MINISTERIAL PROGRESS IN WAIKATO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5060, 4 February 1878, Page 6

MINISTERIAL PROGRESS IN WAIKATO.

| [Bv Telegraph.J [from our special reporter.] Hamilton, January 30. The train conveying the Premier and the Native Minister reached Hamilton at one o'clock. At several places on the way cordial receptions were accorded to the Ministers. At Mercer a considerable number of Europeans had assembled with the natives o£ the Lower Waikato settlements. Three hearty cheers were given for Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan. At Rangariri the natives turned out to see Sir George and Mr. Sheehan, and conversed with them while the train stopped. The same ceremony took place 'at Huntley, a place that no doubt is better known to many of your readers as Rahupukeko, but that word is too long for railway purposes. On passing the Rev. Mr. Ash-.vell's old station at Tar.piri. a number of natives wore seen gathered near the old church waving shawls in the old Maori fashion, but as the train did not stop, and the broad expanse of the Waikato River was between them and the train, their calls of welcome could not be heard. The natives seemed to be all aware of the purpose of the meeting, and called to Sir George, " Haere fci tou tamaiti ki Tawhiao" { —" Go on to your child Tawhiao."

At Hamilton there was a large gathering of settlers, who received the Ministers with three cheers. The principal men of the Queenite Ngatihauas are also here, aud will probably «o on to the native meeting. Ministers proceed to Alexandra this afternoon. A gentleman well acquainted with native matters tells me that he does not think Tawhiao is prepared to do anything at present. The Europeans must not be impatient for results. [press agency.] Af.exandra, February 1. Rewi was present at the l-yiv/i with Tawhiao. Rewi intended to return to his own settlement, but Tawhiao pressed him to stay and receive Sir George Grey. Tawhiao took hold of Rewi's hand and said, " Our friend George Grey is coming here ; let ua both meet him." Rewi, with a show of reluctance, consented. The meeting will partake of the character to bury old grievances of the war. All the names of the great chiefs who were killed in war will be mentioned, and their deeds rehearsed. The probable effect will be a permanent renewal of friendship between the races, and a burying of the hatchet. One of the most prominent chiefs at the reception of Sir George Grey yesterday was the High Priest of Taria, who was also present at Sir D. McLean's last meeting. He appeared in a Maori mat, holding a taiha. When, previous to Sir George Grey's arrival, he was pressed to clothe himself decently, he re- I plied, '.'I am a Maori." After the reception he dressed himself a perfect swell. A deputation from the Te Awanuitu Board, consisting of Messrs. Sloane, Bond, Koche, and Henderson (the latter one of the oldest settlers and pioneers who lived be- I yond the confiscation boundary through all panics), rode many miles, and presented an address to Sir George Grey last evening. They were very courteously received. The Maoris are employed making a road to Puniu. The reception proceedings were most creditable to Alexandra. DEPARTURE FOR TE KOPUA. Sir George Grey and party are being conveyed to-day in the large canoe belonging to Te Wheoro, which arrived yesterday. The natives who came from Te Kopua state that there are about 700 natives there, representatives of tribes from Napier, Mangonui, and Taranaki. Tawhiao saya that food is spoiling, and is anxious for the meeting to commence.

The natives yesterday were very impatient at the delay, being tired with the long attendance at the recent tangi over Takerei Te Kau. They threatened to return home, but were induced to stay. The natives have only a few tents, and many last night rode long distances to their settlements, but will return to-day. In addition to the above, 700 more are on • the road from Tamahere. Sullivan's murderer and Te Kooti were at the place of meeting yesterday. It i 3 not knowu whether they will be present at the meeting to-day; probably they will be, perdu. Sullivan's murdreer got very drunk yesterday, talked war, and attempted to ride over some natives. It is stated that some Kuropeans inu land speculations, have been incu IU K the natives to make hostile speeches, Sever*. l Chiefs Uvi D g beyond the frontier are desirous selling large blocks of land, and are expected to claim the right to sell. It is not yet kr>/>wn how the natives will receive Sir GeorgJ Grey. At the meeting of the chiefs yesterjay, Te Ngakau advised that Sir George Grey' N should not be received with the usual ponontl. r 'S or invitation from the women at the entrant 0 to the settlement with the words, "Come our guest;" but should welcome him.with, "Come here, Governor; your coming your own work," meaning that expect Sir George Grey to sti^ e

