G.—3

50

I may here remark that the display of greenstone meres by the Natives from Parihaka and other places in the southern part of Taranaki was better than I ever saw in any other Native gathering. Considerable importance is attached by Natives to the ceremony of dividing the food, and every effort is made by the donors of the food to make the presentation of it as effective as possible. A large number of Europeans witnessed the proceedings above described with a good deal of interest, and no doubt they were of a novel character to a great many of them. The weather, fortunately, continued fair during the day, and the excursionists from New Plymouth seemed to enjoy their visit. The Natives then proceeded to prepare their hangis or ovens, and to cook part of the food distributed. These proceedings occupied so large a portion of the day that it was late in the afternoon before business could be resumed. Eewi remained in the township the whole day. About 3 o'clock Sir George Grey came and saw Eewi, when it was arranged to hold the adjourned meeting at once in the open air. Both Europeans and Natives assembled in the large paddock adjoining the railway-station. Some difficulty was experienced at first in keeping the Europeans from pressing in upon Eewi and those who accompanied him. A number of ladies were accommodated with seats behind Sir George Grey, the Hon. Mr. Sheehan, and the representative of New Plymouth, Mr. T. Kelly, M.H.E. Arrangements having been completed, Eewi walked forward in front of Sir George Grey and said: Do you ask me to commence? Sir George Grey: Tes, if you are willing. Rewi: I would like you to commence. Sir George Grey : I have arrived here at your request to hear what you have to say, and I shall be glad to listen to your words. Rewi said : I have asked you to come here so that you may let us know what you have to say, and that I may do the same. For that reason I said, " I will go to Waitara." You said, " Let us both go ;" and I said, " Tes." "What I have to say is, with respect to Waitara I will speak my thoughts to you. I gave my body away at Waitara (meaning that he had fought there), and I wish to give my thoughts at Waitara. That is all I will say at the present time. Sir George Grey said: At the request of Tawhiao and his followers I went to Hikurangi to meet them there. Tawhiao and myself had a conversation. He and his people are now reflecting over that conversation. Eewi was not present at that conversation; he proposed that I should meet him here. I thought it desirable, as he and his people formed so large and important a portion of the Native community, to gratify their wishes and to meet them at this place, and here I am. It is for you to 6peak to me as Tawhiao spoke to me. I have known Eewi's people for many years, and they are well aware that lam a friend of theirs. Let them speak to me as men speak to a friend. Bewi said: When I listened to what Sir George Grey said just now he seemed as if he was asking somebody to speak. I did not say to him that I wished anybody else to speak here but only our two selves. For it is not by this and that person that trouble came over the country, but it was through myself that trouble spread over the whole Island. If William King was here, and I asked William King and To Teira to speak, that would be, as it were, investigating the matter. lam speaking solely with respect to the division that is between Europeans and Natives, and of the cessation of all further trouble, so that the Natives and Europeans may be one people as you have said. That is all. I address myself to you. My word is this :To finally finish what we have to say between us two, the persons who fought with one another. That is why I fixed upon Waitara as the place of meeting. If Sir George Grey should acquiesce that I am to have Waitara, it is finished. That is all I have to say. Sir George Grey (after a pause) said: Eewi, make your meaning clear. Speak at greater length. I do not understand you. Rewi said: I have only one word to explain. I wish Sir George Grey to give me back Waitara. That is the only matter of importance in what I have to say. Sir George Grey said: Have you anything else to say, that I may consider all these things at once? Rewi said : This is the principal of the subjects we have to discuss. When lam clear about this I will be prepared to discuss with you about the establishing of schools, the opening of roads, railways, and telegraphs. When this particular subject is settled then I will talk to you about those matters. Sir George Grey consulted for some time with the Native Minister and Hon. Wi Tako, and then said : Eewi, still lam not clear as to your meaning. As it is now late I think it is better to defer the discussion till to-morrow morning. Rewi said : I had mentioned the great matter we have to discuss. It is not an extensive subject. You asked that we should adjourn until to-morrow. Yes, we will do so. If we do not finish this discussion to-morrow we will continue it the day after, and I won't let you go away until we have finished it. When we have finished it, everything else will follow, and will be settled without any trouble. The meeting then broke up. Eewi came up and shook hands with Sir George Grey, and said, " We will settle the matter between ourselves." Opinion is divided as to Eewi's real meaning in asking for the restoration of Waitara. Some think that he desires to get back a small portion in order to restore it to William King. Others believe that he takes Waitara as representing all the confiscated land. The third idea is that Eewi simply desires that Waitara should be handed over to him formally, when he would return it as an atonement for his sins. The proceedings to-morrow will no doubt reveal the true meaning. I understand that it has been arranged that the new steamer "Maid of Mokau" is to trade regularly between Waitara, Mokau, and Kawhia, and that the Natives, who are part owners, intend asking the Government to grant them a subsidy for a short time.