THE POSITION OF TE WHITI.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3569, 23 March 1880, Page 3

THE POSITION OF TE WHITI.

A correspondent of the HeraU supplies the following— Very great uncertainty prevails in well-informed circles as to what will be the outcome of the native crisis, owing to the varying interpretations placed upon TeWhiti's latest deliverances. Considerable stress has been laid on the report that Te Whiti had resigned his authority in favour of Tohu, which is looked upon aa indicative of war, especially taken in connection with Te Whiti's deo'aration that the two roads across the Waimate Plains would never meet. The best Maori authorities are at variance, however, aa to the interpretation. Mr Carrington and Mr Parris, both entitled to very great weight, believe that To Whiti only meant that it would be opposed by his supernatural influence. On the other hand, the interpreter to the Armed Constabulary (Mr Thompson) takes' a more gloomy view, and believes that physical resistance is intended. It seems hardly credible, however, that the Maoris would attempt the latter course, when the Government occupy such an irresistibly strong military position as they do at the present time. Assuming that the declaration referred to is an absolute threat of physical resistance, it is suggested that it is probably merely a piece of Maori 'bounce, 1 resorted to at the last moment by a chief claiming supernatural power, who finds himself' cornered ' as it were, and rendered desperate by th« thought that the weakness of his pretensions and his utter powerlessness must soon be exposed. Nothing, of course, can be said definitely either one way or the other while everything is so uncertain, but the Government appears to have every confidence that the affair will be peaceably settled. In any case, the result will be probably known in a few days. The Armed Constabulary, at the rate of working, will cross over the Waiweranui, a small stream bound-; ing the country, which le Whiti regards as being peculiarly under his mana, on or about Friday nest. When they proceed to carry the road across that boundary we shall probably know what the intentions of lo Whiti and those associated with him really are.. The opinion of those best competent to;judge is that the prophet will, at the most, send a few women to interrupt the work, but that no armed resistance will be offered. In all probability, however, he will confine himself to another oracular declaration that everything is working out exactly as he prophesied it would.