G.—3

52

in the land of the Ngapuhi. Perhaps some of them may be in Kaipara, and others may be residing at the Thames ; a few, perhaps, may be in that portion of the country inhabited by the Ngatipouri. The people of Karaitiana's tribe are here, the people of Wellington are here also, and those of "Wanganui are here with Mete Kingi, and the people of "VVaikato also are represented by Eew'. The whole of the Waikato is here in the person of Eowi. Waitara has been placed in the hands of Rewi this day. I hare called your attention to the few tribes who are not represented here to-day. That is all I have to say. Rewi said : You are talking in foreign lands (meaning that Tahana was talking outside the question). You have heard my words; to-morrow you can talk of these men of knowledge. You have recounted the men who are present representing tribes in New Zealand. You closed your eyes just now as much as to say you do not understand why Waitara was handed to me. Perhaps you are correct, but ask the Europeans (meaning Sir George Grey and the Hon. Mr. Sheehan) what was said about Waitara. It was not that it was in my hands alone, but in the hands of us two, myself and Sir George Grey. Therefore what is really clear to me is the word that Waitara has been taken possession of by both of us. To-morrow is the day for you to talk. That day belongs to those men of knowledge you have spoken of. It is true that this day our bodie shave become one (meaning himself and Sir George Grey) ; but the law which will regulate our connection remains yet to be laid down. We have become one at Waitara —our hands have been unloosed from one another; all that is left is for our tongues to dispute about the law to be laid down. If you dispute, that will be amongst yourselves. I have come to my own conclusions. It' Sir George Grey and I had not met and become one, and if you had met and made a disturbance, then I should have had to take part in it; but this day our hands have been unloosed from one another, our hands had ceased their previous unfriendly grip, and we are friends. I must therefore act with my friend, and not with you. The talk for to-day is finished; to-morrow we talk between ourselves, and you, Sir George Grey, must not go away, as we may require you. This terminated the proceedings. Shortly after the meeting there was a heavy squall, during which the whole of the end row of the building erected for the accommodation of the Natives was blown down. Fortunately no loss of life or serious injury has arisen from it. At first a report was spread that a child had been killed, but this turned out not to be the case, as the child only received a slight abrasion of the skin of the neck. The remaining portion of the building is being strengthened, so as to guard against a similar mishap. [Prom the New Zealander, 3rd July.] THE MEETING- AT WAITARA. (From our own Correspondent. By telegraph.) Waitara, 30th June, 1878. Shoetly after the meeting yesterday an invitation was sent to Eewi and his people by the Parihaka Natives to come and receive a gift of preserved birds, twenty-five kegs and calabashes full. The Maoris consider preserved birds the most valuable article of food that can be obtained, and generally speaking it is only the principal chiefs who are able to enjoy such luxuries. A number of the givers of the food divested themselves of their upper garments, and the women, who were also semi-clothed, were the chief performers at the ceremony of presentation, making wild grimaces, their eyes glaring and tongues protruding, while they flourished greenstone meres. The ceremony lasted about twenty minutes, and was unique and grotesque in the extreme. The ceremony over, Rcwi and his people gave the preserved birds to Sir George Grey and his party, who, according to Maori etiquette, returned them. The kegs and calabashes were afterwards distributed to the different hapus of visitors at the meeting. Last evening a number of the Ngatimaniapoto and Parihaka chiefs wraited upon the Native Minister and asked him to let their young people have a trip by the railway, as a great many of them had now seen a railway for the first time. He consented, and arranged that a special train should run to-day at 11 o'clock. The platform was crowded with Natives, and the scene at the departure of the train was a most amusing and interesting one. About two hundred people left by the train, which conveyed them into New Plymouth. After remaining there an hour they proceeded into Inglewood. They returned to Waitara about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The party were all in excellent spirits, and enjoyed their excursion very much. The first morning train from town brought out the Hon. Wi Tako, Wi Parata, and other chiefs of the Ngatiawa, in response to Eewi's invitation yesterday that they should meet him to-day to express their opinion upon the action which he and Sir George Grey had. taken. The meeting was held in Mr. Pennington's building, and was confined to the Natives. The Native Minister was present for a short time, but only as a spectator. I understand that Eewi, in opening the meeting, stated to them, in the most emphatic manner, that he and Sir George Grey had now become one person, and that after this all disputes that might arise between his tribe and the Government or Europeans would be settled by their tongues, and not by an appeal to arms—that it was determined that henceforward there should be no resort to foree —that if trouble did arise in any part of the Island the persons concerned in them need not look to him for countenance or assistance. Before sitting down he said to the Hon. Wi Tako : " I have called you here to-day to hear what your people have to say about this matter." The Hon. Wi Tako replied that he had only a very short statement to make. He absolutely approved of all that had taken place, and was completely satisfied with the result arrived at. Ho was delighted to see that Eewi and the Government had become one, and he looked forward with pleasure to the opportunity which he would have of proclaiming the good news in the House of Parliament. Wi Parata and others followed, and expressed their approval of the conclusion which had been come to between the Government and Eewi for the establishment of peace; but they thought that, in finally settling all disputes, as had been done, some consideration should have been shown by the Government by a return of part of the land which had been taken as payment for their rebellion.