PUBLIC MEETING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3138, 3 June 1879, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

A public meeting, convened by the Mayor. Avas held in the Odd Fellows' Hall on Monday morning, to consider the native difficulty and the matter of forming a volunteer corps. The hall was crowded in every port, and on the platform we noticed Major Atkinson, M.11. 11. : Mr. T. Kelly, M.H.R. ; Mr. F. A. Carrington! M.H.R. ; Mr. T. King, Mr. A. Staudish,' and Colonel Trimble.

The Mayor, who presided, said the meeting was called together in a hurried manner, in consequence or. a number of persons requesting him to do so on Saturday. There appeared to be a general impression abroad that the result of the deputation which waited upon Ministers was not satisfactory, and that Ministers ha 1 not made any promises likely to lead to a proper settlement of the difficulty. There also seemed to bo an impression that it woul 1 be desirable to go to the Governor direct ; and, as the people appeared to be excited, he saw plainly that if he did not call a meeting, somebody else would. It seemed to him a very bad time to go the round of the Colony that the Volunteers of Taranaki had disbanded, as thej' could not have chosen a worse time. He did not blame the men, believing their breaking-up was uninfluenced by the present state of affairs ; and, although he was not fon I of soldiering, he would willingly put down his name as one of a band of volunteers, lie believed the Government would accept the services of any band of men, even though they did not come up to the regulation number ; and said that corps were being formed at InglewboJ, Waitara, and other out-settle-men tr.

Major Atkinson, who was received with applause, informed the meeting of what took place at the interview between the deputation of which he was spokesman, and Sir George Grey.

Mr. Langley called attention to the presence of natives in the room. (Cries of " Put them out," and " leave them alone."')

Major Atkinson said that if they were badly disposed, what the meeting was going to say would not give them any fresh confidence, and certainly no secrets were going to be revealed which should not be known to them. Sir George Grey did not, at fir.-,t, give them a satisfactoiy answer, but afterwards he stated that every preparation the Government could be called upon to make would be made ; and, further, that they would accept the services of Volunteers in limited numbers without putting them to the expense of uniform, or anything of that sort. He also hoped, to induce the Ministry to see that all

the outscttlers were arms 1 in cu.se of emergency. The practical position he took to be this : — The Government shuuJ that they were noL fully informed on lo<.:il matters, and desired to glean necessary information from those knowing something of the affairs of the district. Colonel Whit more had been to Okato, and assured them, that before leaving, he would give them a definite answer as to what he intended to do. He thought they should now leave the matter entirely in the hands of the Government, in order to see if they would take necessary a.ul proper steps. He had assured the Government personally, aud on behalf of those he represented, that he was certain every man was prepared to lay aside all political feeling and act as colonists in aw emergency. (Hear, hear), and therefore he would strongly advise great moderation at that meeting, and that they should only pass some general resolution and wait for a few days to see how matters were further determined, and then,, if necessary, they could express their views strongly and more decidedly, but he had hopes that that might not be necessary. Mr. H. R. Richmond did not wish to excite undue fear or raise a panic in the out-districts and send the settlers skurrying into town unnecessarily, but he felt the full extent aud seriousness of the emergency, and they could not judgej udge of eventualities. They knew from the law of nature that at auy moment they were in actual peril of a meteoric body falling on their heads as a falling star, and crushing everyone of them— and so it was with this difficulty. There was nothing to prevent Te Whiti leading a band of warlike spirits amongst them aud causing a general massacre. He did not thiuk that likely to occur at present, aud he admired those settlers in the remoter parts who remained on their farms amidst so much anxiety. They could not imagine in town what it was to be lying in fear — unprotected in a lonely country house. He proposed, as an addition to the resolution which had already been submitted to Ministers— •' That this meeting earnestly trusts that whilst fully asserting the supremacy of the law, the Government may succeed in averting the calamity of war on this coast, and therefore, whilst deprecating any measures which ■hould be taken as a challenge to fight, uesires to impress on the Government the putting of the whole of the districts in a complete state of defence, and maintaining in the most suitable position a force sufficient to show the discontented natives that their own settlements can be at once destroyed if they commit any act of violence."' (Applauf-e.) He explained that the proposal made as a last resort was to bring down other tribes of natives from other parts of the Colony. That he looked upon as a means of finishing the thing speedily if they found it absolutely necessary to go to fighting. Mr. Standish seconded the resolution as containing his views on the subject. They knew what a great calamity war was, and it was for them to try and avert such a catastiophe, and he thought they would agree with him that the best way to meet it was to be prepared for it. He thought they should have a large moveable force to meet the Maories in case of emergency, and he held that they ought to have a force of at least five hundred men to meet at a moment's notice.

Colouel Trimble concurred in the resolution. The more cool and collected they could keep during the present emergency the better, as they must consider what they could do. The responsibility of the initiative rested with the Government. (Hear, hear.) It was not for them to take the law in their own hands, as it would be a very serious thing, aud they could not be too cautious in this matter. In arresting an illegal act they might be guilty of an illegal act. Whilst he thought the Government ought to arm all of them, there was a deal to be done by themselves. He did not think that the preparations made by the Government so far were adequate, but still he believed that what took place on Saturday would open the eyes of the Government to what ought to be done, and he hoped that they would see the necessity of not only strengthening them with guns but with men. It was not prudent or right to go into particulars, but he thought they ought to indicate the line of action that should be taken. He hoped that in a few days the Government would take such steps as would shosv the people that they were aware of the gravity of the position. He urged them to form volunteer corps, and said the Government were ready to furnish them with breechloaders, and it was for them to say whether they would serve the country in the matter of A r oluntcering. Arms, without discipline, would be usl'ljss, and he hoped all young men in the place woul 1 do their duty by coming fonv.ira a-id learning the use of them. They were going into this matter in a practical and not in a political spirit. They were not there to say wiiieh party was in the right, but to oifer their services to whatever Government might be in power, and do what was right and just in the interests of the country. (Applause.)

