[By Special Wike.] Wellington, March 26. Te Whiti's annual meeting was held on the 18th instant, when about 3000 natives were present, but it was a decided failure from a native point of view. Te Whiti'a cardinal doctrine up to the present has been to preserve peace on the West Coast, and the Native Minister fearing that Te Whiti might be drawn to the party, which desires violent measures, determined ; to pay him a visit before leaving Opunake.: Accordingly Mr Sheehan wrote to Te Whiti stating he was coming to see him j not to talk business, but as a matter of personal respect in of Te Whiti's strenuous efforts for many years back to preserve the peace of the West. Coast. The only obstacle to such a visit, Mr Sheehan said, was the presence of the murderer Hiroki, who he observed had been allowed to take part in Te Whiti's meetings, and he wished Te Whiti to understand that if Hiroki was allowed to act, he (the Native Minister) would at once retire. This letter Te Whiti read to his runanga, who considered it reasonable and right. Hiroki was accordingly placed under some restraint, and not allowed to obtrude himself. Mr Sheehan was well received on arrival, and the first; day's meeting was spent in- verbal fencing be tween Mr Sheehan and Te Whiti, each trying to get the other to begin. Three hours were thus spent in sparring, in the presence of 3000 auditors, and the result was decidedly in Mr Sheehan's favor. The meeting was adjourned to the next morning at 9 o'clock, but in the interim Te Whiti's people loudly expressed dissatisfaction. ~ with his conduct, saying that now' the expected one had come, and the only thing Te Whiti had to say was to ask him what he had to say, instead of talking to him himself. This feeling was so strong that upwards of 1000 nativ.es left before the proceedings commenced next day, and the place of meeting was accordingly only naif filled. At the opening of the proceedings Major Browne announced that the Government had appointed Ruapere, Te Whiti's elder brother and elder chief, to be a Native Assessor, he having previously been chief of the Government police in the settlement, in which capacity he had acted so well as to justify the promotion. 