TE WHITI'S UTTERANCES AND THEIR INTERPRETATION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 152, 28 September 1881, Page 2

TE WHITI'S UTTERANCES AND THEIR INTERPRETATION.

(prom our own correspondent.)

Your correspondent wishes to deprecate in a most earnest manner the state of" alarm raised by the very literal but mistaken interpretation put upon the latest speech of Te Whiti. His speech was warlike, but, as he himself says, this war is different from all others. His sword is his tongue, his weapon of offence the words which issue from his mouth, and his defence the right of the matter. The speech flashed by electric wire to all parts of the island is but a part of his policy — a wish on his part to provoke the Government into meeting his views — which are simply to make a covenant for the future welfare of the two nations in their relations with one another. The war spoken of has been carried on by Te Whiti for many years. His guns spoken of are shovels and spades and the ancient Maori implement called a '• koho," with which they fight against the land and not against the men who have taken possession of it. Te Whiti's speech amounts to this :—": — " I will continue to fight against the Government until some result in the way of investigation and settlement is obtained." But as regards any expression of warlike sentiment his speech is wanting, if interpreted properly. Full of bristling points of provocation, studded with invective intended to provoke, his epeech needs to be interpreted by a man who not only knows the language, but who also has a certain insight into the feelings of the speaker and the motives he has in view. Government ought to command the host interpreters, but unfortunately does not always do so. The speech, as interpreted by a member of one of the " ruling families," reads like a declaration of war. Should a proper investigation be initiated into the dealing with Taranaki lands, tbe agitation of Te Whiti will cease. Very few of the inhabitants ot Taranaki are free from the taint of unholy traffic in native lauds. All Te Whiti wants is investigation into the past, and security for the future. His is a free and independent action arising from a sincere desire for tho administration in their integrity of the public laws as they are inscribed on tho code ; and he hesitated not to send his people to gaol in the hope that the question might be raised. This agitation — and your correspondent says it advisedly— ia only (liffevent from that of the plough ana the fence in this — that the natives will not be taken prisoners. They were given to prison in the former trouble, and they intend to resist arrest in this agitation by a passive resistance, which leaves nothing for the conqueror but the arrest of the whole. No arms, no guns, but a trenchant tongue.

Joseph Billings writes forcibly, and to some purpose. He says happiness is like health : those who have the most of it seem to know it the least. He says that one idea men are their own worst enemies. If you think just as they do they will soon want to think some other way. The faultfinder.— There is no I'emedy for this disease but hunger, which is not permanent, unless it results in starvation. If he enjoys anything he does it under protest, and if any body else enjoys anything they ley about it. Moral : let the man alone — do not answer him. Brains.— Some peoples seem to be placed in their hands and fingers, which explain their great genius for taking things which do no belong to them. To those who have brains, and desire to be honest and clever ; to make good wives and husbands ; let food and fresh air be the basis of it. It would, however, be baser to use the baking powder of foreign import when Sharlaad's stands in the way. — Advt.