SPEECHES OF GOVERNOR SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE WAIKATO CHIEFS AT THE MEETING HELD AT KOHANGA, DECEMBER 1861.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume II, Issue 5, 5 February 1862, Page 1

SPEECHES OF GOVERNOR SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE WAIKATO CHIEFS AT THE MEETING HELD AT KOHANGA, DECEMBER 1861.

"LET THE PAKEHA AND THE MAORI BE UNITED."

Kohanga, 12th December. Waata Kukutai (Ngatitipa}: Welcome, Governor. Welcome to Waikato. Welcome to the house which is injured, to the path which is overgrown, to the fence which is broken down. Welcome to the scattered sheep. The sheep have no shep» herd, and so they are scattered abroad. Itwas I who Tetched you from the forests of Taane. Welcome to your old resting places. The roads are filled up. Come ashore. Enough. Aihepene Kaibau (Ngatiteata): Here are my fathers and younger brethren carrying the treasure into the bouse. The rtfanga Is with you. Enough; it has appeared in your presence. \ The Governor to Herewini: Will you answer, a question if I ask it ? Herewini (Ngatitamaho) : Ask it.

His Excellency: I wish to know what Waikato wants. Herewini: What I desire is to shew iny love, and cry to my the Governor, Welcome, Welcome. Came' in the name of goodness and affectioti; "and the words of Potatau ; although he is dead,: his sayings remain. Welcome, Governor, to see us in pence, and thaiwemaysee you. 0 Governor, Welcome. I also call to you JL reply to me. I* have finished what I hayflf to say, I have said it. This is my question, that yoJßoy say your say. I have answered your question thus, because such is my love to'you. - I did nbt understand your enquiry, and so I speak my own thought. I question, and am questioned in return: questions are put to me, and I question in reply. And so I say, answer my words of good-will. His Excellency: It is impossible forme to speak until I know what you want. I am come here as a stranger, "and so I seek to know what it is which is desired by you. J)o you want to know if I am come here in peace? Yes. i have come in love and regard for you all, and I wish to find out wlfat- I can do foryoti. Herewini: Friend the Governor, listen to m&. There are three things that 1 think of; love, peace/and Christianity. There are also three other things which I think of; tlie king, the flag, and the roads. ' His Excellency: l am a stranger here* aqd* should; like it to be made clear what all these things mem. What is the king, according to your thoughts? Herewini: This is the interpretation of it. There are three things which I consider ; the king, the flag, and the road; this is my explanation. His Excellency : Well; : what is it that you .mean by the king? ■Herewini : He is a king belonging to us, to us of. this Island. of New Zealand, belonging to (or-over) us the inhabitants of New Zealand. His Excellency; Is be a king for the Europeans? ; Herewini: If you, 0 Governor, are willing to accept my king. it will-be. well. -His Excellency Is be then only a king for those who wi>b to have him? • Herewini would not answer at first, then he said: He for us, the men of New Zealand. His Excellency; What about those who do not wish to have him?

Herewini: All the men of New Zealand wish, to have him. His Excellency, repeating the last queslion said : What aibout those who reruse him? Herewini: I do not know that there are any; there are none who have fled beyond the bounds of New Zealand. His Excellency: But I know there are many. What about those? Do you intend to force them to have him as a king? Herewini: Ha'. There are none unwilling; all are consenting. His Excellency: Have the Ngapuhis consented ! Herewini: All, all belong lo New Zealand. His Excellency : Have the Ngatitipa consented? Ilei •ewini: Yes! all belong lo New Zealand ; and Waikato belongs to New Zealand.' His Excellency : What power is the king lohave? What is he to do? Herewini: His work. You know that wars have been the constant practice in this island, of New Zealand. The Scriptures having come to me [ search, and, in the Scriptures I find: hence 1 build up this enclosure as the means of stanching my bilood ; thus I have considered in the years thai have passed.. His Excellency:. Have yon thought of no other plan for slopping war and blood shed, in which all the country could join? Herewini: The destroyers of this Evil are Christianity and love: these are its destroyers.. Speak, 0 Governor, about evil and goo J: I thought that love should be joined lo love, and hence 1 spoke about the three things. His Excellency: I hiwe come a long way to work for good, and lo make peace in. this land. Herewini: And is. that your design ? Did you come to bring peace lo this island? (To the meeting) You hear this? (Reply Yes, yes.) Love aad the Gospel are the fruits of good. You have come, then, lo save this Island? You speak well, 0 Governor. His Excellency: lam come here to give peace and quiet to this land. Now this is what I am still, seeking to know: Do you mean that the king that you have set up is to be forced on people, whp do not cire for h'm, nor want him? Herewinf: 1 do not know that any are outside. 1 have said:tbat all the island is New, Zealand, His* Excellenc y: The ftgapuhis reject Itini.

