THE NATIVE NINISTEIR AND TE WHITI.

Waka Maori, Volume I, Issue 26, 29 March 1879, Page 363

THE NATIVE NINISTEIR AND TE WHITI.

On Saturday, the 22nd inst., Mr. Sheehan and his party met Te Whiti at Parihaka. A large number of Natives were present. Major Brown opened the conversation by telling the Whiti and the people that Buakere had been appointed a Native assessor, in consequence of the fidelity of his conduct and his rank as a chief. The Whiti said he did not want to know anything about Government appointments; the G-overnment could appoint whom they pleased, and he would do the same. A rather acrimonious discussion here ensued between the parties, and rough words and hard sayings were the order of the day. Mr. Sheehan demanded the surrender of Hiroki to be tried at the Supreme Court. The Whiti said the Supreme Court should be there to trv Hiroki; as what Sheehan claimed to be an offence had taken place within his district. Sheehan said the Supreme Court only sat at appointed places, and the interests of Maories were protected, so that malefactors could be tried by juries of Maories. The Whiti said if the Supreme Court would not come there, Hiroki should not go elsewhere, as he had claimed his protection. He accused Sheehan of stealing the land belonging to the Natives, and said he would not talk to a thief. He then talked about his parliament and the European parliament, and said that he was going the right way to promote good-will between both races, while Sheehan was taking a different and erroneous course. Sheehan listened patiently, and then told him that if he (the Whiti) had listened to what he had to say he would have been enabled to give a coherent reply, but as he would not hear him, and constantly interrupted him, there was no use in prolonging the discusiiion after the people began to disperse. [Notwithstanding Mr. Sheehan's boasts of how easily he could have criminals arrested in the Whiti's district, we knew better, and have said so more than once in previous issues. There are symptoms of disaffection, anarchy, and disorder, begining to show themselves unmistakeably among the Natives in various districts, at the present time, which should not be disregarded. Mr. Sheehan is surrounded with greater difficulties than he imagines. If we might presume to offer our humble advice to so great a man we should say, —Let him act with firmness and justice, tempered with discretion and forbearance. —Ed. Waka.'l Later telegrams state that on the 25th of March a party of surveyors were driven off the Waimate plains-by Natives led by the Manu. They conveyed the surveyors' instruments andeamp fixings in drays to the nearest European township across the Waingorangora river, and then returned taking away the remaining surveying parties from the plains. The Government it is said, will act decisively in the matter. Notices have been telegraphed round the colony and to Australia of the sale of 16,000 acres of the plains, at Carlvle, on the 6th of May. If necessary, military settlements will be formed.