NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2376, 14 November 1881, Page 3

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

[PBBSB ASSOCIATION " BFBOIAL."] PUNGAEBHIJ, November 12. The weather to-day has been dull, and during the afternoon several showers fell. Just before daylight the Mounted Rifles were paraded, and Te Whiti, Tohu, and Hiroki having been placed in an express a start was made for New Plymouth. This movement was very sudden, and the Rifles werejunaware of their destination until on parade. At 10 o'clock this morning a company of constabulary fell in, and were marched into the pah for the purpose of arresting Natives. The men belonging to the Wanganui tribes wore those whom it was intended to arrest, and Bugler Brooks, of Alexandra Cavalry, and Anthony Nathan aooompanied the constabulary to identify them. After a few minutes searching thirty Natives were arrested, and taken out of the pah. Two of these, however, were released on aocount of it being uncertain as to whether they came from the Wanganui district. The prisoners were then taken to whares on Port Rolleston, where the other prisoners are kept, and were placed under a strong guard. The men were dismissed, and fatigue parties sent out to collect firewood. Nothing further was done in camp to-day. The Taranaki Foot Rifles have been released from service, and start for home early to-morrow morning. Mr Bryce expeots to release several other volunteer corps towards the end of next week. The road party have not been out since Thursday, on account of the men being required to build a redoubt on the hill to the west of Parihaka. This work is being pushed on speedily, and the men will probably return to work on the road early next week. The trial of Te Whiti and Tohu for sedition Mr Bryce expected would be oommenoed this morning, but he was of opinion they would be remanded until Monday, when Hiroki will be tried. It is not known whether the spot where it is alleged he committed the murder is within the Wanganui district. The other prisoners will remain where they are at present kept in custody until the whole of the Wanganui Natives have been captured, and they will then, it is understood, be sent to New Plymouth. Mr Brooks, of Wanganui, and one or two other persons will arrive tomorrow to identify the Natives, and further arrests will be made. Major Tuke reoeived some rather severe bruises yesterday, through his horse falling with him while on a visit to Opuas. A rifle matoh between the City Rifles and a oombined company of the Woirarapa Tolunteers was fired at Pungarehu range this afternoon, and ended in a victory for the former by 41 points, the scores being 427 and 386 respectively. November 13.

There was glorious weather here to-day, and a large number of visitors rode through from Sew Plymouth thii morning. Rather a painful accident occurred at the Baholu camp yesterday afternoon. One of the Wellington Navalo, a young man named Arthur Dixon, was removing his revolver from the rack, when it fell, and one of the chambers exploded. The ball entered the calf of his right leg, but fortunately missed the bone and sinews. Medical aid was immediately telef raphed for from the Parihaka camp, and Dr. O'Carroll prooeeded to Rahotu, and dressed the wound, which was not of a serious nature. It is expected that Dixon will be all right in the course of ten days. The return of the volunteers has now commenoed. The New Plymouth Foot Rifles were paraded early this morning, and passed through here on their way home (on foot) at 7.30 this morning. They had with them a young woman named Ellen Slurmey, who was taken from Parihaka yesterday. She had previously resided at New Plymouth, but for the past eight or nine months has been living with the Natives. The Wellington and Waiararapa oontingents march for Opunake to-morrow at 8 o'clock, from whence they will embark for Wellington in the Hinemoa on Tuesday, should the weather permit. The number of men that will leave is about 300. The remaining Volunteers will be released from service at the end of the week. Everything was quiet in the Constabulary oamp this morning. At the Volunteer camp Church parade was held, service being conducted by Adjutant Durham, the Guards' band playing appropriate music The chiefs Hone Pihama, Mete Kingi, and TTtiki have arrived here, and interviewed the prisoners, who aro confined in a large whare on Fort Rolleston, with a view of getting them to disperse to their homes. In this whare the largest number of prisoners were kept, and most of them were quiet. Those who spoke were stubborn, and intimated that they reoognised no one but the lost one (meaning Te Whiti). The next whare, where only six are confined, was next visited, and these also were stubborn, but more oourteoua to the chiefs. They stated that Mr Bryce was master of the situation, and could do what he pleased. Hone Pihama and others then entered the pah, and Mete Eingi addressed the Natives, who were assembled in the marae. He advised them to return to their hapus, and said that the cause in whioh the Wanganui Natives had come was now broken up, and that he had come for the purpose of collecting the chiefs. The Natives listened attentively, but made no reply, an d Mr Bryoe is of opinion that he will have to remove the whole of them by force. Mr Booth, who came from Wanganui, also entered the pah and identified several Natives belonging to Wanganui, who will be arrested tomorrow morning. He did not find so many of them as he bad expected, but he did not go through the whole of the village. None of the prisoners here will be removed until all the Wanganui men have been captured. After this the Waikato Natives will be taken prisoners, a half caste having arrived here to identify them. During this afternoon the greater portion of the men were on leave, and came down to Pungarehu. The Armed Constabulary and volunteers are in excellent spirits.

[fsom the own oobbbspondbnt o* thb " PBBSS.] WELLINGTON, November 13. The only telegram received by the Government to-day from Mr Bryoe conveys the news of the arrest of twenty-eight more Natives of the Wanganui tribe, who refused to leave Parihaka when ordered. There is nothing else to-day. The Government have resolved to plaoo in the market very shortly another block of West Coast land, and to continue the sales monthly, both to prove their absolute determination to oarry out the final settlement of the difficulty and of the country, and also to inspire confidence. There is no doubt that the land will be readily taken up [at good prioes, and this will tend further to promote the disposal of the old Native trouble. It should be borne in mind by those wiseacres who talk so mnoh pathetic cant about the wrongs of certain Maoris in not earlier receiving Crown grants for their lands, that suoh grants could not possibly be issued until the land had been surveyed, so that the boundaries might be rectified in the grant, and this the Natives hitherto refused to permit, emphasizing the refusal by murdering the surveyors who attempted to carry out the task. Thus the Natives have themselves to blamo for the delay.