51

G.—3

[From the Neio Zealander, 2nd Julj.] THE WAITAEA MEETING. (From our own Correspondent. By Telegraph.) Waitara, June 29. In order to render the following account of the proceedings this day thoroughly intelligible I may state that it was understood that at a previous private meeting it was arranged that Eewi should be recognized as the commissioner to treat on the part of the Natives with the Government for bringing about a final and complete union between the two races. In order that this should be done, it was agreed that the first cause of difference, which the Natives regarded as Waitara, should be symbolically taken to represent the quarrel and separation between Natives and Europeans, and that these should be therefore said to be placed for adjustment and settlement in the hands of Sir George Grey and Eewi, as representatives of the two sides of the dispute ; that, a public reconciliation having taken place brtween these two, they should then proceed as friends to adjust the whole matter in dispute, with a view to bringing about an entire and lasting reconciliation and union. It was to elucidate this circumstance that Eewi explained in his speech to the assembled Europeans and Natives that the name of the Waitara had nothing to do with their lands or possessions in that place. The meeting was resumed in Mr. Pennington's building in the township shortly after twelve o'clock. All the principal Native people were assembled, but there were not so many Europeans present as on the two previous days. When the preparations were made and the Natives seated, Hewi (addressing Sir George Grey) said : If you are agreeable I wish my interpreter to interpret what I say to the Natives. I wish this to be done, because I have seen what newspapers have done. If this is done, and what I say is misrepresented, the blame will rest on me alone, as I have my own interpreter. (Mr. Thompson, a half-caste, acted as Eewi's interpreter.) (Eewi then spoke a few words to the Native people, after which, turning to Sir George Grey, he said:) What I have to say to you is this : I wish you to give me Waitara. Sir George Grey said: Waitara is now given up to both of us. It belongs to us two. This is the proper spot on which we should loose our hands from one another's heads and cease struggling. At Eewi's request this was interpreted to the Natives. Eewi gave a short explanation of what had just been said by Sir George Grey. He said : It is to allow me to have a voice in the settlement of this matter, so that I may be able with Sir George Grey to unloose our hands from off one another's heads. I agree with what Sir George Grey has said. We have this matter of this land in our hands. I agree because there are now two of us to talk over Waitara. I have nothing further to say to Sir George Grey. He has agreed to my request. Do not let the Europeans and Natives of Waitara be alarmed; they are perfectly safe in their places ; let them rest safely in their places. Myself and Sir George Grey will talk the matter over. Sewi continued: That is all I have to say to the Europeans present, and to the people at large. (Addressing the Natives, he said :) I have a law ;so has Sir George Grey. We are going to work this out together. That law I will lay before the whole of you. He and I will carry it out. lam not going to return North at present until a complete settlement has taken place. I am going to remain at Waitara. Let the people of knowledge that exist in the Island come to Waitara (an invitation to the Native people). Let the Europeans also come to Waitara. The appointment of the day for our next meeting rests not with me, but with the people. Mete Kinqi said : I stand up because the words of my superior are plain. Sir George Grey is my chief; he and I took Waitara in a former time; therefore it is right that I should come to Waitara, and for that reason it was right for Eewi to give me notice to come here. The name I had has ceased, which is that Sir George Grey took me to be a member of Parliament. At Parliament I asked for Waikato, Waitara, Taranaki, and all those parts that were confiscated. The word of my Governor (meaning Sir George Grey) is clear, that he and Eewi are the protectors of Waitara. Let your law for Eewi be very clear, so that, after you and Eewi pass away, the law for the Maori and the European children of you two may be very plain —that the law which you and Eewi leave behind you for the guidance of all the Europeans, and bonds which bound these Islands may be unloosed, that the restriction which kept the two races apart may be removed. Lay not a heavy burden upon the people. Let it be a law easy to be obeyed. The laws that are made by the Governor and Parliament at the instance of the Native people should be presented to the Queen, so that when she dies they will have been laid before her, and her successors may give effect to them, lest it should happen, as it happened with the children of Israel, that when one king died and another took his place he ruled the people severely aud scattered them, oppressing the people. In the days of the third king the laws of the first king were again discovered, and a temple was ordered to be built. That is why I say that it should be in the life-time of Sir George Grey and Eewi that all these great questions affecting the Maori people should be settled, and handed in testimony thereof to the Queen. That is all I have to say. Matene Te Whiwhi said : Eewi, do you object to my standing up to speak ? My word is a word of congratulation to yourself and Sir George Grey for your word here at Waitara. We people lean on you two. lam like a man who has been living in the darkness of the night. They nave been speaking to me of the dawning of day for a long time. At last I see it, and I feel the warmth of the sun. My last word is, God bless this new-born day, and you two. Taliana said: lam only going to ask a question. Is this the finishing of our talk this day ? I am asking you two persons, whose hands are on Waitara. Sewi said : To-day we have unloosed one another's hands from our heads. To-morrow we discuss general matters. I cannot suffer Sir George Grey to go away, because I have yet to explain to him the significance of the words I used to him to-day—that I have the law in my hand. If we arrange matters clearly things will be settled. If the body is in health the mind is in health also. Tahana said : Waitara is in the hands of Eewi this day. (He repeats this statement.) We who are present are but lookers on; people of wisdom and understanding are still absent. Some of the people of wisdom who have been summoned here by Eewi are perhaps in the place of departed spirits ; perhaps they have departed to the entrance to the other world, which is at the North Cape,