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the law, not to break it. It had been said that he was a man of war—a man of the sword;
but he would say his sword had been unsheathed against rebels and Hauhaus who
sought to disturb the peace of the country and subvert the authority of the Queen.
He was still the same Kemp that he had ever been. So far from entertaining hostile
intentions against the tribes opposed to him on this land question, he had gone to some
considerable expense in providing the treat which he had that day given to them all as a
token of his good will and peaceable intentions. He further assured his Honor of the
high esteem in which he held him, and the great respect which he entertained for him
as the chief magistrate of the province and the worthy successor of Dr Featherston, and
reiterated his determination that no act of his should cause trouble to the Government.

PETITI TE AWE, of Rangitāne, next spoke. His speech was principally a reiteration
of the sentiments expressed by Kemp. He said they had always been opposed to anarchy
and strife in the country; they had contended against Hauhau and Hauhau superstition in defence of the Christian religion, and they were not now going to turn round and
pursue an opposite course. He then led off in a song, in which he was accompanied by
all the natives present, the burden of which was their respect and love for the Superintendent as the representative of law and order. He then intimated their intention of
taking further legal steps in respect of the lands awarded to Ngatiraukawa by the Court.

IHAKARA TUKUMARU, an influential chief of Ngatiraukawa, said they were pleased
to see his Honor amongst them; but they were sorely grieved and disappointed at the
decision given by the Court respecting the lands of the WhataNui at Horowhenua.
However, he would not enter into that question now, but would seriously pledge his
word that the Ngatiraukawa on their part, and their allies, would never commit a breach
of the peace, whatever else they might decide upon respecting this Horowhenua dispute.
The law which they revered was a divine law which came down from Heaven—“Peace
and goodwill to men”—and to this they would adhere, as they ever had done. They
had a saying amongst themselves that “a servant lived in safety;” and they would be
servants of the pakeha—that is, they would submit to their laws.

RAKAEA, sister of Matene te Whiwhi, said she had regarded the Word of God,
which says—“If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so
doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” And she had fed them and gave them
drink—some two hundred of them—but they had made her no return.

MATENE TE WHIWHI then said that whatever troubles or complications might in
future arise the only sword Ngatiraukawa would unsheath would be that of the law, not
war. [RAKAEA (his sister), looking askance at Mr. Rogan, here interposed a remark
that the sword of the law was much heavier and afflictive to bear than the other.]
Matene then went on to say that when he was at Waikato lately, with Mr. McLean (the
Hon the Native Minister), he had exhorted the Waikatos to lay aside the sword, and to
appeal to the law only for the settlement of all their difficulties, and that he would
continue to uphold the same principles among his own people.

His Honor the SUPERINTENDENT, in reply, (through the interpretation of Mr.
Grindell) said that it afforded him extreme gratification to hear Major Kemp, who held
a commission in her most gracious Majesty’s service, and who was known to be a brave
and intelligent officer, making so public a declaration of his peaceful intentions. He
was much pleased with the conduct of the whole of them throughout this most important
business. With all nations of the highest intelligence and civilisation it was an
acknowledged principle that submission to established authorities and tribunals was not
humiliating, but honorable and commendable. They must, however, bear in mind that
in all references to courts of law, both sides could not win, some one must lose. He
was sure if Europeans had been contesting a case of so much importance as this in a
court of law their conduct would not have been more orderly or submissive (if so much
so, indeed) as that of the losers in this case had been. In fact, he considered their
example might well be followed by nations and peoples claiming a much higher degree
of civilisation and enlightenment. He would assure them that the welfare of both races
in the province would meet with an equal degree of attention from him. He was as
anxious that the Maori should prosper and become a thriving people as he was that the
pakeha should be so; and if at any time it was in his power to forward their interests
by the formation of roads and bridges and other public works he would be happy to do
so. His only object in desiring to purchase their waste lands was that he might be able
to carry out these and other works as a means of encouraging industry and advancing
the welfare and prosperity of both races equally. His Honor’s address was received
with great approbation and applause.

TAMIHANA TE RAUPARAHA then said it was not from fear that the Ngatiraukawa
had refrained from burning houses in their turn, as Ngatiapa had done at Horowhenua,
but simply for the preservation of peace. He said he had asked the Government to
recall the arms with which they had supplied Kemp’s party and leave them to fight it
out (if fight they must) with their own arms. He said that Kemp, being commissioned
to carry a sword, should not have threatened to use it, as at one time he did against the
Ngatiraukawas.