Mr. Wai. Courtney read a telegram from New Plymouth in the Aueklaud Herald of the 28th instant. It was to the effect that the Atkinson party were making political capital out of the native difficulty. He stigmatised it as a wilful lie w.iich might prove detrimsutal to persons an 1 the place, aud challenged the sender of ie to come forward and confront him, and .s.iy that it was true. (Applause.)

Mr. Kyngdon, as an ol I settler who had been through the previous war, thought the time had arrived when I lie militia should be called out. Everyone should be drilled and learn the use of arms. He would be quite willing to sto2> in hi.s district with six armed men, and it was time they prepared for action.

Mr. Kelly, M.H.R., felt that they all appreciated the gravity of the position, and the situation was, in hi.s mind, a very desperate one. They had not got to deal with an organised body of anno I natives who had made up their minds to declare war upon the settlers, but with fanatics who.se mode of action they had no knowledge of. They were apparently determine I to keep possession of the confiscate A la-ids at all hizards. They were not dealing with the few men ploughing at Tapuae, but with the whole of Pariliaka. He did not think the Government were aware of the grave position until they came to this place and had it impressed on them. It was time to prepare i'or any disaster that may arise out of the whims of these misguided men. They shoul 1 leave the matter in the hands of the Government, and keep cool and collected, remaining on their homesteads until the time arrived when action should be taken. He did not believe in calling upon the Government simply to defend a district, but considered there should bo a large force ready

for emergency, and therefore he concurred in the resolution.

Mr. John Elliot maintained that they had not only the natives at Parihaka to contend against, but all those on the West Coast of this island. Where a few weeks ago they could have seen hundreds of natives, they would not now see one. Why / Because they had all gone to Parihaka. He looked upon it as the most important crisis that had ever occurred in Taranaki. He looked upon Eewi's demand for confiscated land at Waitara as the first step towards it, and Hiroki being allowed to take shelter at Parihaka after committing a murder, as the second. This was brought about by the weakness and vacillating policy of those in power. Had Hiroki been arrested immediately after the murder, they would not be menaced as they were. They knew what fanaticism would do for the Maoris ; and what position were they in to defend themselves if Te Whiti ordered them to be encircled to-morrow morning. It was the duty of the Government to have a force to take the first brunt of the battle, and whilst he believed in forming Volunteer corps, they should be for the purpose of protecting their own homes, and not to be sent after the Maoris. He endorsed the resolution and the action taken by Justices.

Mr. W. Wells, who was engaged in the last war, blamed the then Governor for his actions, and said if supplied with arms now they would look after themselves. Let them have one distinct and central organization, and by forming corps over the districts which were in communication with it, they would have a proper system. If the natives troubled him he would not appeal to law, but would protect himself, on the ground that might makes right.

Mr. W. N. Syme (Okato), said he was the nearest European settler to Parihaka, and, while he admitted the gravity of the position, he did not agree with the excited talk there had been about fighting. The subject required the greatest consideration on the part of the Government, but there were many exaggerated rumours afloat. Mr. Wilson (Urenui), deprecated anything like panic, and said there was far more excitement in town where the people were safe than in the country where they might be in jeopardy. The position, nevertheless, was a grave one, for the natives under Te Whiti's influence believed that they could occupy all confiscated lands. He believed that 200 men from Parihaka could sweep the whole district, because no measures had been taken to put it on a secure footing. It was their duty to form Volunteer corps, and for the Government to supply them with arms to defend their homes, but it was for the Colony to do the fighting.

Captain Skeet was not surprised at the feeling shown in the place, because there seemed good cause that the Government should do something. Without touching on politics, he maintained that if the Government of the day had carried out what they promised, there would not be the present trouble. They promised that Hiroki should be taken, and he had not been taken. Before he went to Parihaka he was a murderer ; now it was a land question. The Minister of the day tried to uphold the law by demanding him, but did he get him ? Within forty-eight hours of the Minister being at Parihaka, the Maoris took the Waimate Plains. Immediately the Government were going to uphold the law by selling them. The next week they withdrew the sale. The Maoris were the masters. Iv a few weeks thej r came within eight miles of us. Where would they be next week.' — [A Voice : In town.] (Laughter). — As British subjects they had a right to ask what every British subject had a right to demand — the protection of the law. The duty of the Government was to put down this fanaticism. It was known the Government could get both men and arms if they likel. There were plenty of volunteers to come here, and, if the Government liked, they could have fifteen hundred true and loyal natives within the district in a week. They ought to impress upon the Govern meut the necessity of doing something at once. They had had eight months' promises, and now they required something more. (Applause.)

Mr. Upjohn, a settler here for twenty-seven years, considered that the present Government had neglected the district, and it had always been treated differently to other ])arts of the colon v.

Mr. Kyngdon condemned employing natives to fight for Europeans. During the last war they turned traitors, and fought against the Europeans.

Colonel Trimble explained with regard to Volunteers that he believe 1 the Government would accept the services of anyone for a limited time, and without uniform.

The resolution was then put to the meeting, and carried unanimously.

The Mayor produced a form for persons to sign who were willing to enroll as Volunteers. He headed it, and about fifty others added their signatures.

Mr. Elliot proposed that the deputation appointed on Saturday should wait on the Premier, and present the resolution agreed to. — Carried.

Major Atkinson 1 congratulated the meeting on. the manner iv which it had conducted its proceedings.

The meeting then terminated with a vote oE thanks to the Chairman.

The deputation appointe I afterwards waited upou the Premier, but space compels us to hold over the report.