THE NATIVE OUTRAGE AT TE AROHA.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1726, 1 September 1879, Page 3

THE NATIVE OUTRAGE AT TE AROHA.

AUCKLAND, August 30. An official telegram received from the Native agent at Grahamstown re the survey outrage, shows that the men are safe. The telegram says : —“ I regret to inform you that a party under a surveyor named Bayldon were fired on yesterday by some Natives, believed to be the Ngatikoe tribe, and McWilliams, one of the party, was badly wounded. I will see Bayldon this morning, and collect all information obtainable, and have some of the loyal chiefs to consult with you on arrival to-day. I am sure there is no political significance in this matter. It took place at Ohinemuri.” Another telegram from Inspector Thomson says all the members of the party have escaped safely. The services of 200 volunteers were offered him by Major Murray, but the outrage having dwindled down to very little, there services are not required.

It is believed the Natives did not intend to shoot anybody, but only to bounce the party, as they were entirely at the Natives’ mercy. Referring to the Native attack at Ohinemuri, Mr Oaehel, a resident in the district, says that six weeks’ ago he, with a party, was surveying the block where the outrage supposed to have taken place. The block has not passed through the Court. His party were surveying for the Ngatiako, the supposed perpetrators of the present outrage, who had made an application to the Court. There are very few of the tribe, but uieyare a turbulent lot. Their stronghold nTe Wai, between Piako and Waiho. They fired over the heads of Messrs Mackay, Oreagh, Cashel, and others before, when Mr Mackay was getting Waiho block ready for the Government. The survey on that occasion was stopped for a short time, but was afterwards completed, Mr Mackay arranging the matter amicably. Another tribe, the Ngatikoes, have taken advances on the land from Government, and Bayldon’s survey party were preparing it for that tribe, who had also applied to the Court. They had asked Cashel to survey the block, but, having already done part of it for the other people, he would not undertake it, and hence Bayldon and Crump were applicants. The tribe is a very small and isolated one, but they claimed several pieces in last Court, but gained nothing. Hence they have been very discontented. They are the same people that prevented the snaggingof the river. If the offenders desired to escape they would undoubtedly make across for Tarapipi settlement at Piako. Mr Sheehan left for the Thames at eleven o’clock to-day, and will proceed direct to the soene. It is probable that the attack on the surveyors will furnish him with a reason for demanding “ utu,” as the attack was committed on Government land, and payment will be exacted. This will be permission for the road and telegraph to run through that part of the district. If thia can be completed, the affair will prove a groat advantage in the long run. The whole affair is a mere dispute about boundary. It is believed that a mistake has been made in connecting Ngatikoe with this attack, as they have always been very friendly, and assisted in opening the goldfield. Their tribe has always been looked on as occupying an inferior position, but has rendered much valuable aid to the Government. They are sellers of the block on which the attack took place, and are not likely to be the aggressors. Ngatiako, to whom the attacking party belong, are even more of serfs than Ngatikoe. The other tribes express their contempt of Ngatiako by calling them “ eel-catchers." They are connected distantly with Tukukino, who countenances them to some extent. They possess no influence whatever, and are very few in number. The Pukehangi block, which is described as the scene of the attack, is bounded on the west by the Waiho River, on the north by a line commencing near Okahukura, extending eastward along the boundary of Tamatawhiu block, on the east by Ohinemuri goldfields block, and on the south by Native land. The block is estimated to contain about 2000 acres. The survey was being made on behalf of Government, who were purchasers, and for whom Mr Mackay made advances some years ago. WELLINGTON, August 30. It is said that the Maori disturbance at the Upper Thames is near the spot where, as Mr Blackett stated before the railway map enquiry committee, “ The Natives stepped in and prevented the surveyors going any further,” on the survey of the extension of the Thames railway being commenced. Mr J. Mackay, the Native Commissioner, thinks that the Maoris who committed the outrage at the Te Aroha block, belong to the Pirirakau tribe. Mr Mackay has had several narrow escapes from serious injury by this tribe.