WAIROA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3060, 18 April 1881, Page 3

WAIROA.

(yaoai our own correspondent.) April 16, 1881. The attraction during the week has been the big native meeting at Kihitu. numbers of natives are assembled, and the long-standing di pute between the Ngatihini and the Rakaipaka tribes as to the ownership of the Opobo block is being minutely gone into. Mr Carr has been employed to take down the evidence verbatim. The big chief Manaena sits on irehair in front of Hamana's new house, turrounded by the bead committeemen, among whom are H. Tomoana and R. Kawepo, who squat on the verandah. The rival tribes are in two enclosures fenced with fishing Hues; outside these •gain are the spectators, and altogether there cannot be less tban six hundred adults present, mostly males. Notwithstanding the utmost order prevails; there ira stiff, constrained sort of feeling observable, and if facial expression in a Maori means anything, both sides are quite ready to determine the ownership of the block after the style of the old native manners and customs they describe so eloquently. The County Council bas notified all the County poundkeepers not to give the ■elf-appointed ranger any driving money or fees. In order to test the law on this point, Mr Symth has impounded some twenty or thirty of Mr Gemmell's sheep, and sued the poundkeeper for the fees. The case will be beard on the 20th instant, and all future irapoundings by selfappointed rangers will of course be guided by the decision. A petition is being forwarded to Messrs Russell and Sutton, M.H.R's, to kindly pay Wairoa a visit before the session meets. We are always glad to see our members, so I trust they will find time to make a visit up here. Mr Brown bas purchased the Whakaki station from the Hon. Mr Peters.

One of our publicans was not a little surprised recently at finding a very well dressed native sitting in an easy chair, and hie dirty boots on tbe parlor table. The Native called for a " Kongo Beer," drank it and called for anotber one ; drank that, and was walking out, when the publican ventured to ask him for a ■billing. The haughty savage smiled contemptuously, and said, "Me tbe Napier Maori; kapai, you summons me." —The same aboriginal swell, at anotber hotel, offered to fight the landlord in payment for his billiard score, and this time he has been summoned. Napier Maories as a rule conduct themselves like gentlemen, and I much doubt if this ' blackguard belongs to Napier at all.