THE GREAT MEETING OF CHIEFS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIV, Issue 1442, 31 July 1860, Page 3

THE GREAT MEETING OF CHIEFS.

For the account of the opening of the Native Conference at Kohimarama, near Auckland, we are indebted to the NewZealander of the 11th instant. We merely here remark that although it is called a meeting of "loyal" chiefs, it was never intended to be such ; but has assumed that character from the refusal of nearly all those who have joined the King movement to attend.

This Meeting of loyal Chiefs, to confer with the Governor on the present position and prospects of Native affairs, commenced on the 10th July.

The lodgement for the Chiefs was good, yet not extravagant ; the provision was substantial and abundant, yet not luxurious or too profuse. The whares were weatherboard, and raised a sufficient height to keep the inmates free from the effects of damp. The provision was good "John Bull" fare — but no more liberal than vlaori Chiefs maka for their Pakeha guests.

His Excellency Col. Gore Browne arrived in the pinnace of H.M.S. Iris, about 12 o'clock ; accompanied by Mr. McLean, Mr. {Stafford, Mr. Richmond, &c, Mrs. Browne, Mrs. Tailored, and some other ladies were also present.

The proceedings were opened in the large school room of the Melanesian Mission.

The Governor having taken his seat, Mr. McLeau announced to the chiefs who were (present, that his Excellency would now proceed to address them. This the Governor did by reading the following English version of the address in Maori, which was subsequently read by Mr. McLean : —

My FniENDs, — Chiefs of New Zealand, 1. I haee invited you to meet me on the present occasion that we may have an opportunity of discussing various matters conuected with tha welfare and advancement of the two Races dwelling in New Zealand.

2, I take advantage of it also to repeat to you and, through you, to the whole Maori people, the assurances of goodwill on the part of our Gracious Sovereign which have been given by each succeeding Governor from Governor Hobson to myself. 3. Ou assuming the Sovereignity of New Zealand her Majesty extended to her Maori subjeots her Royal Protection, engaging to defend New Zealand and the Maori people from all aggressions by any foreign power, aud imparting to them all the rights and privileges of British subjects ; and she confirmed and guaranteed to the Chiefs and Tribes of New Zealand, and to the respective families and individuals thereof, the full, exclusive and undisturbed possession of |their| lands and estates, forests, fisheries, and other properties which they may collectively or individually possess, so long as it is their wish to retain the same in their possession.

4. In return for these advantages the Chiefs who signed the Treaty of Waitangi ceded for themselves and their people to her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without re servation all the rights and powers of Sovereignty which they collectively or individually possessed or might be supposed to exercise or

possess. 5. Her Majesty has instructed the Governors who proceded me, and she will instruct those who come after me, to maintain the stipulations of this Treaty inviolate, and lo watch over the interests and promote the advancement of her subjects without distinction of Race. 6. Having renewed these assurances in the name of our Gracious Sovereign I now ask you to confer with me frankly and without reserve. If you have any grievances, make them known to me, and, if they are veal, I will try to redress them. Her Majesty's wish is thai all her sub jects should be happy, prosperous, andcouteuted. If, therefore, you can make any suggestions for the better protection of property, the punishment of offenders, the settlement of disputes or the preservation of peace, I shall gladly hear them and will give them the most favourable consideration.

7. The minds of both Rices have lately been agitated by false reports ar exaggerated statements; an. l, in order to restore confidence, it is necessary that each should know and thoroughly understand what the other wishes and intends.

8. There is also a subject t> which I desire to invite your special attention, and in reference to which I wish to receive the expression of your views. For some time past certain persons belonging to tbe tiibos dwelling to the south of Auckland have buen endeavouring to mature a project, which, if carried into effect, could only bnug evil upon the heads of all concerned iv il. The framers of it are said to desire Unit the Maori tribes in New Zealand should orabine together and throw off their allegiance to the Sovereigu whose protection they have enjoyed for more than 20 years, and tint tlu-y should set up a Moari Kinjj and deelire them selves to be an independent nation. Such ideas could only be entertained by men completely ignorant of the evils they would bring upon the whole of the Native Ruce if carried into effect.

9. While the promoters of this scheme confined themselves to :rere t Ikiug, I did not think it necessary t<» notice their proceedings, believing th.it, if allowed time to consider, they would abandon no futile and dangerous an undertaking This expectation has not been fulfilled. At a recent meeting at Waikato some of the leading men proposed that Wircma Kinyi, who is in

arms against the Queen's authority, should ho supported by reinforcements fro.n the tribes vvl o acknowledged the M iori King, and armed parti. 8 from Waiknto and iCawhia actually went to Tarariaki for this purpose. These men also desire to assume an authority over other *few Zealand tribes in their relations with the Government, and contemplate the forcible subjection of those tribes who refuse to acknowledge their authority.

10. Under tbese circumstances I wish to know your views and opinions distinctly in order that I may give correct information to

our Sovereign

11. It is unnecessary for me to remind you that her Mnjesh's engagements to l.er Native subjects in New Zealand ha^e been faithfully observed. No foreign enemy has visited your shores. Your lands have remained in your possession, or have been bought by the Government at your own desire. Your people have availed themselves of their privileges as British subjects, seeking and obtaining in the Courts of Law the protection and redress which they afford to all her Majesty's subjects. But it is right you should know and understand that in return for these advantages you must prove yourselves to be loyal and faithful subjects, and that the establishment of a Maori King would be an act of disobedience and defiance to her Majesty which cannot be tolerated. It is necessary for the preservation of peace in every country that the inhabitants should acknowledge one Head.

