TE WHITI ON THE STUMP.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 51, 25 June 1879, Page 2

TE WHITI ON THE STUMP.

IK i3ot^M.,p6lumn ,w» Tiaye eTxtracte?"' from the Wang anui Herald theessenc* of the upeech made by the Maori prophet, Te Whiti, at the recent rae»tiny; of his followers at Parihaka. From the context it will be ieen that that archconspirator is either a religious fanatic, or a most clever impostor. What makes the machinations of the scoundrel the more dangerous is that while he is doing his utmost to work upon the feelings of his ignorant followers and superstitious dupes, outwardly he is proclaiming his crusade with the Pakeha to be but a war of tongues. While apparently oondemning all orert acts of violencr, se--cretly and openly he is preaching, sedition, and launching defiance m the teeth of the Government, until he has raised such, a storm m the breasts of his impetuous believers that he feels almost powerless to control. It would appear, however, as if all the statutes and laws enacted for the preservation of order are to he a dead letter, as far as this privileged traitor and rebel is concerned, and the authorities stand by and listen to the i-ankest sedition and profane blasphemies being uttered with out taking a single step to punish the ofßender. Although a considerable amount of odium has beon cast— ?and deservedly, too — upon the present Government forks tupineness m not stamping out that hotbed of tratachery and sedition which has 'flourished at .Parihaka, 8 till Te WS'Ti'B power is not the growth of a mdnth or a* year, but dates as far back afe almost a deoade ago.'. Indeed, even as far back as eight years since it had assumed proportions which were sufficient to alarm Mr. Pabris, who was then, a Civil Commissioner m the locality,- and we find, him m the pear 1872 sending m a report to the 'Government, m the following strain i— But the main point to which I have iodraw attention, and to" .which I have frequently referred m previous correspondence, is the predominating influence which has been jE^aSuallj acquired by Te Whiti, of' Parthaka, an influence by no means confined !jo this district, hut which is now great m some of the most distant parts of the Island, and is notably exercised over Tawhiao him- • The general ch^raofer- of Te WhitiV influence is altogether m favor of peace, and I think iPh'e be prudently dealt with it will, continue so, as it corresponds with the essentialiy'poacefnl and, amiable nature of this singular man. But although m this point' of view, TeWhitji's ascendancy. ispraductive of good, it must be lobscrred, that his abhorrence of the idea^ of further- conflicts' between the x^ces,. or amongst his people, ■lifts' caused him, to put his ve^o oh any proposal — such as that for .the completion of tbe telegraph nnd road through his district — If he 'finds it likely to be pro'dnctiye of discussion. Moreover, his total -want of eympatljy witb, inicl indeed, his scorn f br our. action: of progress, arid the absence of all desire for money, ol> anything that vre have-to olfer Knvreriflersi l^diUl^ult, ifnot hopflwn, to obtain any ac.th-e aid fpam Mm m facilitating, the worlr of coloDisation. . l , , Suoh aecuTuußtion, of.; ppjVre* and influence m one man,^ strengtKenedby the presence of Natives from other jwrlyj who have taken VeFuge under his fanatical ruliujy, i» calcu-, hted to obstwict the pxpgress of colpniaar tion and advancement of public m this dis- ***. ■ .■■ ' ; " ': : ■'■ .. ■)'',■■'.:■' : ■.. That wm m 1872, when Mr. Fox was Premferand Mr. T)onalDi TyT'LBAw held the n»ins of the Native Oftlcei but the warning wan unheeded, as time rolled ion the power- and influence of liU* dA|tfts^?Sh.a,s t lifej. ijb# % SM^fea^,

increased m magnitude, until it has assumed its preient threatening propor. tions. He has established a kind of biannual Parliament or Synod, which takes place on tbe 17th of March and the 17th of September, to be present at which large parties of Maoris from the north -and the south, the east and the west, of both Islands, flock to Panhaka, as did the Musaulmenj of old^tp^the tomb of Mabb«<B- In 'speaking of those assemblages, the New Plymouth paper says that. tEose who have heard Te Whiti hold forth, and those who know the Native language, speak of his speeches as being eloquent and .masterly display? of Ma»ri oratory. . With such a gift, his mind well stored with Maori lore and information, obtained either from reading or from those Europeans, who have visited him from time to time it is not' surprising that Te Whiti should possess the power he has now obtained over his. people.