TE WHITI'S SPEECH.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 116, 25 May 1881, Page 3

TE WHITI'S SPEECH.

(from our own correspondent.)

Te Whitd commenced speaking at eleven o'clock, and spoke but for a short time, when he was succeeded by Tohu. Te Whiti said that good and bad were made in the beginning, when the heavens and the earth were created by one God ; that war had troubled the world from the very outset, and succeeding generations had all experienced the disastrous results of war, but that no generation had so successfully withstood provocation, from a determination to avoid the evils of war, as the present gathering which was before him. They had many of them suffered imprisonment for the sake of peace, and had by their non-resistance nullified the strength and terror of war, which had proved powerless against them. By their patiqnt and passive attitude, they had in a great measure broken down the barrier which was a distinction between the strong and the weak, and that a nearer approach to equality had been made. The whole of their affairs were in the hands of the man who had made the clearing and planted the cultivation. Whatever works were performed by the rich, great, wise, and strong of the land, would be but the fulfilment of his words, and nothing could be done by individual desire alone. Although it is now winter, the beat of January is not forgotten, and though the present race of Maoris are now suffering from the cold of neglect and injustice, they remember a better and more genial time, and long for its re-ap-pearance. Much as the man who is suffering from cold may desire to experience the comforting warmth of January, he cannot attain thereto in consequence of the length of the months which separate him from that balmy summer month, and however much the people may long for a cessation of evil and the attainment of a substantial and lasting settlement in peace free from interruption, their wishes are at present in rain, because of the many obstacles in their way, which time will clear away. "My heart is glad this day, because of the evil which is abolished from the earth, and because of the return of this portion of my people who are returned scathless from the lion's den. Let good overcome evil. By non-resistance war is rendered shorter. You are advised to go carefully in your ways, lest you come to harm, but a careful regard to the right will always insure you safety from evil ; for it is said that good shall overcome evil. The land both north and south is preserved for this generation, and no one can tear it from its foundations and remove it, for it is here for ever, and all men, great, strong, rich and poor alike, will in due time return to the earth, but the earth oan never be taken by any. Many, nations of old desired to attain to a condition of self-restraint and forbearance,

which would enable them to fulfil the words of God, by overcoming evil with good, but on account of numerous troubles in their paths, they did not succeed — this was reserved for you. In the hearts of the brave and strong, the desire for war is still alive, the noxious flame being fanned by the breath of Satan, but these wishes for evil are rendered ineffectual by your persistence in peaceful v/orks, and your continued non-resistance, whatever the provocation. You have returned alive and well, with the exception of those who bave died in the ordinary course of nature, and you are preserved a sign and a mark for all generations and for all tribes of the land, of the inoperativeness of the laws to harm all who refrain from evil, persist only in their rights. The laws of the Europeans, as regards yourselves and your rights, are dead. Some have sufered without sentence, and some who were sentenced have returned with their sentence unfulfilled. You were imprir soned because of the commands of Te Whiti — not from any wrong you had committed, but because of the wish of the people of Satan to steal land. Had you stolen blankets, your punishment would have been deserved. A prison is not a bad thing to be dreaded in these days ; it is a thing to rejoice in. Scathless you have escaped from their prisons, and are established as a mark for all people of the world. The sin committed by those who have imprisoned and made slaves of you shall be charged against those who have done this evil, and shall be suspended over their heads for ever, and the very people who have thrown dirt upon you, shall wash it all away, even those who have disturbed you shall do it. You were not imprisoned for adultery, or for theft, but for the right's sake, and he who imprisoned you shall be imprisoned, and those who scattered you shall be scattered."