. Herewini: No word- from them has come to us. " His Excellency: Bui if they do reject him, what then? Do you mean to try And force v tben>? Herewini: We Maories shall love each other. His Excellency: Then you only intend him to be a Chief over such tribes as will have.him ? Herewini: Yes, as a king; as a king for *the trib«||>f New Zealand. His Excellency? No; a great many have Tefosedhim. Herewini.: I. do not know that such a word (design) has come to us. I have not heard of such a word. His Excellency : I know they do retuse Tiina. I know, that many will refuse him. Herewini: Who says so? His Excellency: I tell you so, and it is best we had a distinct understanding upon this point. I will not have him forced on atfy tribes that will not have him. Herewini: No letter has reached us, ho letter saying they do not approve: and -hence I-said, all are consenting. <ln consequence of Herewini fencing the, -question, His Excellency said: I cannot get -any information from Herewini. Is there any other Waikato man who will toll me what Is wanted? Tewhi Panawaka (Ngatihine): Our words 'have been spoken to you by Herewini: love, Christianity, and peace. These three things •also are what I say .to you: the king, tUe flag, and the toads. His-Excellency: Tell me what you mean by a king? What do you want done? Tewhi: We two have just now told you: the three things. His Excellency: Do you mean him to be a Chief of a tribe? Many Maories say " No, •we will not have him." If you want, a Chief 4or the tribes that will have him, I can undemand thai; but if you want to set up a Klbief for those who will not have bim, I say you are evil men, and I will not allow such tyranny. Tewhi: I do not know that any are going outside oflfhe tribes of New Zealand. No letter bas reached us. His Excellency: The Ngapuhis say they ■won't have him, and to do many other tribes.

Say plainly at once, do .you intend to try and force him on those who will not have htm? Tewhi: Ido not know that thev are going (living) outside. . His Excellency: Do you intend to make slaves of. the Chiefs of the Ngapiihi and other tribes? Tewbi: I liave not yet seen (received) their letters. . His Excellency: Do not be afraid to tell the trbth. Tewhi: We (the Maories) all belong to New Zealand. His Excellency: 1 wish you wonld answer fairly, as a friend to a friend. Don't evaie tbe question, but answer fairly. Do you mean to attack those who reject the King? Tewhi: We will not go about threatening: If they do not come and join us, we will not (threaten); rather let them come in themselves; they understand it. Uis Excellency: Now 1 begin to see the meaning of your worJ " Peace." Now I can go on working with all the tribes all over the country. Tewhi: Yes, they know and we know, b. • cause they are all New Zealunders. His Excellency: I felt some anxiety to 'know Whether you intended to force your kingon tribes who did not want him, because I should have been obliged to protect them from such a course of things ; but now iny mind is at ease. I don't care what you call film; king or Chief, I do not mind him. What i shall now do is to set to work with all the Chiefs who will help me, and do all the good I can; and those wiio will not aid me, I shall not care for. I shall look upon each Chief as tbe king of his own tribe; and if two or more tribes come and say, ,( This is our king," like the king of the Ngapubisand other tribes, I shall say, »' Well, if you like to give up your Chieftainship to another manj well and good, I shall not care." I shall have twenty kings in New Zealand before long; and those kings who work with me shall be wealthy kings, and kings wealthy peoples. Buihana (Ngatitipa): Listen to my speech; it is but one word. Your discourse comes in the name of goodness and peace: your kindness is excellent, and comes from beyond the seas, and froni heaven. We have Allured you hither, O our great Chief. I Shall confine my words here, to love and the law. We all who are sitting here listen to the goodness of your words. Pay no-atten-tion id what we have been talking about, it is child's play. If you let that child's play alone, it will fall of itself. Look at the men

