AN ORACULAR MAORI ADDRESS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3128, 12 April 1883, Page 3

AN ORACULAR MAORI ADDRESS.

The following address has been written by Wahanui. We leave those clever at divining to “ make what they can out of it” : “ Te Waonui a Tane, “ April,'6th, 1883. “To the people of this Island, — People of this world, all of you, look this way. Behold a kite (made of ante bark) flies towards yon. These are two things—the Government for one and the lawyers for another. The first is good, and the latter devours men. Now, I ask the public what is yours P Is it backing these two up so that evil should happen to men, to the land, and also to the world ? You have done a grand thing, Mr Bryce, have you not? O, my friend, cease 1 Settle yourself down and let us have time, so that onr minds may be settled, and it will be settled. Perhaps you will think that these grievances are all imaginations of mine. No! Because I saw the smoke of bitterness rising as the evils went forth. Therefore I say to you, cease. Iky and conduct us in a proper way so that we may be bound together, not bj a treacherous bond, but by a bond»l faith. By doing this we shall be able to say to each other, ‘ Friend, Friend! Greetings to yon, Greetings to you!’ As these are the fruits of good works, take summer and winter for example. The. fruits of summer are numerous, and particularly you have sweet and pleasant weather; but in winter, when yon see the skies overcast, you will say ‘lt is going to be stormy weather.’ So in winter the weather is cold and stormy. Now I ask you elders which of these will you choose ? Will it be the sweet and pleasant weather of summer, or the cold and stormy weather of winter ? When you have chosen let me know at Te Wahonui a Tane, so that we may be able to call yoa a bit farther. Now, I have been three months considering within myself that the sun may shine forth from its obscurity, but if we do not conduct things in a proper way the winter will set in. It will be stormy weather, stormy I Oh, my friends, do not be too hasty in your work of government, but be judicious in your management, lest we fail, for snch is the sacred word.

“This is all from your loving friend, Remain there.’ ”