THE LAST MEETING AT PARTHAKA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 38, 21 August 1880, Page 3

THE LAST MEETING AT PARTHAKA.

(from a correspondent.) I left Opunake for Pukehinau, accompanied by a European friend and two Maoris, taking the beach route, and arrived* at the latter place at about half-past three o'clock. After staying a few minutes, we proceeded towards Parihaka, but had not, however, got far on the road when we found that our further progress was impeded by a fence which had been erected by the Maoris across the road. We set to work and made a gap large enough to get the horses through, but when we got about a quarter of a mile further on, our course was again stopped by another fence, and we had again to pull some of that down, which we very soon did. As we were going to Parihaka, and among the very Maoris who had erected these fences, we thought it advisable to fill up the gaps we had made, lest any questions should be asked, and it was perhaps fortunate that we did so, as Te Wluti inquired from a Waikato Maori, who accompanied us, by which road we came, how we got through the fences, &c. When informed that we had pulled part of the fences down, but had put them up again, he appeared perfectly satisfied. As so many descriptions have already been given of Parihaka, it is needless for me to say much about it here. It is by far the largest pah I have seen along this coast. It is laid out more like a town, with streets — which, for density of mud, would rival the Mountain road, and that is saying a great deal — and there is a small stream running through the centre of it, from which the natives appear to draw their water supplies. Te Whiti and Tohu occupy small whares similar to those of the other Maoris. The meetinghouse is a long, low building, painted red in front, and on the roof luxuriant crops of grass and Scotch thistles are growing. After making the "nag" secure for the night, I strolled off through the pah to see what was going on. The first thing that attracted my attention was the " haka," or war dance, which was being performed by a very large number of Mao ! is, and the way in which it was executed would rather astonish any pakeha who has not seen a "haka." After that was over, I went as far as the meeting-house. Some of the Maoris congregated there seemed extremely surly, and more than one of them gave utterauce to bitter curses against the whites. No doubt, many are very sore at so many of their men being taken prisoners.

Early on Tuesday morning the Maoris were astir, making great preparations for cooking the food which, when ready, was stacked in a heap in the centre of the meeting-square. At half past 11 o'clock the distribution of it commenced, and it was not over till about half-past 12. When the Maoris had finished the feasting, Te Whiti camo forth, and ascending on the raised platform, began to address the multitude, who must have numbered over 2000. He Spoke clearly and fluently for forty minutes, and was listened to with breathless attention by the large assemblage ol people. He stated that he did not care how many prisoners were taken, so long as that would be the means of stopping the road, and the road must be stopped : the Maoris did not want it. He prophesied that the prisoners would all soon return, and that people from all parts would come to Parihaka, even from over the sea. The greater part of his speech consisted of Biblical quotations, and as a piece of flowing oratory could be listened to with pleasure. It has been generally noticed by visitors to Parihaka that, when speaking, Te Whiti alwaj-s used the left hand when he wanted particularly to impress his words upon his followers. Upon this occasion, however, I noticed that he used the right hand, and as I was a little curious, I watched him closely. After some time I discovered that he had, from some cause or other, lost the second finger of the right hand. This will probably account, to some extent, for his frequent use of the left hand, in preference to the right. After Te Whiti had done speaking, some more feasting took place, and preparations were commenced for another "haka."

The movning before the meeting commßnced., I had occasion to ride to the A.C. camp, and on my way back from there to Parihaka, I camo upon a detachment of the constabulary, under the command of Major Tuke, talcing down the fences which had been erected by the Maoris the previous day. They no sooner had them down, however, than a body of natives came running over the hill, and commenced putting the fences up again. As the A.C.'s had to cart the old stuff away, they did not go to the trouble of taking them prisoners, but the Major chaffed them considerably, telling them to build the fences with better material. Later in the day, eight of the natives were arrested. In the afternoon, when leaving Paiihak'a,' on my way home, I came across the fences which had heen again re-erected by the natives. I had to break my way through once more, but this tune I did not bother my head about putting them up. The land fenced is a square block, lying between Parihaka and the sea. It does not appear to have been previously used by the Maoris, till they found that the road was going through it. Then they planted on it, and fenced it in. The road runs nearly through the centre of it, and the fences thus cross the road twice within a distance of a quarter of a mile. The A.C.'s, when they first took the fences down, erected them along the sides of the " new cultivation, but the natives came and knocked them down. From this circumstance, it will be seen that it is not to protect the cultivation J that the fences are erected, but merely to carry out Te Whiti's instructions to stop the road. So far as I could see, the fencing has not been • carried on recently near Major Goring's camp.