MAORIS IN CONFERENCE .

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13482, 8 May 1907, Page 8

MAORIS IN CONFERENCE .

PROCEEDINGS AT HUNTLY.

MR. ; KAIHAU'S < LAMENT.

[BY telegraph.—-own CORRESPONDENT.]

Hcntly, Tuesday. At the native meeting more business was done to-day than heretofore, the discussion at times being more business-like and decidedly more animated. Union was again the keynote of the speeches. . Business was I resumed at ten o'clock, after the customary | prayers had .been; read. ; Wi Hapi Koata stated that the -Arawa.tribe had considered the" points submitted : yesterday, and had affirmed the necessity .'for' union, and had agreed; that such > a union-should be consummated now as had existed at the . time of the Treaty of -Waitangi. Their decision on: the . other matters had been postponed, further time for deliberation being necessary. The Arawa-s . would, however, unite. The Arawa canoe was in Waikato. River now, and the Arawa canoemen were at Waahi to-day. Their presence was a sign of their desires. - Tahu said he knew that unanimity was the .wish of the Arawas, and he; asked all to : contribute .towards the expense of the deputation, which he hoped would bo appointed- to: go to England. "Tupu Taingakawa, : the , president, regretted that the Arawas had -come to. a : decision on two points only, leaving the remainder in abeyance. Yesterday he had > -stated ; in open meeting that their decision must be given to-day.. "He..would' not allow them to stand undecided, any longer. > The reasons for his action 'would" be explained after the meeting to his;"committee.'.■'-".'";■■. •' Mr. H. Simmonds thought that as an agreement on; two points had been arrived at the president • should put these to the meeting for approval or otherwise-. ' Mangakahia stated that the, Arawas had already : by petition protested ; against the land legislation- of the Government. ' He himself had signed it, and -he desired that the secretary, Epiha should read it aloud: to the meetingi •': -. ;, The ; petition was accordingly read, being a protest, against the; passing of ; the Native • Land , Settlement Administration Act, - 1898. Such a. Bill ' was obnoxious for these reasons:—(1) Their-lands .would be vested in, a board . absolutely controlled by Government, and animated by a desire to promote settlement in general rather than for.the benefit of the Maori owners; (2) ' under it, an unintelligent majority might deprive an educated minority of ; any voice in management - of < their own land; (3) the proposals were contrary to the letter and spirit of the Treaty of Waitangi, and the ; rights of . natives as British subjects (4) entire control of the board by the nominees of the Government (5) the borrowing powers proposed in the Bill, and the regulations for the disposal of lands, might be used to further the particular theories of settlement advocated by the Government of the day rather than in the interests oi native owners; (6) the Native Land Board might be a body without judicial experience and controlled ; by" political influence as far as the powers of partition, succession, and definition of relative interests were concerned, and the' Bill contained no provision for the right of appeal from the decision of the board; (7) section 47 was not .precise ; (8) the expense of administration would be -; increased. <' ■ Mr. Kaihau, •, M.H.R., expressed his satisfaction with the decision arrived at by. the Arawas on two of the four points submitted. . The representatives of the- natives in Parliament did not support ; him, and until; Messrs. Ngafci; Wi Pere, : and '. Hone' Rekit came into line ■> there . would be "no" | complete union. Pulling up the stick re-'-presenting himself, : with' dramatic fervour. '■'! he threw it on the ground, exclaiming that! by himself alone he was as useless in Parliament as the . stake as far as' effecting re- i medial measures was concerned. , Sm ■• ■On'.resuming after dinner, Mr. Rawhiti; asserted that time ; was , as '}■ nothing until the reports of ■ the Arawa, Matatua, Kurahaiipo, and Tu Whareroa were laid on the; table. These the meeting should receive before proceeding any further. ~, j Mr. H. Simmonds,. of the Raukawa tribe, said that he would move .that ( a deci- j sion on the other two points must* be tabled within two days. He was fully con-; vinced of the wisdom of Mr. Kaihau's" words.'", v ':''^ :, ■■ ■-'''::; ;; •-■".; ■'''".