TURANGANUI.

Waka Maori, Volume 10, Issue 5, 10 March 1874, Page 62

TURANGANUI.

Meeting of Natives with His Honor the superintendent. On Saturday, the 14th day of February last, His Honor the Superintendent of Auckland, and party, proceeded from Turanganui to Pakirikiri. A large number of Natives, probably three hundred, assembled at that place to meet him, and to welcome him to Turanga. They presented an address to him containing their thoughts and desires in reference to the affairs of their district; and much conversation subsequently took place between him and them. The following is the Superintendent's reply : My Eeiends, —Salutations to you. On behalf of myself and of my friends who have come with me from Auckland, I greet you. I thank you for the cordial welcome you have just given us. It is very kind of you to come here in such large numbers to attend this meeting. I have your address, and have listened to your statements with attention. There are several matters referred to therein which are very properly stated for my consideration, and which I trust to be able to alter and improve so as to meet your wiihes and the wishes of your European friends and neighbours in this great district; there are others which can only be made straight by yourselves and by the Governor. Such things as eome within my own power to amend, I shall attend to j but you must bring the other complaints under your friend Mr. McLean's notice, who will, I am sure, do all in his power to remedy your grievances where he thinks you are aggrieved. I need not remind you of the cause of many of your complaints. Not very many years ago you were going on well, rand you had a large trade with Auckland ; you had your own vessels on the Coast, in which you conveyed to the port of Auckland your own grown wheat and other produce. But darkness suddenly overshadowed you, and you were scattered in the deep gloom of that terrible time, and your European friends who had settled down beside you were obliged to fly for safety to other places. lam very glad to see that the light of day is again shining upon you, and that bright prospects are opening before you and your children. You have been greatly discouraged by the evil deeds of bad men ; but now you have been encouraged by the Queen to return to your places and resume your industry. Tou must not allow yourselves to be cast down by the past occurrences. Be active again in your works of industry. Till the ground; it is rich, and will readily yield food for yourselves and your children, and leave plenty over and above that for sale to Europeans. Let schools for instruction of your children be again established near your dwelling-places, and assist your European friends who have confidence in your land, and who are settling in large numbers in your district, without any fear of a

repetition of the dark deeds of the bad men who have passed away from amongst you. These are my words of advice, which I am sure will not be disregarded by you. Enough. Prom your friend J. Williamson - , Superintendent.