The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1886. Native Affairs

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 15, 17 July 1886, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1886. Native Affairs

The intelligence which came to hand on Thursday evening from Hawera that the natives have expressed a fixed determination to start ploughing certain lands now iv the occupation of Europeans, and that they say clear instructions have been given to them by Te Whiti to do so, is likely, to cause a certain amount of uneasiness in the niiuds of people residing on this coast. The causes .which have led up to the dissatisfaction expressed in. such a bounciblo manner, are said to have arisen out oE the management of their reserves and rents, which in their opinion has proved faulty, and the recent and threatened proceedings are intended to draw attention to their supposed or actual grievances. Although it may be perfectly true that Te Whiti has directly instigated his followers to make the trespass, yet we are loth to believe that he has done so entirely of his own volition. We are inclined to think that the objectionable Pakeha Maori has something to do with the affair. If there is a grievance we feel convinced that the present Native Minister, the Hon. John Ballance, will exercise all his powers to have it removed or explained to the satisfaction of the sufferers. At the same time we doubt not he will act with vigor and promptness in frustrating any intention of the natives to enter on land held by i Europeans, whether by purchase or lease.