■.' ' *' 'iTamatiwas of the same opinion as Mr.' Rawhiti, because the Hauraki and Waikato " tribes traced their origin to the same canoe, the Tainui.' - - ■'■'■' " ' ' .Mr. Simmonds remarked that the Ngatiruakawa need not trouble, since, like the Waikato natives, they were under the mana of King Mahuta" " .'■"■•"■■- l ; Parata Mate : stated i that the reports from ; the Ngapuhi tribe were similar u to those given by the Waikatos.-- '- 1 "'': Mr. Rawhiti explained ■' that , the decisions arrived at by the meeting held at Tauwhare on -February;.": 14 slast were in agreement with the business laid down for settlement; on the agenda of the present meeting.'-- '' ' , * Mr..; R. Morgan agreed with Mr. Rawhiti, who desired to report progress un : til the reports of the various tribes were handed .., in." t ' .'''■'■ .'. ;-;■"' , ■;. Henare Kaihau. asked what should be, done in the event of the Parliament of New Zealand refusing to ] grant the prayers of their petitions? ( If they sent a deputation to England before the New Zealand natives were united as one, he was sure their ancient manas would never be restored. He thought the Arawas were suffering under the .Act passed in .1881, which' specially affected Rotorua, as well as under the Native Lands Act of 1894. -:',-"•'. v ' Tupu Taingakawa thereupon explained that he had now received all the reports from the respective tribes, and suggested the formation of a f committee to consider them, the result of the deliberations of such , committee to be submitted to the ; assembly on Wednesday morning. ; V , The day's business concluded at about half-past four p.m. - . », V a' unique SPECTACLE. ; ... ; THE CRY OF "UNITY." 'i ' [BY TELEGEAPH.—OWN correspondent.] ' "' Huntlt, Tuesday. The native meeting presents a most interesting and almost unique sight. Round the square of the marae, which is bounded on all ' sides by whares and, numerous tents of all shapes, and several marquees of -the largest size, squat an eager and expectant crowd of men and women, whose faces wear an expression of absorbed interest, which informs even the most casual of .-'"observers ; that matters of vital interest- are under discussion. There they stay for hours at a stretch, moving only when cramp necessitates a change of posture, or when, as is frequently the case, those in front conceal the person of the speaker addressing the meeting. Taingakawa Mahuta and other rangatiras, however, are furnished" with rough, unplaned forms. The Arawas, - who arrived last Friday, prefer forms to squatting, and with the rangatiras in the opposite corner they break the uniformity of the human fringe. ' A , table is set apart ' for clerks, acting under the direct orders of Mr. Rawhiti, the chief secretary. Nothing' disturbs the silence but the voice of the orator. Applause and ejaculations are rare. The critical faculties are for the time suspended, the receptive powers of the mind, however, being . keenly alive.. Sometimes, 1 ; though seldom, sentiments expressed by a speaker evoke the clapping of hands. •-. The audience is a motley one. Here is a Maori lady resplendent in a magnificent feather cloak, there a maiden picturesque in the colours of the rainbow. An aboriginal in a soft shirt, tairoas, and battered felt hatis beside a tribesman clad in a frock coat, fancy_ vest, and trousers a la mode, scarlet necktie, and expensive panama. The clothing evidently _ does .not make the man or woman;;the tie of racial brotherhood forms the bond of. union connecting all. The sombre dress of most of the males, the vivid colouring, of the women, the brown marae, the anciently picturesque whares, the grotesque carving of the runanga, with the back-