object in this meeting and take the initiative. They will probably not make any demand for the restoration of the Waikato. Rewi has been induced to remain with the greatest difficulty. Report says that he has a difference with Tawhiao, which is substantially correct. Rewi regards liim as a mere puppet of the Ngatihaua. The following conversation, between Rewi and a settler occurred the other day :—Settler : Are you not subject to Tawhiao ? Rewi: No ; the Ngatimaniapoto have only one chief, and the Ngatihaua has a hundred. Settler : Then if Tawhiao asked you to go to war, would you go ? Rewi (laughing): He has asked me three times, and I refused. February 1, 10 p.m. DEPARTURE OF THE EUROPEANS FROM ALEXANDRA. The Premier, the Defence Minister, with Messrs. Dignan, lloaui Nahe, J. C. Brown, M.H.R., with Te Wheoro, G. M. Reed (Otago), and other friends aud staff, left Alexandra this morning for the native meeting at Whakatiroiro, near To Kopua. The Premier aud the Defence Minister, with some of the other gentlemen, went up in one of the war canoe 3, which was rigged out in full dress of war paint aud feathers, with one hundred of Te Wheoro's men to man and escort the canoes. The rest of the party, with Te Wheoro, went overland on horse-back, and met the canoes at the junction of the Waipa and Maungakurania'Rivers, Tawhiao witnessing the disembarkation from the acacia trees on the bank, and then retiring. Sir George Grey and party having formed line proceeded towards the Hauhau encampment a short distance away, where a canvas village of no small dimensions had been erected. When about half the distance, Tiria, a sister of the King and wife of Tuhi, met the party and gave tlie welcome call. Shortly afterwards came Manuhiri's daughter, Te Reinga, who also led the party to a large open spaco reserved for the Government visitors. Here were assembled at the lowest estimate upwards of £000 King natives, with their representative in the centre. On meeting the tangi commenced and continued for some time, when Tuhia called " Cease," aud silence was at once observed with tne exception of Tawhiao, who continued to cry aud lament for half an hour afterwards. TAWHIAO, CONGRATULATORY SPEECHES. When apparently tired out, prayers wore then said by the llauhaus, when the King advancing said: Welcome ! welcome to Waikato ! Welcome, Governor Grey, the frieud of my ancestors, the friend of my relatives ! I welcome you for myself and those who have passed away ! Taithana stood up and said : Welcomo, welcome. Come to Waihingatu ; come to my relatives. Come and see your people ; my elder brother, my father, my parent. Como ! Come ! Come ! Lift up your eyes and look around. Come to Waihingatu, the place of abode of Uemiku. Come over the sea, sailing on the great ocean of Kiwa ; over the great sea of Tawa, until you have reached the lauds of Tawhiao ; come ashore, welcome, come to me? Cometoyour father, Potatau ! Come ! Greetings to you. (Turning to the tribes.) This is Sir George Grey. Here he is come to the place of our abode,

