Captain Skeet was not surprised at the feeling shown in the place, because there seemed good cause that the Government should do something. Without touching on politics, he maintained that if the Government of the day had carried out what they pro mised, there would not be the present trouble. They promised that Hiroki should be taken, and he had not been taken. Before he went to Parihaka he was a murderer ; now it was a land question. The Minister of the day tried to uphold the law by demanding him, but did he get him ? Within forty-eight hours of the Minister being at Parihaka, the Maoris took the Waimate Plains. Immediately the Go vernment were going to uphold the law by selling them. The next week they withdrew the sale. The Maoris were the masters. Iv a few weeks thej r came within eight miles of us. Where would they be next week.' — [A Voice : In town.] (Laughter). — As British subjects they had a right to ask what every British subject had a right to demand — the protection of the law. The duty of the Government was to put down this fanaticism. It was known the Government could get both men and arms if they likel. There were plenty of volunteers to come here, and, if the Government liked, they could have fifteen hundred true and loyal natives within the district in a week. They ought to impress upon the Govern meut the necessity of doing something at once. They had had eight months' promises, and now they required something more. (Applause.)

Mr. Upjohn, a settler here for twenty-seven years, considered that the present Govern ment had neglected the district, and it had always been treated differently to other ])arts of the colon v.