I ground :of white tents,' and to the east the ; withering willows; through the openings in which to-day the Waikato smiles—these-are elements in the picture. The cooking place is a hive of industry. Her from morning till 'night; work incessantly goes- on. -; Each tribe appears to. furnish its own cooking party for the day. From the general store they draw the daily 'rations required, take i their i stores to the hangi, * obtain their supply of firewood from the pile where a band of axemen is always at work, and are ready when the bell. goes to carry .it to the allotted place. .': ''J" .:'■"/ .;.'-'. I.?V *•" Unity, as has been already stated, is the cry of the r speakers. • ' -Did they wish a simile description of; the unanimity they desire, they have one ready to hand. Even if,; while the meeting is in- progress, the dinner-bell goes,* the, audience to"a man rises and goes to; his particular, place. Natural commands, are more power. than eloquence. The rangatira, "or distinguished guest, wends hislwayto the hall and dines in European style, cups, saucers,' spoons, knives, : forks, and • table-covers furnishing ; the table equipment. The menu , consists of beef, pork, vegetables, mussels, pipis, potatoes,, and kumaras. Biscuits > and baker's bread, with "factory butter, is in generous supply, and digestion waits oh appetite..", Some , idea of ■ the quantity of food required may be, formed when.it is stated that the daily expense's for bread and groceries alone average-£96,' 26 cases ot ships''biscuits, 700 '41b loaves; 12 bags of sugar, 401b of .] tea, being consumed every day. Up 'till "to-night almost"; 100 tons of ; potatoes, 8 tons' of pipis and mussels, 18 tons of kumaras, 40 bullocks, and 20 pigs have been accounted for, and ; all this 'exclusive ,of edibles bought at the -temporary stores on the ground, all of which appear-: to do a roaring, trade. ■■'.' . ._' Evening is given up to enjoyment, especiall among the. younger members,' the hall being-eiowded with • dancers"gentlemen Is 6d, L ladies free." ; ,The nightly proceeds are about £9, so" < that the hall is taxed to its fullest capacity. At intervals the notes of the .brass band • are .heard above / the general'din. which must "disturb in some degree, the deliberations of. the.committees. The behaviour; generally is 'excellent, neither;, rowdyism ; nor larrikinism being apparent. , ,•' -,-': ' - ' A great many natives. have left for. their homes, , their places being taken by new arrivals, riot so numerous, however, as the departures.' V '- ' ' :■'':''' -'- ''-.'■ > ' o : '['?■'--,',--■.-,:.. ---', ■ "''.■ :'..* - , OPINIONS OF ARAWA CHIEFS. - THE MEETING A FARCE. Messrs. William Rogers and Morehu Te Kirikau, who are amongst the leading natives of the Arawa tribe, arrived in Auckland from the gathering at Waahi yesterday,' and in the course of a chat with a Herald representative they gave a clear statement of the part the Arawas were taking in the meeting. Acting as spokesman, Mr. Rogers asserted emphatically that the Arawas had no grievance whatever against the Government, , and were present at the gathering for the purpose of upholding the Treaty of Waitangi, to urge the unity of the- scattered tribes throughout New Zealand, and to make advances with the object of bringing about the restoration of friendship between the Arawa and Waikato tribes. This latter aim has, he says, been achieved; differences which, have existed for several years past have been settled, and a complete unity has been established between the two sections. " I like to. call a spade a spade," added Mr. Rogers," I say this meeting is a farce, and nothing more, unless I add that it is also merely a feast. After Henare Kaihau, M.H.R., had spoken for three days with no substance whatever in what he said, the people got tired of his story, but no one, except myself, dared to interrupt him. I told the people straight that no good could result.< from the meeting, that the whole thing was a farce, that nothing could; be done under the present circumstances, that we must' abide, by the laws of New Zealand; and that the Maoris were receiving fair treatment.from the Government.'' . ', , .■-.'....;. ,_. : ;. - : Mr. Rogers further said that the Arawas consider the real aim of the meeting is to bring all the Maoris under the influence and authority of King Mahuta, but to: this they distinctly -object, maintaining that j they hold their own mana. If the meet- .! ing* determines on sending a deputation to England the Arawas will not take any part in supporting such a.. course. , ''But they won't do that," he concluded confidently, ".it-is all telle.'.* . . . ■