THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 161, 19 October 1881, Page 2

THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

(from our special reporter.)

In accordance with instructions, I proceeded to Opuuake on Sunday evening, and stayed theie during the night. My companion, like myself, would have preferred going either to one of the camps, or else to Parihaka itself, but not being Maori scholars, and being somewhat doubtful of our reception at Parihaka, we scarcely liked to venture on the latter course. Besides, we had heard that feed for horses was very scant in and near Parihaka, so that there was every chance of both horse and man faring badly at the kainga. We should probably have gone on to the camp, either at Pungarehu, or at liahotu, had we not known that several others had preceded us on the waj r , who proposed to take advantage of the hospitality so freely offered by the officers there, and we did not desire to strain the resources at their command. At Opunake of course, the talk was all ot war, and rumors of war, induced partly, no doubt, by the landing of reinforcements of the A.C. that day, sixty-five young recruits having been landed that morning, and partly by the somewhat exposed position of the town of Opunake itself. It certainly seems somewhat unfortunate that the redoubt should have been placed to seaward of the township. For if an outbreak should ever occur, the houses and buildings on the other side would be the most exposed to clanger.

Talking over the different, rumors as to the proposed plan of proceedings on the part of the Maoris, and of the troops whenever the fencing began to be pulled down by tbe constabulaiy, our curiosity was aroused by a statement made by one of the party at Mr. Middleton's hotel, to the effect that a Maori, in whom he had confidence, had told him recently, that Te Whifci intended to fulfil certain prophesies of Isaiah. No one in the compaivy could guess what they were, so the Bible was referred to, and the following passages were considered applicable : — Chap, x 4th verse " Without me, they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall among the slain ;" vers 18, for " he (the King of Assyria) saith, I have removed the bonds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man." It Te Whiti can persuade his followers that these sayings are applicable to the pakehas, and that the Maoris are the chosen ones of Israel, one caunot be surprised at their holding to him. Finding that, so far as I could judge, the Opunake people were, though notalarnied, yet certainly uneasy in their minds, and wondering what might next happen, we determined to start early enough to reach Parihaka before Te Whiti should begin his speech, which was understood to be seldom before half-past ten or eleven. Leaving Opunake about eight o'clock, two hour's smart riding brought us to Parihaka. The dense scrub on the road leading to Parihaka exists now no longer. A broad, well-beaten, though muddy road, leads from near the camp, oa the iuaia road to Pungarehu, up to the settlement or kainga. It is not a pah. Clearings and cultivations have opened up the country round it, and I should certainly say that the whole place could be laid waste within an hour or two, if the painful necessity of doing so were forced upon us. The extensive cultivations, the buildings round Parihaka, the general tone and demeanor of the Maoris in and round Parihaka, all went far to convince me that no war can bo intended. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that Te Whiti has attracted all the bad characters from among the Maoris round his standard. And as it is easier to raise the devil than to exorcise him, so Te Whiti may find that it was easier to collect such men around him, than it is to restain them. On arriving at Parihaka, a few minutes past ten o'clock, we found that Te Whiti had just commenced to harangue the assemblage in the marae. This space which is estimated to contain about 600 persons was quite filled, and after going through all the little lanes and alleys, which surround it, I satisfied myself that there were fully as many sitting round in the offshots from the square as there were within it. I also learnt and 6aw that many of the old people remained within their whares, some of the women were busy at a distance from the square, and most of the smaller children were playing round about. Consequently, I should say that the estimate of an habitue of the meetings, which allowed 2000 souls as the whole number of Maoris could not be very far from the mark. There were said to be about 200 returned prisoners present, but judging by the number of those with white feathers in then: hair, I should imagine that this was an outside estimate. The only part of Te Whiti's speech that can possibly be of any general interest appeared to me to be that which was new. Scriptural and enigmatical references, which may mean anything or nothiug, were carefully omitted by me in the resume of Te Whiti's speech, which I sent you by telegraph yesterday. By the newspaper which reached me at Otakeho on the evening of the same day, I see that others who were present, scarcely regarded the speech as being pacific, as I regarded it. I admit that the expressions in regard to the 90,000 troops at Pungarehu being crashed by the Heavens falling on them were used, but as you will see from my report guns and powder were not to be relied on, and I am not credulous in respect to the Heavens falling on us. You may rely on my report being accurate so far as ie goes. It was checked by a man whose ability to do so cannot be questioned. Te Whiti, who was listened to most attentively, said while I was there — I look with sorrow on my people this day, who are like a brood of chickens whose parent has deserted them and who know not what to do. There is nothing to fear in these days, therefore be stout-hearted, do not be afraid. My heart is full because of man and land. Nothing which I have said will be altered or changed. Be not afraid how numerous your opponents are, they shall be overcome. For all that is now taking place was foreshadowed of old. Nothing shall be unfulfilled. The quarrel shall proceed, but neither guns nor gunpowder shall be gods to men any more. They cannot save men. Do not think lam turning aside from my path. This is what I have always said. This is a day of boasting for us. The plan of the ground and the plan of the quarrel has been fixed, and will not be altered. Let the Pakehas. come. My pah is open to them both day and night. Though there should be

