THE PREMIER AT PARIHAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2152, 23 May 1895, Page 4

THE PREMIER AT PARIHAKA.

A LIVELY MEETING. Opunake, May 16. The Premier visited Parihaka to-day, and was warmly received by the Natives with songs of welcome and music. Wi Pacata (formerly in the House and a member of a Ministry) received him, and conducted bim to the house of one of Te Whiti's sons. At the outset Mr Seddon objected to the exclusion of the Key. Mr Hammond, who had beeu deuied admittance in consequence of the remarks he wa3 reported to have made at Patea against the visit of the Premier to Parihaka. After some little discusMon, in which the Premier pointed out that Mr Hammcnd waa wanted simply as interpreter, he firmly requpsted that hi should bn admitted. To Wbiti bhtlc d down aid Mr Hammond was brought iv. Te Wbiti then welcomed the Premier, but said that in conjcqneuce of legislation and law ho could not welcome strangers as he would wish or according to the £t> lo of his parents and forefathers. If the Premier had anything lo say, then he wa3 ready to receive it. Mr Seddon offered salutations to all assembled without distiuc'ion. They wero all friends under the same Queen, and there waß one law for both aa servants of the Qaeen, Ho eon*

sidered it his dafcy to visit the Natives in botb iMandf, and havfng on bis return from Andrfondl received at New Plymouth an invitation to visit: Parihaka and the Natives of tho West CbttS^, which he could not at that time accept;, he had now come because he had said he wouhl do &&. His word was as good a* his bond, being the wprd of the Government The welcome accorded So him he did not take to Be personal Co himnelft but as to the servant of Cbe Qpesn and FH'md Minister of the colony, R Bad* pafeea him to hear that legfeiafciott and* law Bad prevented Te WMH doing- aH He wonltf nave wished to do, and if the laws were defective lfi was proper to arrive at an undHntinndingv ftfr that jnsbfca might be done. He spoke foe Parliament, and faid thai; neither the prasenfi nor paafc Parliaments had wilfulfy wronged! anyone— Europeans or Kaiivea. H a mi's? understanding bad arisen tfie Natives End Been as much to blame aa Europeans. He itnflpj the law, and if Te Whiti bad a doubt aooufi any poicfc, he would be glad to give him an -explanation. Te Whiti : I»m not quite clear. There have been faulty on both sides. The Premier : That fa whafi 1 have said* Te Whiti : What will the remedy Be ? The Premier t Tha&, time will disclose. ID | took seven dajs to make tfra world. 1 ! To Whiti dramatically pafi off his coat and threw it en the floor, and said that his coat having been torn off it would noli take- seven days to kill him, he would have perished witfi tho cold where ha was left by the fc&w. Tho Premier said if he would have natienoa he would know before he (Mr Seddon}' leffc where he (Te Wbiti) was. To Whiti then put on his coat and resumed his seat, and the Premier, referring; Co hfa quest* tion, said when Europeans took oil feZtefr coufa ib showed they meant to ffgtafc, Te Whiti said ib was inside nositfon whfeft cared the earliest (sic). After some chaffing remarks between the two Te "Whiti returned tip his coat metaphor and asked where was tna justice of stuffing a man and bis coaC, and bno Premier said if Te Whiti woaH express his grievances and would speak to bim ca Bui pocition demanded he should bo spofcan tkf. Ho would show Te Whiti the respect he was entitled to. He was there to listen, and »tnhe(| to listeu to Te Whiti or to anyone of the Niitiva race. He asked that with a view of doing, what; was best for both races, and as he wow there sq the representative, the head of the Parliament of the country, it was the duty of the Natives to give him their hearts so that there might ba no mistake made in future. Te Whiti &>aid Parliament had tern hi* coafi. At this stage tho Natives made an objection to the interpreter, and a Native was tried as interpreter, but was not a success, and after A little further talk th«re w»s an adjournment! for lunch. A gnat lunch was served, tha Premier and party and a considerable number, of Europeans being entertained. Tht»re were hakas aud poi diuices by To Whiti Natives, Tohu's followers alt through having Been conspicuous by their absorca. After a couple of hours interval the interview was resumed, the Premier stating that if any? thing was to be said he wished it to be said shortly, for he had to get over bad roads before the blackness osme 00. If To Whiti had anything to say, he would reply on behalf of theGovernment. Waitara (Te Wbiti's son) asked the Premieß to stay all night, but this Mr Seddon regretted his engagements would not admit of this. After a pause, Mrs Simon urged that if tha Natives had any grievances they should open, their hearts. If Te Whiti's coat was lorn, tug Premier was not now to mend it. Te Whiti, however, accused her of being in collusion with the Premier, and laid sho had better not interfere. If there waa anjthing: to say, let the Premier say it, because he (Te Whiti) had nothing to Bay. The Premier asked if anyone else had any* thing to say ? A Native said there were only two men iq the house to speak — Te Whiti and the Premier. The Premier replied that he hud no grievance; and, if the Natives had nothing to say, it would bo pleasant for him to go »nd lay that he had seen the people and found that they wera hospitable, happy, and contented ; that Par;i h«ka wad the only place in Now Zealand where the Natives had no grievance, and that rumour had been false, for he had heard there were many grievances, and was glad that all they had to say to him was to invite him to stay alt night. Te Whiti t What was the grievance you heard of ? The Premier referred to Te Whiti's own complaint thab law and legislation had done him wrong. However, he thought good would came of hia visit, for he had seen enough witaouo learning anything. Te Whiti : Thai is ft. After a pause, Waitara said that if the Premier had said all he had to mj they find.. The Premier said : I should be very glad to be able to go back *nd say Te Whiti in hi* presence was dumb. Te Whifei aaid the Premier had come to Pare* haka and had nothing to sajr. The talk was then fininhed and the interview terminated. Later the Premier went across the village to his house in response to a message that Tohu would be glad to see him. TohU received him on a dais in an upstairs room of a frame house of modern style, and after saluta* tions the Premfer said he considered he would not havo been doing his duty as hrad of the Government if he had not come when Tohu said he wanted him, Tohu, in reply, «aid that while the Premier was a great man at tbe head of the Govern* ment he (Tofan) was the great man of his people. He asked who had invited the Premiec to come to Parihaka, The Premier said he had come with Mr Smith, M.H.R. for New Plymouth, and Mr Smith, who was present, said that foe months past Te Wbiti and his people had been asking when the Premier would come, and ho had sent word to the Premier that he waa expected. Tohu said he had not invited anyone, but if ; the Premier had anything to say he would ba ! glad to bear him. The Premier had only to say he was glad to see so many of the Native race gathered Co* gather aud enjoying themselves. Tohu said the position he took up was that tbe land was Te Whiti's and the world belonged; to him. The interview then terminated and the parfj left Parihaka shortly before dark.

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