Title: Proceedings of of the Kohimarama Conference, Comprising Nos. 13 to 18 of the “Maori Messenger.”

Publication details: Auckland

Part of: He reo ture nō te taha Kāwana / Language of the Crown

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

Reply from Tuhourangi.

These are the sentiments of this tribe, the Tuhourangi, which we will now state to you. You have said that both the irrational and the good thoughts should be expressed.

The first thing [we will speak of] is our doubt about the difficulty between you and Wiremu Kingi.

We think that you were too hasty in applying your lash to William King. Your error was in not following the precept given by Paul to Timothy in his second epistle—4th chapter and 2nd verse—"Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine." Had you corrected him according to this rule, all would have been clear, inasmuch as he is the son, and you the father, and the interpreter of the law relating to secular matters. We now greatly desire that peace should be made between you and William King. If you comply with our request for peace, it will be agreed to by those who are implicated in those troubles, and the minds of all, having the same object in view, will be at rest. This is our mind respecting this matter, about which we are now in doubt.

The second thing is, our mind with reference to the Maori King. We do not agree to this thing because it has no foundation. Our ancestors knew no Kings [over them]. This is the reason we know nothing about this presumptuous thing. Our decided opinion respecting it is, that it should be brought to naught. The way to do this and to put down that King will be to close the channels of wealth. When cattle, wheat, pigs and other produce are brought [to market] they should not be bought, and they [the King's supporters] would thus be prevented from obtaining money to be devoted to making their King great: rather let them remain poor. It will be for you to establish this rule for the towns and for the traders living in Native Districts. It will also be necessary to give some mark of distinction to the people who acknowledge the Queen, that the Europeans may know them when they come to sell their produce.

If you act upon this suggestion of ours it will not be long before this Maori King will come to nothing. This is all upon that subject.

This is the third subject upon which we will now express our sentiments to you.

Firstly, it is to you that we owe the introduction of Christianity which has been generally embraced by us, because we perceived its excellence and the salvation of soul and body in our Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, it was through the Gospel that all the tribes became united in heart and mind. Afterwards came the law of the Queen, which we at once assented to, perceiving in it a means of settling differences connected with temporal matters, as it would be left for the law to clear away these difficulties. As evidence of our tribe having accepted the Queen's Government we point to our Assessors and to the Runanga which has been established among us to represent and administer the law, that henceforth we may not do what is wrong, but that the law may deal with future offences, in order that our minds may be at rest and free to attend to our spiritual concerns.

Our words in reply to your address end here.