and here he sits. Lie has come to our village. Oh friend come to me, come to your village. The speaker thou sat down. Tawhiao remained standing. Sir George Ci-rey, after some minutes, stood up and spoke in Maori, of which the following is a translation :—Oh ! My friends, I greet you all. I sympathise with you all. Greetings to Tawhiao, and all the descendants of l'otatau, my friend, who is dead. I greet you all, the chiefs and tribes of Waikato aud Ngatimaniapoto, the representatives of my friends .who have departed this life. I greet you, chiefs aud all the people of Ngatimanapoto aud Waikato. I greet you all, also the representatives of all my frfends who have departed this life. I greet you all. The Premier then sat down. Te Nci.ucau said: Welcome, welcome to Waikato. Come and see the troubles that surround us. Come that we may see each other face to face. The faces that have been left by those who have gone into darkness. Come and see your father. Come that we may look into tach other s eyes; that we may look at you, aud you may look at us. Come to uie and the representatives of your friends. Come and bring great thoughts (song), welcome. Come with yOuv friends. That is all now ; it is ended. This concluded the talk to-day. Presenting food, which was there in immense •luantity, theu took the whole day. Sir <Jeorge Grey and the Native Minister remain there to-night as guests of Tawhiao. To-morrow will probably conclude the meeting. The great la'neutatiou _to day is thtough, and the old friendship which existed between Sir G. Grey and I'akerei Te

Rau, a relative of Tawhiao, buried at IJikurangi a few days since, is revived. Tawhiao's dress to day , c*uaed much surmise. His head was dressed with rushes, and he wore a belt twisted with raupo round his waist. He had no shirt, but a waistcoat and shawl. The Kingites were fully represented, very few being absent notwithstanding the busy season. The Ngatimaniopoto chiefs were present, and busy with Rewi (munga) at their head.

Te Wliakanui, however, was not present. Otherwise, every Hauhau chief of good aud bad fame was present. AFTKKNOON'S ENJOYMENT. All afternoon we spent feasting, the only excitement being the division of the food. A great quantity of quarters of beef were drawn to the various tribes in wheeled sledges, made at Itawhia. The great supply of dried sharks, struug on poh-s, was the most coveted luxury. The division of these caused much excitement, aud their unsavoury smell was sufficient to repe! Europeans to a distance. During the afternoon Sir George Grey had to summon all his resolution to resist the blandishments of an aged raugatira, who yearned to rub noses with him. Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan during the afteruoun saw Mrs. Morgan, thewifcof the man who was killed at Ngaruawahia. Tliey will probably make some provision for her large family. ItEWI INTERVIEWED. Your special visited Rewi, whom he found with three other principal Ngatimaniapoto chiefs, in a small tent. On being introduced, Rewi shook hands warmly. He i 3 a man slightly below the middle height, face closely tatooed, slight whiskers iuclining to grey, features somewhat thin, but more regular than the average run of Maoris ; hair closely cut, the countenance shrewd and intelligent, but beginning to show signs of advancing age, slightly wrinkled, and smiles good liumouredly when he is pleased. He was attired in a fiue ilax mat with ornamental borders. He reclined on ferns on the iloor of the tent during the interview, but kept his eyes fixed sharply on the countenance of your representative. The following conversation took place :— Reporter : I am glad to see you in this time of peace. Rewi : It is good to live quietly in our own place. Rei'Oiitek : Perhaps you will be offended at the mention of the war in Tarauaki in which you were engaged. Rewi : No. When war is over our anger dies away. Speak. Riipokteii : Do you remember your attempt to storm No. 3 redoubt, Hurangi, Tarauaki, when the sentries thought the attackiug party were sheep ? Rewi (laughing) : Yes. Repokter : I ivas a suldier then.

KkVi'l (apparently interested again, stretchiug out his hand, shaking the reporter's cordially) : I welcome you. You and 1 have fought, but this is the finst time I have talked face to face. Forirerly, gunpowder smoke obscured our eyesight. After some further conversation, Bewx asksd for the loan of the reporter's pipe, which being a inecrscham, appeared to take Rewi's fancy. It was therefore presented to him ; where upon he remrrked " This is proof there is no enmity between us ; that you have forgo tton old differences." When questioned regarding his views in connection with Sir G. Grey's coming, Kewi immediately became very reticent, i He said suflicieut, however, to show that he did not desire to be supposed to take a very deep interest iu the matter. When it was suggested to hitn that possibly the present meeting would result in opening up the country for railways aud roads, he merely smiled increduously. The whole interview was most cordial.