HIS EXCELLENCY'S VISIT TO OTAKI

Otago Witness, Issue 567, 11 October 1862, Page 7

HIS EXCELLENCY'S VISIT TO OTAKI

TUB MEETING BETWEEN SIR GEORGE GREY AND

WI TAKO.

(From the Wellington Advertiser's Correspondent.) On the ICtli inst. His Excellency the Governor (thiou'ih W. 11. Buller, Esq.) sent the following mes-sag-3 to the King natives a«emb'ed at Tainui, Otaki : "Send me the Maoii King Flag, cut down the flag-staff, discontinue your piesent King work, and let all King's people come into the town, that I may see you and talk to you for I will not go to Tainui. Upon receipt ot this message, Heremia te Tihi, addressing Mr Buller, said : "We refine ; we will ne\er $ive the Maoii King flag to the Governor; we will never cut down the flag-sfcirt"; we will never discontinue our work, and we will not go into the town to meet the Governor. If he, the Governor, will not come here, let him remain ; we are satisfied." Wiremu E Tako wps then asked by Mr. Buller for his reply, and he (E Tako) beiug urged to answer, said —

" Listen to me, friend Buller ; it is now only that I understand and have found out the strength and importance of the King Movement and the weakness of the Queeu's Government. Let the Governor come heve to Tainui, and let us discuss all my proceedings in this new work."

Mr. Buller convey* d this to His Excellency, and on the 17th instant, His Honor the Su{ erintendent had an interview with Wi Tako, to induce him to accompany him to the town, but he (T:\ko) lefi'sed, and it was arranged that a meeting should be held midway (at the Bridge) whpn His Excellency personally endeavoured to induce Wi Tako to aUend a meeting then about to be held at the Otaki schoolhouse, sayitip, " Come with me, and let us talk together, and I will give you good advice." Wi Tako replied, " If I eat of the liver of the shark I shall die, but if I ept fern root, I shall be strong and healthy. It is much better that you should eotae lieie, so that all my friends, the king' 3 people, may hear what we bay and nothing be hielden." This was agreed to. and at 4 o'clock (after the_ meeting of the loyal natives) about 600 kingnatives assembled at the bridge to witness the interview between his Excellency and Wi Tako.

The Governor addressed Wi Tako, and asked him to speak his mind freely and without reserve.

Wi Tako : Friend the Governor, salutations to you ! I will spenk my mind freely to you ; I will hide and disguise nothing. You shall know all my thoughts, and why I am so strong, energetic, and earnest, in upholding the Maori king and this king movement. 1 did not originate this movement; it was first proposed by Matene te Wliiwhi, about nine yeais since, when he visited Waikato, and on a subsequent occasion he desired to be made king, but the Waikato tribe having ohosen Potatau, he (Matene) became disappointed, and afterwards repudiated the Maori kiug. Not only he but the whole of the Ngatiraukawa tribe at Otnki deputed myself and other native chiefs to go to Waikato, take up_ their subscriptions, give in their adhesion, and bring down a king flag to be hoisted at Otaki. Moreover, a letter waa received from the Cape of Good Hope, aeldressed to us, urging us to elect a king and make our own laws. This letter, we believe, was written with your knowledge. His Excellency here asked to see the letter, and upon its being handed to him. repudiated all knowledge of it.

JN.B.— The letter was from a native who resided with Sir George Grey at the Cape, and who accompanied him from here.] Wi Tako continued : lam in earnest in upholding this movement for many reason?* when you were

fighting with Rangihaeta you called upon me tonssist you, nnd I did so without waiting to consider whether he was my relation or countryman — you called upon me to assist you at Wanganui, and I did so without demur. After the termination of the war you went to Jin. 'land and there was a new form of Government nr New Zealand, superintendents and such like — numbers of them— and I was puzzled to know who was Governor. Atter this, "Rawiri Waiaua, a near relation of mine, an assessor was also murdered at Taranaki, add I was much grieved about it fl went to tin,- Superintendent of Wellington, Dr. Featherston, aud asked him to go with me at Taranaki, to enquire into this matter (he is standing near you and cannot deny it) more particularly as at the time of the murder, Rawiri was d-jin o ' the work of the Gov rimieut. The Superintendent answered me by saying " I am not the cautain of the ship, I am only one of the mates, I cannot interfere." Now, ay I always understood that upon your departure for England the Superintendent was do oi-aor here, and lie having refused to interfere |ia tU i m liter, I then began to understand that it was not to protect the Maori rare, but to acquire their laud waa the great object of the Government, and for tn is reason lam earnest and energetic in upholding the Kin^ movement.

Tne Governor : Your work is foolish, it will not prooper, and no good will result from it. Discontinue your f ;lly, and come back to your former work and po-ition. Hep m<) to carry out my uew policy, and it, after three years, you are of your present mind, ami .-c.2 that my new arrangements arc not for the benefit of the Maori race, go back to your Maori K:n_r. Wi Tako : Why do you come here to cut off 1 the bra-nrhus I Why not go to Wa-ikato, and cut do'vn t'^t-ed, or do -troy it by digging up tho roots'! wi.l find the tree strong and vigorous, and you will havj great difficulty in rooting it up ; when the roots are doslioyed, the tree and all its branches will per Mi. The Governor : Wherever I go, I find the Roman Catholic natives are at the bottom of all this work and distui bance.

The meeting thon broke up, on account of the rain and the lateness of the evening.