NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 3252, 23 July 1873, Page 3

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

The following passage in the report of the Commissioner of Native Reserves is significant: —“At the request of the Waikato Natives, who are again bringing their produce for sale to Onehuuga, the Native hostelry or grain store at that place has been put into a habitable state, at an expense of L 59. It had been unused by the Natives since the outbreak of the Waikato war.” Mr Von .Sturmer, the Resident Magistrate at Hokianga, reports “ The loyalty of the Natives in this district is unchanged and as firm as it ever has been—that they feel as great an interest in the government and welfare of the country as the Europeans around them ; that they are year by year adapting themselves more and more to our habits and customs.”

A rather amusing apo'ogy was made by a Maori chief to the Resident Magistrate at Wanganui the other day. Mr White had informed the' Natives of his district that he contemplated retiring from his office in consequence of failing health, and amongst the expressions of regard he received was a “mere,” presented by the chief Morenga, who excused its shortness on the ground that in killing a man with it he splintered the end, and it had to be ground down. The Resident Magistrate at Raglan, in bis report to the Government, “ again ventures to suggest that employment on the public roads and works would tend more to break down the distinctions of Kingites, Queenites, friendlies, or pakehas, than anything else.” During the past year applications from the Native owners have been received by the Commissioner of Native Reserves for him to undertake the management of 33,113 acres of land in the Province of Auckland. Two Native schools, one with sixty and the other with over forty Maori children, flourish in the Hokianga district. The English language is alone taught, and Maori is forbidden to be used during school hours. The reckless improvidence of Maoris has often been remarked upon, and My White, the Resident Magistrate of Wwnganui, speaking of the competition amongst Europeans for the native trade, says Although opP 'aition in trading is good in these out-of-the-way places, it results in impoverishing the Natives, for they get into debt far beyond their means of paying • loosing heart, they get idle, which soon leads to worse. I have oftep regretted that it cannot be in law that a trader could not recover more than a Certain sum from a Native debtor.” Mr Puckcy says that the Thames Natives are devoting more time and attention to agricultural pursuits, and less to useless political meetings. They are sowing English grasses and fencing paddocks with wire.

The Eesident Magistrate at Hokianga states that the Natives in his district are slowly but steadily decreasing in number. He estimates the annual number of deaths to exceed that of births by about a thirtieth. He ascribes the mortality to the absence of proper attention to themck and ignorance as to treatment of disease. t

Paora Tuhaere (Paul of Orakei) was invited by tbe Hauhau portion of the Maoris, of whom Tawhiao is chief or “king,;’ to visit the Kuiti, and talk with them. News of his arrival at Alexandra had been for* warded inland, and on his arrival at Orahiri ho was met by Tawhiao and H onana, and by them accompanied to Te Kuiti, where he was most kindly received au(\ hwtily welcomed. At the Kuiti remained seven days, from the H(th to the 17 th inst. During that time Paul had time to look about him, and sec what was going on. Cultivation to. a very great extent is being carried on at the Kuiti by the Mlaovijt The land is fertile, though somewhat broken, and all the hotter valleys around the Kuiti are being cultivated for the purpose of raising produce to sell to the pakeba. He observed in. the settlement ten ploughs, the usual number of harrows, largo numbers of working oxen, a great many steel Hour-mills, some of considerable size, besides a great variety of agricultural implements. At the Kuiti there is always a force of some three hundred lighting men; but, at the present time, Paul thinks the number, including those in Purukutu’s band, is not less than 1,000 men. The number of residents in the district is therefore large. Paul saw Purukutu, and also Te Kooti, who seemed to be now a most contented disciple of Tawhiao and his; ,rcli- , bishop, Manuwhiri. While Paul was a ; the Kuiti he saw nothing but the greatest abundance. Food was in great plenty, clothing abundant, and there was any amount of arms and ammunition, \The arms in their possession were chiefly doiiflflebarrelled guns; but there were several breech-loading carbines, apparently of thoslf lirst issued to the volunteers and troops inf New Zealand. For the breech-loaders, there ! was an abundance of ammunition, madc ujp l in cartridges, and tjhey had plenty of tyßd \

and powder in the event of war. Sfl> ahundaut was ammunition amongst them that some of them were out every J bush shooting pigeons, and they a of drawing on their supplies.