘Turanga tangata rite.’ i.e., ‘Chiefs and all are of equal standing at'Turanga.’ The laud question lias already been satisfactorily settled by the Commission which has recently sat here; and T am not prepared to make any further concessions in either land or money, as you may consider yourselves liberally treated. You would not have received so much consideration if you had assumed a defiant attitude;' and I tell you so again. When you have complaints yi>u will gain nothing by adopting an unfriendly course. Some of you have asked for the return of the Hau Hans at Opotiki and I hear that Wi Pore has advised them to come away stealthily. It such means he employed Jvou cpnnof export me to assent to your wishes. Had a frank request been made for their return, and security offered for their good behaviour, the Government might have entertained tlie request; as it is, they will not he permitted to*return. The burial ground at Patutahi will he reserved for you; with regard tu the others, 1 ran make no promise. You are living in the midst of an increasing and prosperous community of Europeans, by whose example you • should profit. .1 hope you will lean) from them habits of industry which you see they possess and which you will find will lie much more beneficial to you than fruitless agitations. You should bear in mind that Europeans are an increasing people and that it will bo greatly to your advantage to avoid unnecessary contentions and to dwell with them on peaceable terms.” Wi Pore stoutly denied that he had induced am of the Hau Haus at Opotiki to return. “We are going up there,” he said, “and can have the matter cleared up.” With sonic heat the Hon. Mokena Koliere then addressed Wi Haronga with reference to his complaint about the Wainpu and Wairoa chiefs interfering in connection with Poverty Bay 'matters. “This,” he said, “is my word to you. You had the opportunity of dealing with your lands, hut you' shrew it away. My hands are ■. v : take your land.” M.i i.a- ih.pata was equally as pertinent in Ids remarks.- “If, ’ ho sa d. “the Government had seen any fault in our administration the- would have told us to erase: it is not fitting - that you should presume to lictate to us. In !S6o trouble ecnwnneed here end it has existed ever since. Me. the chiefs of other d'stncts, have done our best to prevent matters be.iiia worse with sou and we have succeeded to a certain extent. If the trouble.' of tins place had ended, v.c .should have ceased to "visit you. Ihak'.v Whan.ga also gave Wi Har- 1 cage a suitable dressing down. “It." I l:?°S!<hl, “vou are competent to ad- 1 minister the affairs of your people, why d 1 vou not prevent these troubles f When Kereopa came here w:th his inischief you wore eager, to support iiis cause, and that was the commencement of your downfall. Wo liare retained some of your land for the misdeeds of vour Hau Haus; and have returned to you. The laud we have returned to you. you have either sold, mortgaged or disposed of in some other way : and now vou are dissatisfied. You should lie Pad to welcome a state of show good feeling towards the Government. . Wi Haronga professed greatly hurt feelings. “I am.” he said, “blamed for not having been able to restrain my people. If they had listened to my advice, they would now he in different’ circumstances. They are easily Jed away and when Henare Matua cam? here they followed him. I was sorrv, but was not listened to; and

now the blame of ail (-> thrown upon me.” Explaining Ins part in toe matter of the administration, Heimm Potao said to Wi Haronga; Ihe Government saw (hat you were unable to manage matters by yourselves, and they asked us to assist you. However, in future, you can conduct your own a flairs yourselves and we snail then see u bother you are capable" of administering for yourselves. Annum •Mafete told Mr. McLean tlmt ho was agniealile to lose the greater portion of his binds for joining the Hau Haus. hut lie thought he was entitled to a portion of land beside what had been given up to the Government. He would not ask for any of the land that had been confiscated, hut for a portion that had booh leased by the Government Natives. Mr. .McLean's advice to him was that he and Paora Kati should settle the matter between themselves.