PARIHAKA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13448, 21 November 1907, Page 3

PARIHAKA.

WHO IS TO REIGN. Per Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 20. The Taranaki Herald's representative at Parihaka wires that, a mau3 meeting of native discussed for several hours the question of th-3 future of the settlement. The general opinion eeemed to be in favour of Charlie Waitara, Te Whiti'c son-in-law, being, placed at the head *of affairs in preference to Willis Te Whiti, the IH'ophet's .hon. Waitara, who is .vaid to have a private income of £SOOO a year, has long had virtual control of Parinaka. Eventually ib was decided that he be asked to continue as head man of the settiiem.=nt. Willie Te W'biti, however; is the real owner and might causa- trouble by evicting the inhabitants; but this i.s considered very unlikely. Natives continue to arrive for the tangi. " King " Mahutu waa invited bu,t no reply has yet been received from him. Preparations are being made for tee -.unei'.tl on old Maori customs, which will provide a .vpeetacle eclipsing anything of the kind yet *een or ever likely to be. steal again. it will probably take place early, on Friday morning. There is no sign of liquor in the settlement. The Te Wliitit.es and Toliuibs are freely mixing, having sunk their differences. The Te Whiti tangi i; now proceeding on a liuge scale, and promises to be the most magnificent of the kind the; present generation has witnessed in this province. The natives are nocking, in, and the lunelal has been arranged for- Friday at noon according to Maori rites. The body is now lying in 'state in a tent surrounded by emblems and rare ma's and meres, and the Maori women are carrying out the tangi in a- truly impressive manner. Plvery where .demonstrations of great giief are rene-wed from/ time to timers visitors arrive, the sights being, worth going miles to see. 'Hie failure of the prophet's prophesies is said to be a blow to Maori beliefs. and some remaikable denunciations of Te Whiti will be made by orators. Ifc was not generally -known that Te Whiti was the sole owner Parihaka block, and that the land now becomes the property of hia children.