REWI MANIAPOTO.

Waipa Post, Volume III, Issue 120, 18 June 1912, Page 3

REWI MANIAPOTO.

- The following letter has been sent to Sir James Carroll by the natives of this district. During recent months several meetings have been held at Kihikihi, the result of which has been to arouse considerable interest in the endeavour to secure a proper title to the piece of land where the body of Rewi Maniapoto was laid to rest. Ihe letter is written in Maori, and has been interpreted for us by Mr W. H. Grace, of Kihikihi.

Salutations to you, and all the misfortunes which are always falling on us. Sufficient for that.

During the days of this week many people of this Island assembled here to consider the section in this town which was given Rewi Manga Maniapoto at the time Governor Grey was the Head of the Parliament. For it was Governor Grey who caused Rewi Manga Maniapoto to come outside the Rohe Potae, and thereby broke up the Maori rule (Tikanga) and introduced that of the European (pakeha), and now the lands of the Rohe Potae are covered by Europeans, towns established such as Otorohanga, Te Kuiti, and Taumarunui. In accordance with the conditions arrived at by Governor Grey and Rewi Manga Maniapoto at Waitara, it was decided that the Tree of Peace between the two peoples should be planted at Kihikihi, so that the fruit thereof could be eaten by both. The understanding was. this, that an acre in the town of Kihikihi be given to Rewi Maniapoto, and a house to be erected-thereon where the chiefs could assembled be called the centre post for the two people, and by these arrangements arrived at by Governor Grey and Rewi Maniapoto, the grip of the pakeha hand on the head, of the Maori was loosened, and that of the Maori on the head of the pakeha was also loosened.

Now that the title to this acre is in confusion, also the house is great disrepair owing to its not being attended to at" times, and further as Rewi Maniapoto is buried on this acre, we therefore pray that you use your best endeavours to support our wish, for you are of us the Maori people. When you were Minister for the Maori people we on many occasions approached you, and you replied your Government would consider the matter. We waited many years, but there was no result. Therefore, when Parliament met last year we sent a

petition to Parliament, which was presented by Mr Hemes. The House considered the petition, with the result to the effect that the requests made in the said petition should be favourably considered. Now, as you have a voice of influence in Parliament and with the Ministers, we desire that our petition be given effect to. We ask give us the title, persons to be appointed as trustees of this acre, including the grave of Rewi Maniapoto, also the house. If this is acceded to we will then submit names of persons who should be trustees. Secondly, if our re-

quest is granted, that the Government and ourselves should repair the house and put the acre in proper order, the cost to be equally divided between us and the Government. If our desire cannot be acceded to by the Government, then we wish that Rewi Maniapoto be exhumed and his bones be taken to another place. We will select the place where hie bones should lie.

O son, give our request your earnest appreciation. Don't forget. We desire this matter to be fixed up at this sitting of Parliament.

May you live long. Sufficient from these of your Maori people who reside in these parts of our Island.