THE PREMIER & THE MAORIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10361, 16 May 1895, Page 3

THE PREMIER & THE MAORIS.

(Peb United Pbess Association.) Hawera, May 15. The Premier arrived a.t Patea last evening, , and this morning was waited on by a deputation of Natives, among whom, Were .Tutangi I Broughton, Ngapaki Hakapi, and Rauniafci. | Tutangi and Ngapalri presented written speeches. Tutangi said they regretted the Premier's visit-to Parihaka. Te Whiti and Tohu had caused a great deai of trouble. They said they were prophets, and 'so the Premier | ehould not visit them. • In the course of his , speech Tutangi commended the work of the i Pnblic Trustee, and thought they should go a step.turther'and be enabled to raise money on mortgage through the Public: Trustee. The Natives in this part of the coast strongly objected to the followers of To Whiti und Tohu "vißiting our settlement lest trouble should fall upon us." Ngapaki welcomed the Premier as head of .the Government;, but he was a bigger man than Te Whiti and Tohu, and ought uot to go on invi- | tation to him by small men. ' Meu of ani'ill importance should go to see men in authority. The men in this piTt of the coast were Queen's Maoris, aud. were Annoyed that the troublesome men of Te Whiti and Tohu should follow them. ■ Raumati said Mr Hammond was their religious chief. They lived on. terms of fri-nd-ship with the Public Trustee, and they wished to have nothing to do with Te Whiti. The Rev Mr Hammond, who was present, spoke on the undesirability of the system of makiug p»ymente to Natives in respect to their land in European settlements. Muoh of the mouey wa« dissipated in travelling .expenses and drunkenness. The Natives wished the money ! to bo paid them in their own settlements. | Referring to the viait pf the Premier to Puri- | haka, the Premier, perhaps, did not grasp the | full significance which would be attached to it. The, Premier, in reply, expressed satisfac- | tion at meeting the chiefs, and said the object of the Govsrnment was to underiitaud the requirements of-the Natives. ' So • far as tha present visit was concerned, they had asked ] him to come, and as this was his first visit to the Natives, on the Coast,- ib would be dis- ' courteous if he passed by Paribika .without calling in there. Moreover, he had promised to pay the visit, and a promise must be sacred. He believed great; good would result from the visit. He sympathised with the request that moneys due to Natives should be paid on their own settlements, aud appreciated its importance if the result would be to keep them out of the way of temptation. | He was anxious to promote' the welfare of the i Natives, and would have inquiries made irito 1 the matter. He was well pleased to hear expressions of satisfaction from the Natives ; with the Public Trustee's work, and assured | them he was their best friend, and at the same time saw full justice done to European lessees. I _.