OHINEMDRI.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 601, 13 December 1871, Page 2

OHINEMDRI.

FBOM OUE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

GREAT TANGI OF THE NATIVES

It would be a good thing for the natives of Ohinemuri if a great chief died every week, for while the tangi lasts there is plenty to eat such as the Maori soul loves. The whole of last week waa devoted to feasting and crying with a vigour and energy that is beyond all praise. They began crying at six or seven in the morning, and the howling they kept up and the salt tears they shed sharpened up their appetites splendidly, and they were able to do " ample justice ! as they say of tea parties to the luxuries of the season. There was cow (beef), and hepe (sheep), and poaka (pork), and prowi (stinking or rotten maize), and rewi (potatoe) and kumera, kanui te kai, and after they had eaten and were full, they dropped into horse racing, and meetings. The talk at the meetings was all about the wire and the gold, and the pakeha having the country, but." they did end as they did begin," without any conclusion being come to, for they want to knew if they give up the country who is to pay them for it. They don't believe in miner's rights, becauso the Government claims half, and for the present they won't sell the freehold of the land, they want lease, and any proposal on any other bases they won t listen to. They want to be paid for the white man coming into the country, and they want so much a year besides. The liauraki natives left on Friday last, and all the Waihi and Taurangas are expected this week; but I am afraid there will be plenty of cry and very little kai for them, for it is all eaten up and carried away. A large presentation of eatables was made to TJnahi, but he presented it back again to the assembly, and they were so delighted with his generosity that they made a special effort to demolish every particle. Even the dogs look all the better for the bones and refuse. And talking of dogs and tangis naturally brings one's mind to reflect on fne tangi made by the Sub-Inspector of Police, in consequence of an M.P.C publicly remarking on his conduct as a public servant. I wonder at that M.P.C I really do. Nothing seems to be a warning to him. I would strongly advise that M.P.C. never to " get into the hands of ( the police," or the Sub-Inspector will make a shocking example of him. If persecution and the mental exercise it affords some people to invent spiteful and malicious tricks against him, then that M.P.C ought by this time to be sufficiently warned, but he is not; and in spite of all the tries he has a trick of falling on his feet. Who is the Waiotahi Highway ? and who is Mr Antony? He must have what a friend of mine up here calls a " jen-teel turn." He takes up the Sub-Inspector's tangi, and speaks very severely of that M.P.C, in fact, calls jiim ugly names, ho being at the time at

a safe distance from that MP C TV all on account of his "ien-teel'tnt » though, for the Sub-Inspector > rL boarder, and a man must not quarrel *S his bread and butter, but he must speak well of it too, m season and out of seaW reason or none. Ctt&on, We are having the little steam la nn .i. Fairy twice a week up as far uftH She brings us an occasional pakeha W it is a mistake to suppose thereis'X prospecting going on, there is not. y