“The Press” In 1866

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31114, 18 July 1966, Page 10

“The Press” In 1866

July 18 The “Southern Cross”, of the 4th, says:—A correspondent, writing us from Waikato, draws attention to the fact that but very few Natives are now to be seen engaged in getting gum within the confiscated districts, and augurs therefrom an intention of mischief on the part of the Natives. We believe that there is no such intention in the Native mind—with regard to Waikato at least That there are some amongst the Natives who would be pleased to incite their followers to acts of aggression it is only natural to suppose; but the influence of these men for harm is, after all, but trifling. An attempt has recently been made to infuse a feeling of mistrust and jealousy into the minds of the Natives, hy telling then! that Government sur-

veyors are engaged in surveying land outside of the confiscated boundary. They looked upon the lands confiscated as gone, but that any attempt at encroachment would be jealously resisted, and might lead to bloodshed. They had, they said, a copy of the Gazette, containing the proclamation relating to the boundary of the confiscated lands, which had been sent to them by Sir George Grey. There is no little significance in the following extract, which we take from a private letter written recently by William Thompson, at the Thames, to a friendly chief in the Waikato: —“The only fighting I am doing now is fighting for the gum. It is best for the Maori and for the pakeha that there should be no more fighting.”