FEDERATED MAORIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13485, 11 May 1907, Page 6

FEDERATED MAORIS.

THE HUNTLY CONFERENCE.

ARAWA DELEGATES LEAVE.

AX OBJECTION TO MAHUTA.

[by telegbaph.—own CORRESPONDENT.]

• '.V:' , Hcntlt, Friday. The weather, which up to the present has been genial and bright, broke this morning with rain. On such a dayWaahipresents a dismal spectacle, the surroundings being anything but cheerful, and the white tents, with their dripping roofs and water-beaten sides, looking cheerless and , forbidding. The elements, however, appear to have no effect on the native. • They arc- merry and careless. The merry games proceed, the devotees* of the poi practice : their sinuous and graceful movements, fires burn cheerily above tho' hangis, and native r' life proceeds as if wet weather were as enjoyable as the sunshine."; : ■

; About half-past twelve this morning a thrill of excitement seemed to pass over all. The unwicldv committee of 84- had, to the astonishment of the majority and to the. consternation of many,> finished: its deliberations. The news appeared to be partly anticipated and partly dreaded. At all events, it was news which the various hapus proceeded'. to discuss, in the privacy of tho tents allotted to them. All that the mere pakeha could make out was that the Arawas leave to-morrow. The official report of the oroccedings, as received from Mr. Rawhiti, chief secretary, reads as follows:—The subject considered by the committee in camera yesterday .was the best method of consolidating the union of, the native race, on which all the delegates had come to a unanimous agreement. The next matter was the subject of *he heading under which natives were to affix their signature, thus showing that they not only subscribed to the union, but were also desirous of reverting to the status quo, as at 1840, when for certain considerations the federated chiefs acknowledged ftiio sovereignty of Queen Victoria. Reversion did not mean the adoption of the customs and usages as observed then, but reversion in a legislative sense, •so that the obnoxious accretions which had been added by various Governments would be wiped off the Statute Book, and the rights of the. natives restored as granted in a historical document. Shortly after this result -had been'arrived at, one of the Arawas intimated that the tribe had received , news that, as their presence was required' at home, they _ must leave Waahi by express. Upon this the committee decided to adjourn, so that : a full meeting of delegates from-all the tribes represented 'could learn the decisions of their committee. ' After the lunch adjournment, a large meeting assembled on the marae, Tupu Taingakawa presiding. He stated that ho highly appreciated tho presence of the Arawa tribe at Waahi. and was sorry that trouble.; at home necessitated their ' departure. The result the meeting desired had been consummated. Not' only were Arawa and • Tainui canoes . floating evenly on tlfe same sea, but their crews' were saddling in unison. - The union arrived at was fully in accordance with his own ideals, and fully bore out his hope that in future there would never be any antagonism between these tribes. When they left -Waahi they" should remember that federation had been ■- accomplished, and spread the good news wherever they went. 'Whatever matters had been left undecided he, would do his best to finish before the present '«'■' meeting concluded. Though 30 members of the/ committee were leaving, these being the delegates appointed by the Arawa tribe, 54- would remain to, deal with other points which also pertained to matters contained in the Treaty, of Waitangi. Ho had hoped to have their assistance and advice as to the methods which ought to bo adopted in order .to remove recent legislation which bore so heavily upon the native race by the creation of new burdens. Ho referred to matters connected with various blocks of land in Waikato, Tauranga, and Taranaki districts,;:. which had been referred to the, Land Commission, over which Sir Robert Stout presided. These matters- would bo considered. ; All the natives had federated to promote the common; good-of their race. '~ a, ' - :i ; , -; The • Arawa^chiefs briefly -signified their agreement' with what is Taingakawa said;' An announcement was made to the effect thai the heading of the union under the Treaty of Waitangi was ■ now ready for signature, the body containing the list of the obnoxious Acts, and a summary of their demands. This would be published at the earliest opportunity. * • ■ A nublic farewell :to the members of the Arawa tribe took the form of; a poi dance, gracefully done by. maidens of a the* tribe from Waikato Heads, the exhibition evoking such loud and sustained plaudits that it had to be repeated, although during a heavy shower of rain. Another farewell of a semiprivate nature will be accorded the departing guests in the runanga : this evening, after which a sitting of the abbreviated committee will > take, place. From unofficial.--sources- ■it appears that tho meetings of the committee ended by the Arawa delegates leaving' the hall as a protest against an effort by the majority to appoint members of the deputation which, in the event of the potation being ignored by tho New Zealand Legislature, should be sent to England to lay the grievances beforo the King. ' Those who acknowledged the mana of the Hon. Mahuta were eager in their desire to carry Ins nomination as head of the projected deputation, the Arawas : scouting such a proposal. One member of the; committee, waited on the representative of the Herald to give the Arawa point of view. He stated that the Waikato and other tribes were desirous of increasing the oowcr of Mahuta by naming him leader of the supposed deputation. Uhe Arawas Objected on two grounds— that tho election of the deputation was inopportune, in that the result of the petition to the New Zealand Government . was unknown, and, secondly, that, as Mahuta was a member of the Legislative Council, lie was a party to placing on the Statute Book several legislative ' enactments to which their petition took strong exception. As a, consenting party, his presence was a contradiction. As a chief, they would look favourably on his election to a post of honour, but as a Minister of the Crown his absence was desirable. While objecting to the Hon. Mahuta, they had no objection to Tupu Taingakawa, who was and had always been regarded by them as a faithful follower of , Mahuta. Neither the Land Court at Maketu nor tho trouble in Rotorua was the cause" of the departure. They intended to leave because their presence could not advance the interests they had so much at heart. They were very sorry to take up this position, as good work had been done at the mooting, which was justified by their unanimous agreement on the subject of the federation of members of the race which has just been consummated. According to the present outlook there was every chance of their petition _ being well received and tho existence of grievances recognised ;by Parliament. . Such recognition' must of necessity pave tho way for remedial legislation. . The,: departure of the delegates of the -Arawa tribe will not, it is thought, bring the meeting to a close. The other matters on the agenda paper will be discussed either by a smaller and more compact committee or by the meeting as a whole. j The committee is now considering the position, and the result of their deliberations will bo announced to-morrow. Mangakahia is of opinion that the sittings will continue until all business is disposed of, but thinks the personnel of the deputation will be left, in abeyance.*-- '*".„-