TOHU'S SPEECH.

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

TOHU'S SPEECH.

Had your imprisonment been just, we could reßt in peace ; but yon were imprisoned most wantonly. A man who is satisfied with food, takes his rest and is I content; but he who is not satisfied, continues to search for food until his hunger is appeased ; and so, in my opinion, we are not satisfied with our imprisonment, for our wrongs are not redressed, and o"ar condition not improved. My heart is glad on accouut ot our reunion, but there shall be another and a greater gathering than this, larger and more important, when things shall wear a different aspect. This very day is completed the 400 years foretold of old of Abraham, and all wars shall cease for this people. In the days of Adam, Jehovah was glad. After him came Moses, and subsequently Jesus Christ, and Te Whiti is the God of these days; I- am the Grod of these days — the God of peace. We have seen the God of righteousness, and the God of Salem, but only now has the God of peace has arisen, and you are the workers that- peace may be established throughout the land. You were sent to prison as a mark and a sign that the old world of quarrels and war was at an end, and you were not sent in the darkness of night, but the broad light of day witnessed your departure. I did not send you to die, or come to any harm, but that you might contend for the right's sake in the .houses of 'the. king; but all laws are dead, for they never had dominion over you. The land, wisdom and greatness are suspended over your heads. No thing and no word of God remains, and if any wise man say in the future that such and such a thing is God's, it is false, for all are mine. The great - and the wise are become small and ignorant, and wisdom shall descend upon you. the small and poor of the land. It is not that you have purchased these things with money ; no, you have acquired them through your sojourn in the king's houses. Those who have scattered you shall be scattered, and those who have thrust you forth shall be abolished. It has been said by the two nations, that it was fear that caused us to let you depart quietly, but they will not say so to day. They said I was a fool in the days of the plough, and in the days of the fence, but they will not say so to-day ; they will seek for the reason of my work and they will not see it. Though any try to raise again the throne of Satan in our midst, they will not succeed, for all war is finally abolished. The ministers of religion came to us to preach the gospel ; they told us not to fear him who could kill the* body only, but have a regard to Him who could slay the soul ; and yet, when war was raised in New Zealand, these ministers were the first to escape — not one remained ; and the Maoris are not a soul-killing people. When an inclination was shown to arrest you, I had no regard to old or young, male or female, the baby in arms, or the decrepit and aged. I wished not to spare any, myself or any other, had a desire been displayed to take us. You went to prison and returned ; sinless and purposeless you were arrested, unharmed and resultless j'ou have returned. This day all is finished ; . you have abolished war, and for the future the days are yours. The day of suffering is a day of health for the land : the men, the strength, the wisdom, and the right, the knowledge, and the influence and power is suspended above you, for you alone.

After this, an intermission of some hours took place for the purpose of dining, after which Tohu continued : —

The world stands from this day. No nation in the past has evinced the same forbearance as yourselves. I did not give into your hands a sword, a gun a taiaha, a whatiwhatiwha, or any other weapon. I recommended simply forbearance, and you have conquered all evil things with that alone. It must not be supposed that you alone are sick, and we are in health, or vice versa,', no, there is one sickness and one health ; we have all suffered, and all are equally restored. There is no portion of strength left in the laws of the land. There is but one thing to be done these days — to rest in peace and indulge in the sweetness of sleep, of rest, of the relish of your food, and the delight of wandering at will whither you list. There is no return to prison a second or a third time. The imprisonment they have meted qnt to you, I return to them, to cause a gnawing pain in their inner hearts for ever. If you, the prisoners, ask for your property, I say not in peace on your property ; and if you, those who have escaped ask for your property, I say the same to you. Your rights are thoroughly established ; rest in peace. After Tohu ceased speaking, Te Whitd again spoke. As there was a great deal of repetition, I shall only give a short account of this speech. : —

" A. project was brought forward in open day ; the sun shone on it, and the rain has beaten upon it; all good see for themselves, and this thing cannot be hidden. It is plain that all that has been done unto you was on account of rage and vexation, with regard, to the laud, and not on account of &my sins committed by you, my people. The prison-house is of little consequence, and no account need be taken of anger. When the world' was made, quarrels were also made, for the man and for the serpent and for their seed for ever. You were imprisoned to no purpose, and you are returned in the same futile manner ; none could see an injury ; none could see a restoration. Any arrangement for war, for the laws,' and for any vexatious thing, shall not come near you. Those who scattered you shall be scattered, and those who imprisoned you shall be imprisoned. Which of the two is confounded in this contention, in this quarrel, the good or the bad ? Most certainly the good has overcome the bad."

, Both the meeting-houses were very full in the evening, when the subject was further enlarged on. On Wednesday morning the meeting dispersed, and many returned home, but some remained to fence, build storehouses and whares. A large meeting is expected next, month, when Te Whiti's house is to be opened.

For remainder of Beading Matter,

see Fourth Page.