whom God made, and. do ..not look. at . the flagstaff ofthe Maories, becanse ufaie Maori is a foolish race. Do not think aboutsueh a thing i'as"the. flagstaff.) If you. act: thus, it will then be said, to be the work, of chit-; dren; but. if you. dispute about |»i f it-wiii then be considered as an important thing.l .Te Ao-o-te-rangi (Tainui) : My speech to you is respecting, importance being attached by you lo our work, lo ihat of New Zea« land (the King movement). This is my frord: lam a New Zeahuder, ihe island.is. New Zealand and the work is that of New Zealand, i Although, 0 my father, the tribes are I strangers, and have their thoughts divided, j yet do they form one people. We were! overtaken when foolishly pursuing Maori' customs, and were set right by you, by the people of England. Now 1 understand this j work, the work of those, nations who have knowledge. At present, .Governor, we who ap 6 jiving on. the open road of this river, are sitting in peace.. When you returned loi England, another Governor came: and before that Governor had been here long, he- turned against us. We did not rise in return, or do.anything. We had a case of blood (that of a native killed by a European in Auckland); it was shone upon by the sun, and all the world saw it. It was given up. to Auckland by Waikato and by us"; j .given lip to be settled by your laws, until we were tired out. It was riot long afterwards evil occurred again; it rose up and was.piit down. Wewerd not gloomy, I had biii one thought: my. goodness and straightforwardness commenced then, aud continued witli Governor Gore Browne. His word to his friends was not heard, but the conflagration spread at Tarauaki. When we -first heard of it, it . was burning. Whilst we were ramming. down .our cartridges, the report of your cannon was heard: the Maori custom. is to ask, " What is thai? what is that?" Now that you are come, welcome, Governor, welcome to New Zealand. When you left;, the flock of sheep , were on ; the right path, and the garden which you cultivated was ihr.iviiig . well : when you return, it is overspread wiih rais and evil: the sheep have broken out, and cannot be again returned to the fold. Nowthatyou, are seen, again, you are agreed to as a shepherd for the sheep, for it was you who fed the sheep wiih grass from the garden. Behold, 0 Governor, it, was you, it was the Pakeba who gave strength to this thing s which I call a ngarara. [The

ngarata, or- liiard; is'held'as an evil thing, and au object of terror by all Maoris.] We were- overtaken working foolishness; bm according 'to your way of thinking, the Maori understood that the king was an important work, and an evil ngarara. You speak of the people who consent to the king, and of those who do not consent. By and bye the thoughts of kitigism will go over to the neutrals, am not afraid of Waikato, although Waikato is u sea. If your thoughts about this, island are good, we shall be friendly; if; the fire spreads, you, • the father, must' put it out. The words of Potatau were, Christianity,• ! the Law; and Love; these were all the words which we heard. 1 will not conceal our thoughts' froui you. Perplexed as you are, this is what I say to you, Love : and'we will cry out to you, 0 -Governor, that the whole of Waikato will be friendly (to the Government). Give up your jealousy (ol the King movement): turn to us. Continue to speak of the things you see (to be right), until you return to your own house. If this were a (purely) Maori meeting, this speech would be now answered. Wiremu Te Wheoro (Ngaiimahuta): Attend to me, 0 Governor, and I will tell yoju the meaning of the remarks of those men who have spoken about the tribes who are not agreeable to. the king. It is because those tribes have not declared themselves to the king, thai the king has said all the Maoris of New Zealand belong to him. If they come to the king and say, "we do not consent to the king," thpywill be left quietly alone, and their disapproval accepted; if afterwards ihey consent, they wilt be received; by the king; and if they never consented, they would be let alone : that is the system. Let me now tell you the meaning of w.hatTe Ao-o-ie-rangi said about the kupapa (friendly or neutral Natives). If any say they are evil disposed to the king, the king says they all; belong to hipi'; because they have, not (outwardly) expressed their views. And as Ruihana advises you to let tire king alone,, even so do J; let him alone, do not. think about him. But your word, has already cdme : forib, that you,do not interfere with the king; your word has also come forth in reference to peace, that it was to bring peape that you canie. These words will be held fast by u&all, and be conveyed from one place to another.