THE WEST COAST NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5899, 5 January 1881, Page 3

THE WEST COAST NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

[Br Telegraph.]

- .Wellington, January 4th. The following correspondence has taken place between the Ministry and the Goyernor :—

__ Memorandum for his Excellency. rnw« Presents his respectful compliments to the Governor, and transmits herewith a draft letter which w%VSe^ t6 adl?ressed by hi 3 Excellency v slt £ { Tt Wft tl-«. In dol"J." Mr Hall thinks it right he should state briefly, for his Excellpnnv's information the steps being taken ? Ol - he purposed communicating with Te Whiti:-(!) The purport of the reports of the Commissioners appointed to inquire SSnffJWi?^ yK&niiiht exist for discontent th wg K c the West Coast, and generally into the Native difficulty there; (2) the action taken upon thosereports by Parliament; and <3) the steps which the Government have taken for the purpose of giving effect to the recommendations. Full information upon each of these branches of the question has from time ■to time been communicated to the friendly Natives on the West Coast, and particularly to chiefs of hi-h 2S, *ne these named Hone Pihama, who is In frequent, communication with Te Whiti, and has lately^ attended the monthly meeting at Parihaka? ■ «?£ G°™rnn?ent have every reason to believe that through his channel the snbstance of the information so given has reached Te Whiti and followers' V"The Act of last session, by which Parliament empowered the^ Government to give effect to the Commissioners' recommendation, was translated into Maori, and the Government interpreter sent to Parihaka to distribute a number of printed copies. He found great difficulty in h IS attempts to do this, and eventually copies were thrown back at him byTohu, who is a sort of brother prophet, and Te Whiti's principal assistant. ■■S?\ i t ater Penod. when the chief Wiremu KinM Matakatua was released, with several other Native prisoners from Dunedin Gaol, the Native Minister addressed to Wiremu Kingi a letter embodying his new as to the West Coast difficulties. This litter was printed and the Government interpreter again sent to Parihaka with a number of copies of the' document, which he succeeded in distributing to Natives there. (6) Mr Parris, an officer of the Native Department not only of high standing, but well and favourably known to Natives throughout the West -Coast distnoi, was instructed to attend the October meeting at -Parihaka and state that he did so because it was understood To Whiti had said he hadno knowledge of the Commissioners' reports and r£ commendations, and that he desired to be informed as ♦ i? em; rParr)s has oeen further instructed to state to the Natives the purport of the reports, and the recommendations of the West Coast Settlement Act and •?« tlVe^ inJ? ter>s letter to. Wiremu Kingi and £L^£ thtJ C intended generally to give Effect to the mtentions expressed in those documents, ,on the acquiescence of the Natives concerned, and to caution Te Whiti as to the evils that .would follow further resistance or obstruction. • Owing partly to the inclemency of the weather, but also, no doubt, to indisposition on Te Whiti s part, Mr Parris did not succeed in giving effect to his-instructions. He was therefore directed to Attend at the November meeting, and use bis best efforts to communicate to the Natives the intentions of the Government. As will be seen from his report of which a copy is attached, Parris was refused a fearing by Te Whiti. (7) Te Whiti on this, however, •expressed, as he has done on other occasions, his willingness to discuss his troubles, and the best mode Of settling them, with the Governor. Under these •circumstances, and as it appears to the Government mat no reasonable means for arriving at a satisfactory settlement of those difficulties should be left untried -Ministers respectfully suggest that the accompanying' should be sent by his Excellency to fe Whiti..: They^would propose that the delivery of the letter should be m the first instance trusted to Hone i"inama,and if he should fail the Government interTo^ ?? 'S o,'? 1 be sent t0 Palihaka for the purpose. |(B.J Mr Hall thinks it should be added that Sir W. Tox, K.C.M.G., the senior member of the commission mentioned and at the request the Government •agreed ; to act under the new instrument conferring vpon him ample powers to carry out the recommendations contained in the reports of the first Commission, ■which were sanctioned by Parliament, and he proposes to commence hi 3 work immediately after the New Year.

(Signed) Wellington, December 22nd 1880.

JOUN Hah.

"'Mend Te Whiti,—This i 8 the announcement from me to you, who are living apart in a far-off portion of these Islands, whom I desire to see brought near to me. lam come to assume the Government on behalf ■Of the Queen in her name, to minister justice to both races of her subjects. The troubles which have existed among some of the Maori people have been known to me in the past, and now it is my duty to do 'the best to remove them. I know what has been done ~toy my predecessors and General Assembly to settletie difficulties which have arisen, and I desire to finish the work of putting thinks right. lam told you are desirous of seeing me, and representing your views of what should be done done to promote this good end. That is very good, and if you Will let me know when you will come to Wellington to see me, you will be received with fitting hospitality, and I will not only listen to whatever you wish to say to me, but also if you show wron/r has been done I will do justice in accordance with the law and will of the Queen. Should you consider the distance between Wellington and Parihaka too great to travel, then there is another way in which it would be easier for us to meet to discuss matters. I shall soon be journeying round the Colony to make myself acquainted with, the affairs, European and Native ■throughout these Islands, and in my journey I shall visit New Plymouth. Now if you will come, j'ou can more readily return tbence to your own people to tell them the result of our conference, or if you prefer it I will meet you at any other place on the way between New Plymouth and Hawera by the inland road. lam told you have heard of •what is proposed to be done for the settlement of differences, and when we meet I will make more clear to you the provision which will be made for the settlement of your peeple, and the pjans which I have for their future welfare. 1 have lately ruled over a people very like the Maoris. I have left them happy and contented, discussing their own affairs. They make their ■wishes known to the Queen and to the Governor in a regular manner through duly-constituted channels Why do not you and yours in like manner avail yourselves of those channels which, though not the same here, answer similar "purposes. AVhy should we not talk over these matters ? 1 have heard that you are a man of peace, and that you have striven to prevent war. The light is still lingering on the mountain top. When you receive this letter write me at once so that I may know what your intentions are—whether you mil come here or whether you will meet me on the journey, and I will then let you know what day I shall be at New Plymouth. If you explain in your letter what your grievances are I shail be better able to answer you when we meet.—From your friend, Arthur Gordon.