5

A.—3

Vaipo : I agree with the paper that has been read. It is quite enough for me. lam ready. Daniela : All agree that a good thing is being done to-day. Let all say out what is in their minds, and it will end well. Let Ngariu bring his under-chiefs here on Monday. Let others do the same, and form the Council. All will then be well. Tae : We have done a good thing to-day. We have rubbed noses to-day the first time since I was born. lam glad. Let all the Governors make friends, and end our quarrels now. Meringatangi: I will go to shake hands with the British Governor. A good thing has been done to-day. Meringatangi went up and cordially shook hands with Mr. Moss accordingly. John Mokoenga, of Aitutaki (member of the Parliament) then said : What has been done to-day is good. All the settlements of Mangaia will now be in peace. My own land was always quarrelling formerly, but is now at peace. I rejoice that you have spoken out your minds before the British Governor. He is here for the good of all of us, and he asks us to speak. Utakea, of Atiu : I also am well pleased to be here to-day. I come from Atiu. I am a Governor there. There has always been quarrelling in Mangaia. We have quarrels, too, in Atiu, but you keep it up for ever here. lam pleased now. I rejoice. But I would like to see the kings and chiefs who have been so long quarrelling in Mangaia rubbing noses now—now, while we are here, so that all may see that it is to be peace. Ngarm : Come forth, Mangaians, if you have anything to say to the British Governor, and say it now. I and Turoua have upheld the law as it is now ; but if new laws are to come we will give way, for peace' sake. What we have heard is good; but we will think over it till Monday. Why is King John silent ? He is weak. That is what I complain of. Why does he not speak ? King John : I will give you my thoughts by-and-by. Turoua : Do not let us deceive ourselves to-day in saying that now we are at peace. By-and-by we shall all be quarrelling again. Let us make what we do for the good of all, and abide by it; not work and talk against each other as soon as our backs are turned, as we have done in the past. Meringatangi: That is what I want you, Turoua, to do. You, who are a great chief. I want you to stand fast, and not to waver. lam not a big chief, but say what I think. It was the Church that brought the first laws to us when we were heathens. We have kept them since. But we are older now, and new laws may suit us better. Turoua: Peace, then, is declared. Let us abide by it. We must not give up the Church. Let us keep to the Church and think of our souls. But what I say now is that, whatever we may resolve upon, let us stick fairly to that resolve and do it. Mr. Moss : I should be sorry if you thought I wanted, myself, or wished you, to do anything against the Church. My desire is to see the Government altogether separate from the Church, so that when you differ about the things of the world you may not carry that difference into the Church, as you do now. That leads to quarrels in the Church, and from the Church you bring them back to the Government. Keep the two separate, and then you can quarrel in the one, but have peace in the other. Vaipo : I did not intend to speak; but I have been accused, and must defend myself. I cannot see where I have been to blame, or how you can say it was I that separated from you. You place all these troubles on my shoulders; but that is not right. Tell me in what I have done wrong. We were in trouble when English laws came; and because I spoke out then, you blamed me, and said it was I that made the trouble. No man will allow a fly to jump down his throat. He will spit it out. I spat out the fly, and you blamed me for doing that. Meringatangi: Why did you, Vaipo, not come from Ivirua, and say to us, " You are going on that road, but lam going another " ? You did all in the dark ; that was the trouble. Vaipo : I did what I thought for the good of all, and I did it openly. The missionary tried to make peace, but we soon broke out again. Ido not know why to this day. But let to-day be a real peace. Kiri : lam a young man, but will follow you old men, our fathers. Let it be peace. Meringatangi : Then let us go and rub noses with Vaipo, so many years estranged, in sign that our troubles are ended, and that Mangaia is at peace. Meringatangi then went up to Vaipo and rubbed noses with him amid applause. Ngariu and others followed. Then they went over and rubbed noses with King John, who has always sided with Vaipo, the people loudly applauding still. King John then spoke :I am only a young man. I look to you old chiefs and my elders. You have made peace. I rejoice. Keep it now that it is made. Hold it firmly. That is my heart's wish. I need say no more. Daniela : The British Governor has the papers showing who are the six Governors of Mangaia, and who are the chiefs under them. I went to Earotonga and gave them to him there. Let the chiefs meet him on Monday as he asks us to do, and carry out the law he proposes. The meeting then broke up, at 3 p.m., in great good-humour, the whole of them coming up to the British Eesident, and shaking hands with him as they left, in sign of good-will. Correct —H. Nicholas, Interpreter.

Enclosure No. 2. Meeting at King John's, on Monday, 3rd August, 1891. The Arikis, the chiefs, and many ol their people, met at Kakerua's house at noon, the British Eesident in the chair. Mr. H. Nicholas interpreted. Present: John and Nooroa {Arikis), Ngariu, Vaipo, Turoua, Atatoa, Kiriiti, Pute (Governors), and over two hundred of the rangatiras and people. Prayers by Koroiti.