Treaty of Waitangi read and discussed.

The business of the meeting then commenced by my announcing to the chiefs the object of my mission, and the reasons that had induced Her Majesty to appoint me. I explained to them in the fullest manner the effect that might be hoped to result from the measure, and I assured them in the most fervent manner that they might rely implicitly on the good faith of Her Majesty's Government page 15in the transaction. I then read the Treaty a copy of which I have the honour to enclose; and, in doing so, I dwelt on each article, and offered a few remarks explanatory of such passages as they might be supposed not to understand. Mr. H. Williams, of the Church Missionary Society, did me the favour to interpret, and repeated in the Native tongue, sentence by sentence, all I said.

When I had finished reading the Treaty, I invited the chiefs to ask explanations on any point they did not comprehend, and to make any observations or remarks on it they pleased. Twenty or thirty chiefs addressed the meeting, five or six of whom opposed me with great violence, and at one period with such effect, and so cleverly, that I began to apprehend an unfavourable impression would be produced. At this crisis, the Hokianga chiefs, under Nene and Patuone, made their appearance, and nothing could have been more seasonable. It was evident, from the nature of the opposition, that some underhand influence had been at work. The chiefs Rewa and Ihakara, who are followers of the Catholic bishop, were the principal opposers, and the arguments were such as convinced me they had been prompted. Rewa, while addressing me, turned to the chiefs and said, "Send the man away; do not sign the paper: if you do, you will be reduced to the condition of slaves, and be obliged to break stones for the roads. Your land will be taken from you, and your dignity as chiefs will be destroyed."

At the first pause Nene came forward and spoke with a degree of natural eloquence that surprised all the Europeans, and evidently turned aside the temporary feeling that had been created He first addressed himself to his own countrymen, desiring them to reflect on their own condition—to recollect how much the character of New Zealanders had been exalted by their intercourse with Europeans, and how impossible it was for them to govern themselves without frequent wars and bloodshed; and he concluded his harangue by strenuously advising them to receive us, and to place confidence in our promises. He then turned to me and said, "You must be our father. You must not allow us to become slaves; you must preserve our customs, and never permit our lands to be wrested from us." One or two other chiefs who were favourable followed him in the same strain; and one reproached a noisy fellow named Kitiki, of the adverse party, with having spoken rudely to me. Kitiki, stung by the remarks, sprang forward and shook me violently by the hand; and I received the salute apparently with equal ardour. This occasioned among the Natives a general expression of applause, and a loud cheer from the Europeans, in which the Natives joined; and thus the business of the meeting closed, further consideration of the question being adjourned to Friday, at 11 o'clock, leaving, as I said, one clear day to reflect on my proposal.