ANOTHER INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM THOMPSON.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2270, 12 October 1865, Page 2 (Supplement)

ANOTHER INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM THOMPSON.

Cambridge, Sept. 25, 1865. The New Zealander of (he Bth insfc. publishes the following : — On Saturday, the 23rd insfc., Dr. Sum, o[ Cambridge, left that place to visit William Thompson, at Mata Mata, Dr. Sam was accompanied by Mr. Mainwaring, R.M. for the district, together with Captain Wilson, and Ensign Hamlin, of the 3rd Waikato Regiment, the latter acting as interpreter. The party started from Cambridge about seven o'clock in the morning, taking their way across the ranges under the guidance of some natives from Mangataut-a-vi. On the road they passed through two settlements, finding in both great destitution and misery j at 12 o'clock they arrived at a placo called An Waikato, whero William Thompson agreed to meet them. This place is about five or six miles distant from Mata Mata, and for the convenience o£ both parties was appointed the placo of meeting. The party, with Dr. Sam waited here until 1 o'clock, when Thompson arrived, and gave them a most hearty welcome ; he immediately ordered his last pig to be killed, and refreshed them with roast pork and potatoes. In the evening he gave them his best whare to sleep in, but insisted on Dr. Sam sleeping in the same wlwirc as himself. It is, I may bo permitted to remark here, a most wondorful thing what an immenso I favorite Dr. Sam is with the natives wherever he goes, being, as he is, entirely unacquainted with the Maori language. During the evening, the conversation chiefly concerned the origin of tho war, Thompson being most anxious to huvo the matter referred to, and decided by, two or more persons who have in no way, been concerned in the fighting, as to whether ho or the pakcha is to blame for tho commencement of the war. If such persons found him guilty, he will then willingly consent to give up all he has lost ; but he now says, that there is something which weighs heavily on his heart, and which ho wishes cleared up. Tho presumption naturally is, that it is tho loss of so large a tract of land, which, as ho terms it, " weighs so heavily on hia heart." On tho morning of the 24th, Dr. Sam and his party bid Thompson adieu, and again took tho road for Cambridge, arriviug back about 4 o'clock on the afternoon of Sunday. Thompson lias promised to come over to Cambridgo in a fortnight, when I have no doubt you will be furnished with further particulars about him. On Monday, the 25th, tho Government gtoamer Pioneer arrived at Cambridge, having come up the river as fur as the native settlement Tamahavc, to bring Dr. Pollen, Mr. Mackay, and Major Heaphy, for the purposo of enquiring into the native claims for land in the Waikato district ; these gentlemen remained all night near tho settlement ; while the steamer went on with the I mail to Cambridge, joining her again the next ! morning, and returning down the river to Ngaruawahia. In the evening they were entertained by Borne men of H.M. 12th Regiment, who held a concert and performed several negro melodies, &c, in one of the rooms of the Colonial Hospital. On. Wednesday these gentlemen again took steamer down river, visiting en route tho settlements at Taupui and other places down tho river, arriving in the evening at the BlufF, whence Major Heaphy returned to town, Dr. Pollen and Mr. Mackay rcma : nmg on board the steamer, for the purpose, I believe, of visiting the other settlements down the river, near Port Waikato.