thousands of them, the heavens will fall on them. There is nothing left for you to do but to behave as young birds .who have lost their parent. ! After a buzz of whispered conversation through the assembly, Tohu stepped quietly forward to the niarae. He spoko rapidly at times, but with long pauses - between his sentences. He did not command the attention of his hearers like Te Whiti. His speech seemed to me from the translation given to be maiuly an echo of Te Whiti's. He said — The day of assembly like this was foretold of old. I cannot guide you now, as God is here and he will guide you. It is not now as in the days of the fencing and ploughing. I shall tell both Maoris and Pakehas to come here, but not with force. This is a day of boasting for us, but peace will not - be made. The quarrel must be carried through ; the law of it was made of old and cannot be altered. He then proceeded to talk for fully half an hour about the cluty of resisting evil, of the scheme of creation, &o. I cannot pretend to say what it all meant. My interpreter stated that he was impressing upon his hearers the advisability of killing the devil, a - maxim which most of us will accede to, provided that the devil in this case is not assumed to be on earth, and to have appeared in the form of the constabulary. The Maoris were thoroughly hospitable. There were a number of visitors — I should say fully 30 — present. Some of those who proposed to attend did not reach there in time, but went up in the afternoon. They told me that Te Whiti had been again speechifying during the afternoon, and that he proposed to speak to them again in the evening. Knowing that your ordinary correspondent on native affairs was- present, I have no doubt you will be kept well posted in all that goes on there. What will be the outcome no man can say. The Maoris threaten to resist as soon as their fences are pulled down. The constabulary are being reinforced rapidly, and by the time this reaches you, there will probably be fully 1000 men under arms. This ought to be sufficieut to render resistance dangerous, if not hopeless, to the obstructionists. lam satisfied that the Maoris hope to avoid bloodshed, and that Te Whiti has simply determined to do all in his power to secure a hearing for certain (real or fancied) claims of his to the land. His authority and influence over the Maoris is undoubtedly as great, if not greater, than it has ever been ; and should they be told to fight, they would probably not hesitate for a moment. The young men would enjoy and long for a little fighting, and scarcely realise what a crushing aticL disastrous blow would be dealt them, if the Europeans were to gather up their forces and strike with all their might. I shall never regret my visit to Parihaka, but I should scarcely care to go again. ' Any 'one not being a Maori scholar, is almost lost among the natives, and one's enjoyment is so entirely dependent upon the presence and goodnature of an interpreter that it rests on a very slender footing. Judging by what I saw of Te Whiti, I should think him most unlikely to sacrifice the lives of his men for the s .ke of the land claimed by him on their behalf. [By Telegraph.] (from our own correspondent.) PUNGAREHU, Yesterday. The Parihaka meeting is over, and the natives have dispersed to their usual avocations. The men, women, and children have all gone down to the fences as usual. Obstruction in fencing is to be continued, but fighting carefully avoided. The natives are to persist in striking the ground with their spades, shovels, and kohas. There appears to be no inclination to desist from fear of attack; on the contrary, the determination to persist is stronger than ever. If an attempt is made by the constabulary to arrest them, they are to cling together, and thus render it necessary to take the ■whole or none. Titokowaru has returned home.