12. I may frankly tell you that New Zealand is the only Colony where the aborigines have been treated with unvarying kindness. It is the only Colony where they have been invited to unite with the Colonists and to become one people uuder one law. In other colonies the people of the land have remaine I separate and distinct, from which many evil consequences have ensued. Quarrels have arisen ; blood has been shed ; and fiually the aboriginal people of the country have been driven away or destroyed Wise and good men hi England considered that such treatment of aboriginees was unjust and contrary to the principles of Christianity. They brought the subject before the British Parliament, and the Queen's Ministers advised a change of policy towards the aborigines of all English colonies. New Zealand is the first country colonised on this new and humane system. It will be the wisdom of the Maori people to avail themselves of this generous policy, and thus save their race from evils which have befallen others less favored. It is your adoption by Her Majesty as her subjects which makes it impossible that the Maori people should be unjustly dispossessed of their land* or property. Every Maori is a member of the British Nation ; he is protected by the same law as his English fellow subject: and it is because you are regarded by the Queen as a part of her own special people that you hare heard from the lips of each successive Governor ths same words of peace and goodwill. It is therefore the height of folly for the New Zealand tribes to allow themselves to be seduced into the commission of any act which, by violating their allegiance to the Queen, would render them liable to forfeit the rights the privileges which their position as British subjects confers upon them, and which must necessarily entail upon them evils eadiug only in theii ruin

as a race

• 13. It is a matter of solicitude to Her Majes" ty, as well as to many of your friends in England and in this country, that you should be preserved as a people. No unfriendly feeling should be allowed to grow up between the two races. Your children will live in the country when you are gone, and when the Europeans are numereus. For their sakes I call upon you as their fathers and as Chiefs of your Tribes, to take care that nothing- be dono which may engender animosities "the conse?uences of which may injure your posterity, feel that the difference of language forms a great barrier between the Europeans and Maories. Through not understanding each other there are frequent misapprehensions of what is said or intended : this is also one of the chief obstacles in the way of your participating in our English Councils, and in the consideration of laws for your guidance. To remedy this the various Missionary Bodies, assisted by the Government, have used every exertion to teach your children English, in order that they may speak the same language as the European in. habitants of the Colony. 14. I believe it is only needful that ihese matters should be well understood to ensure a continuance of peace and friendly feeling between the two races of Her Majesty's subjects ; and it is for this reason, and in a firm hope that mutual explanations will remove all doubt and distrust on both sides, that I have invited you to meet me now. 15. I shall not seek to prove, what you will all be ready to admit, that the treatment you » have received from the Government, since i:s establishment in these Islands down to the present hour, has been invariably m irked by kindness. I will not count the Hospitals founded for the benefit of your sick ; the schools provided for the education of your children ; the encouragement and assistance given you to possess yourselves of vessels, to cultivite wheat to build mills, aud to adopt the civilised habits of your white brethren. I will not enumerate the proofs which have been given you that your interests and well-being have been cared for, lest you should think I am ungenerously recalling past favors. All will admit that not only have your ears listened to the words of kindness, but that your eyes have seen and your hands have handled its substantial manifestations, i

16. I will not now detain you by alluding to other matters of great importance, but will communicate with you from time to time and call your attention to them before you separate. Let me, however remind you that though the" Queen is able without any assistance from you to protect the Maories from all foreign enemies she cannot without their help protect tUe Maories from themselves. It is therefore the duty of all who would regret to see their race relapse into barbarism, aud who desire to live in peace and prosperity, to take heed that the counsels of the foolish do not prevail, and that the whole country be not thrown into anarchy and contusion by the felly of a few misguided men Finally,— l must congratulate you on tho vast progress in civilization which your people have made under the protection of the Queeo Cannibalism has been exchanged for Christianity : Slavery has been abolished ; War has become more rare ; Prisoners taken in war are not slain ; European habits are gradually replacing those oi your ancestors of which all Christians are necessarily ashamed. The old have reasoa to be thankful that their sunset ig brighter than their dawn, and the young w«r ,l>e grateful that their lifa did uot begin uutii the daikness of the heathen uigbt bad been dig • pelted by that light which is the glory of all civilized Nations.

Earnestly praying: that Orud may grant Hig blessing on your delilieraiious aud guide you in the right path, I leare ycm to the free dl«----cussioa of the subjects I iiaee iudieated, and of

any others you may think likely to promote the welfare of your race.

Thomas Gore Browne, Governor. As we hare before stated, the original Maoii was read by Mr. McLean.

At the conclusion of the address, MeteKingi and Kawnna Paipai stepped forward, and, in the name of the Wanganm natives, presented the Governor with two beautifully, embroidered kaitakas, or fine flax mantles, and a taiaha or staff, as a pledge of loyalty and peace. At the close of the reading of his address, the Governor and suite ndjourned^o-the dininghall, where he held a /e^cwKich. was attended by all the cMefs-^ireai ly 120"l!rnmrrber ; and at this ceremonial, an East Coast chief whose natne^scaped us, presented His Excellency with" a curious old mere' in token of his desire for the preserration of amity between the two races.

Throughout the proceedings, the Chiefs all manifested their desire to prove their loyalty ; ar.d we believe there was not a spectator who — looking to the fine intellectual developement of the Chiefs — was nut moved with deep regret that any circumstances should have arisen to create strife between such a body of men and the Anglo* Saxon colonists of these islands.

At the close of the reception, the Governor, accompanied by the Chief Justice, his Ministers, the Superintendent, &c. ; returned to Auckland for the day. - .',-..

The Chiefs then re assembled, in the Conference Hal), Mr. McLean, Native Commissioner, presiding, and the k->rero commenced — Mr. McLean asking the chiefs carefully} to. consider the speech of the Governor,, and: frankly to express their opinions thereupon.

The conference terminated fur this first day about half-past 3 o'clock, and will be renewed daily for the next fortnight or three weeks.