The Great Native Meeting.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 691, 9 May 1879, Page 2

The Great Native Meeting.

[By Telegraph.]

KOPUA.

This Day. The meeting commenced yesterday by a speech from Tawhaio, who i» evidently indisposed to concede anything, several others spoke and the meeting terminated abruptly for the day, nothing being done. ALEXANDRA. May 7. Tawhiao appears to be completely m the hands of a party of mischevious young men, forming the extreme Hauhau party. Tf ey are mostly soldiers under Puruketu, the murderer of Sullivan. Tawhiao ia completely invested with these men, and closely watched. He appears afraid to assert hia authority to restrain their insolence and dangerous views, or is unwilling to take action. Evidently, however, he is a mere puppet. The Revs. Messrs Buddie and Sohnackenberg visited Tawhiao to-day, at his invitation. They had exchanged only a few words, when an impudent young man ordered them to leave. Mr. Buddie turned to Tawhiao and said, " I will go if you wish me to leave, but I was here before that young man was born." Some altercation ensued, the young man insisting on their withdrawal. Tawhiao said : " I wish you to remain. He did not censure the action of the young man, being apparently powerless to prevent his visitors being insulted by missionaries." Rpmained another quarter of an hour and jthen left, but as they were proceeding to their own camp they were again ordered to leave. Tawhiao lives m a small tent m a miserable -style, and with squalled surroundings. Te Ngakau visited the Ministers this morning, and had a long private interview. The Ngatimaniapotos are much surprised at the return laid before them by the Government during the present visit. The return shows that out of the confiscated lands m Waikato and elsewhere, more than half is returned m blocks ranging from small town sections to fifty acres ; m other cases from seventy to a thousand acres are restored. Altogether, there are over a thousand blocks of various areas returned to the Kingites. Some of these blocks were, made inalienable, but others have been sold to Europeans, thus shewing the inconsistent conduct of the Kingites. Even Manuhari, one of the most obstinately irreconcilable, while Btrongly condemning leases and sale, received only last month £250 through Major Mair for land leased to Mr. Morrin, of Auckland, and there is another £250 due to him. The Ngatimaniapoto were quite ignorant of the extent of. the confiscated lands restored and sold by the Waikato Kingites, and they are all annoyed that, notwithstanding these concessions of the Government, the Waikatos still clamour for a share m the Ngatimaniapoto « lands. This will tend further to create a split between the two great tribes, and enliat Rewi's influence, m order to restrain Tawhiao's extreme action. It mined heavily yesterday, and after a comparatively fine night, there is now a steady downpour, which threatens to last all day. The Kingites have prepared a place spread with titree for the korero, but unless the weather clears up the meeting fixed for to-morrow may be further postponed. The camp is m a wretched condition. Winiata came over the other day to present food to the Ngapuhis. He had a revolver slungover his shoulder. Paul's j party were very much annoyed at Winiata's impudence.