THE PREMIER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1212, 24 May 1895, Page 17

THE PREMIER.

The Premier and Mrs Seddon left Patea shortly after 8 o’clock on Monday morning on therir return to Wellington, and arrived at Wanganui cit 11 o’clock, leaving again at 1 o’clock, and arriving in Wellington at 10 minutes to 10 on Monday night. At the Whenuakurs Railway Station a Native deputation headed by Wirernu Ngapaki Wasted on the f Premier. They wished to obtain from the Government the grant of a piece of land called Pareroa, on the right bank of the Patea River, and represented that the whole of the Natives in the district would settle there if it were granted them. They also wished the Native legislation of last session carried a step further, so as to prevent the Natives Wasting their money in drink. The Premier in reply said he was very pleased to hear this desire expressed by the deputation, and so far as lie could he would further it. The Natives would never do any good for themselves until each had his own land to fence and cultivate, and make his home upon, and until they ceased the wandering life which bad so far distinguished them, and which certainly did not promote their wellbeing. By following the advice he had tendered they would raise themselves in the estimation of the Europeans, and at the same time would benefit themselves and their children. The frequent dnterchange of visits which now went on to a great extent impoverished them, and it was carried on to excess. When death overtook any of them a tangi was held as a matter of course, and great drinking and eating went, on for days together. It would be a good thing for the Maoris if the tangis ceased to be held. It was hard enough for the bereaved ones to bear their sorrow without having Maoris flocking from every part of the country to eat up all they had. It was commendable for them to respect the memory of their dead, and to fittingly express their sorrow, but these orgies under the name of a tangi were simply ruinous. | He was pleased to know that Native affairs on the West Coast were improving. [Several errors that have been made in the transmission of our reporter’s account of the Premier’s visit to Taranaki call for correction. Thus, the message on page 37 dated “ Waitara, May 17,” “ Tohu dwells in five two-3torey villas” should read “Tohu dwells in a fine two-storey villa”’ In a paragraph lower down it is stated “ the Natives called for and gave hearty cheers for* “ Our Minister the Premier.” The word “ Minister” should read “Master.” Then in the message on page 38 dated “ Patea, May 19th,” a material error has been made in that part of the Premier’s speech headed “ The Future Native Policy.” In the sentence “ After noting carefully what he said at Parihaka he came to the conclusion that the less notice taken of it the better,” the word said is a misprint for “ saw.”] (Wanganui Herald, May 20.) Mr Seddon had a full meeting at Patea on Saturday night, and cleared away much -of the misrepresentation of the Opposition speakers, and proved to the satisfaction of those present that the surplus, is a tangible one, and that the financial status of the Colony was never better, and this at a time of unusual commercial depression. He reminded the meeting of the disrespectful way their present member had spoken of J their former representative, the late Sir / Harry Atkinson, and asked those present whether they endorsed Mr George Hutchison’s opinion on that statesman, whom their present member had ref erred to in such opprobrious terms as to goad Sir Harry Atkinson to appeal to the law for vindication, an appeal that was, unfortunately, put out of Court by the lamented death of the plaintiff. This portion of Mr Seddo.n’s speech was well received by the audience, to whom the chamber of their late member was beyond the power of any detractor to belittle. A unanimous vote of thanks to the speaker and of confidence in and approval of the policy of the present Government was carried by acclamation. This, it must be remembered, topk place in the stronghold of Mr G. Hutchison, and almost immediately after the delivery of that- gentleman’s very carefully prepared indictment against the Seddon Government, which, when subjected to a jury of his own constituents, resulted in a verdict in favour of those the member for Patea had arraigned. After the meeting, a number of leading settlers met Mr Seddon at his hotel, and put a large number of searching questions to him, all of which the Premier answered to their satisfaction, the result being that many who were opposed to the Government through a total misapprehension of facts and the misrepresentation of their opponents, candidly acknowledged their error, and gave in their adhesion to the Liberal policy of the present administration, which, it- must not be forgotton, is strictly following the lines laid down for them by their late chief, John Ballance.