“For My Name its Tawhiao” and I’m on my Native Heath.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1846, 18 June 1886, Page 2

“For My Name its Tawhiao” and I’m on my Native Heath.

Some correspondence hns passed between King Tawhiao and Mr Ballance, the Native Minister. It seems that Mr Ballance offered Tawhiao a seat in the Legislative Council, a snug income to live upon, and various other advantages. This offer of course was meant to buy up the old King and his ricketty throne and court—" stock, lock and barrel ” and thereby snuff out Maori royalty altogether. But the old man clung to the prestige of his Kingship, and grandiloquently replied to Mr Ballance.

“ Your tempting bribes of pelf and rank, Are my notice quite beneath ; For my name it is Tawhiao, And I’m on my Native Heath.”

No, the old man wasn’t to be bought. As to a seat amongst “ the Lords,” the old “ King ’’ wasn’t going to associate with such Brummagem dignitaries, while the money bribe he laughed to scorn. Tawhiao further informed Mr Ballancetbat he wanted a Native Parliament to be established which should deal with native affairs. In short, Tawhiao wanted “ Local Autonomy, 1 ’ and “ Home Rule ” for the Maoris—he himself of course continuing to reign as a sort of Constitutional Monarch with greatly increased power, rank, and dignity. Mr Ballance of course decisively refused to grant those demands. The idea of having a double system of Government in this colony, with a couple of Parliaments, and all sorts of Maori tomfoolery in the farce of playing at Legislation, is too absurd to excite anything but laughter. We think that Mr Ballauce had better leave Tawhiao severely alone for the future. The old “ King ” may be allowed to play out his harmless antics unheeded. He will not long fret and strut upon the stage of life. And when Tawhiao has gone to rest with his fathers the Maori King business will be pretty nearly “ fizzled out.”