THE THERMAL SPRINGS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3249, 30 November 1881, Page 5

THE THERMAL SPRINGS.

A correspondent of the New Zealand Herald writes as follows from Rotorua :— " The natives interested in lands surrounding Rotorua and Tarawera are filled with indignation afc the Government professing to claim any pre-emptive right over any of their lands, save and except the piece of land known and set apart for the Rotorua Thermal township, the right of which has been ceded to the Crown. The lands prescribed by proclamation under the I hermal District Act, comprising 612,000 acres, they denounce as monstrous and tyrannical, and not understood or explained to them by the Native Office officials. '1 he probability is the natives will resist openly any attempt on the part of the Government to enforce this _cfc, and, if insisted upon, questions may arise which may place obstacles in tlie way of the lands set aparfc as the Thermal township, and, for the present, stay the great scheme of railways via Waikato and Rotorua. It would bo very injudicious on the part of Government at this particular juncture of native affairs to rouse the ire of tho Arawa tribe, inasmuch as they have fought and bled for us in the hour of danger, and it is only just now that they have consented to permit a general survey of their lands, and to allow the Land Court to adjudicate. It would be well for Government to pause before it is too late, and calmly consider their position and the consequences which may attend so rash and unjust an act."