NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 556, 30 March 1876, Page 4

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

(Auckland Correspondent of the Otago Daily Times ) The Maoris are Doisy and troublesome in various places at ouce. People when they hear of threatened fights or.lv shiug their shoulders. They always regard threats as only a move to draw more rations from the Native Office; but so far as the l'e Puke survey is concerned, the natives are ardently in earnest and won't alio wit on any terms Sir Donald put his foot down at first and said it should be. They could make their objections to the Land Court when it came before them. The Maoris agree on condition that Tawhaio be made Judge of the Court. They ■won't believe in any one else in this case. I fear we have not heard the last of these native land purchase jobs yet, and that there will be trouble over them one day if not stopped with a high hand. The Governor and Tawhiao are to meet, we are again told. The origin of the report is that Hone Te One a friendly chief at Eaglan, was allowed to return to that place and plant a lot of ukmeras the Government had given him. The interpretation is that these kumeras are for the great feast to be held in honor of the Governor when he comes, and that the planting having been done with Tawhiao's knowledge and consent amounts to a tacit arrangement on his part. It is to be hoped the Marquis will have a better and more explicit understanding before he meets Tawhiao. Many think the whole affair a mere dodge to add to the difficulty of Sir George Grey meeting Tawhiao, which the latter and many of the greater chiefs are known strongly to desire. Even with him, however, they stand on their dignity, and won't make the advance he demands They are still less likely to doit with the Governor or Sir D. McLean. A curious affair occurred a few days aj,o. The Herald's own correspondent telegraphed from Maketu that 200 armed Uriweras were proceeding to take utu for the murder of Petera Koikoi, the wizard. The Government had heard nothing of them, and telegraphed to Tauranga to get particulars. The reply was to the effect that the report was without foundation. The Oross wired into the Herald for its incorrect telegram, but the latter placed great faith in the correspondent from whom it came, and stuck to it. Meantime. the matter has dropped, but the correspondent referring to these last coast tioublet-, blames Mr Gilbert Mair, " whose action hawell nigh plunged the district into blood shed." We are puzzled, and believe mor than ever in those 200 armed Uihveras. though it is quite likely, when the whoie facts are known,, that it will be found there was some error in the place, date, or hour telegraphed, on which the Government contradiction was based.