CORRESPONDENCE.

Waka Maori, Volume I, Issue 24, 15 March 1879, Page 340

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Waka Maori. Te Kopua, district of Hikurangi, March 6th, 1879. Friend, —We salute you and your friends engaged in the navigation of the Waka. Here is some cargo for you to take on board of our "Waka ; it may be little, nevertheless it is from this people who" are oppressed and injured by the strong winds which bring evil upon the people and upon the land. May you prosper. Carefully ballast the Waka, lest it lose its and overset; lest it be said it was overset by a whirlwind from the land, whereas, in fact, it would be from the ocean—(the land, the Maones ; the ocean, the Pakehas). Some winds are fair, some are stormy; with the latter coiftes'rain—(floods). Enough of this ; there is a meaning, however, in everything I have said above—let the white and the black both consider it. Take the following from Hikurangi on board, that it may be known bv the white and the black, the salt-water and the fresh-water—(the Pakehas and Maories). Ihis is the word of Tukaroto in refereuce to the Kopua meeting—the great meeting of the island. This meeting is not called with the intention of admiring or praiaiug Grey and his friend, whose name the of the island are informed is Sheehan. Tawhiao has no words whatever to speak to them. The March meeting will pull them to pieces; but wait till the day comes. The chief thing (i.e., the chief object of the meeting) will be to condemn both them aud their Government. Let it not be thought Tawhiao will speak to them in these days (now passing). Nothing will be said (to them). The only thing which is now said is, that probably they will not put in an appearance, This meeting is not got up for them. Let them not exult iii the idea that it is for them. It is for the tribes of the world, for the purpose of condemning the

proceedings of this G-overnment, who are monopolism ln ß^} e l an< i to inveigle certain Maories and Pakehas. This is all there is to communicate for our Waki at this time. Prom Te Sea. Heuheu, - And from us all of N&atimajstipoto. Pp*e writer pf the above letter is a well known chief of rank among the Waikatos who, without doubt, is behind the scenes. It will be seen that the Wai* katos are not ignorant of the nature and intention of the iniquitous Government Land Purchase Act passed last session. From other most reliable information which we have received from Waikato we doubt whether Grey and Sheehan will even receive an invitation to be present at the meeting. They may get up a bogus invitation, but if they do we shall be in a position to expos© it, as well as to give a thoroughly truthful account of the proceedings of the meeting. We fancy if the great Maori quack doctor, Mr. Sheehan, were to be told the names of some of the chiefs who correspond with us he tfould be aghast. The time however has not yet come to make them known.]