NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2378, 16 November 1881, Page 3

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

[PBBEa ASSOCIATION TBLHGBAM.] PUNQAEEHU, November 15. Nothing of any ipecial interest occurred at Faribaka this morning. The Thames Scottish, Navals, and Engineers were paraded early, and marched into Opunake, where they await the arrival of the Hinemoa, and will then embark for Manukau, Several other corps will move for home about Friday or Saturday. The last Volunteers to leave will be the Canterbury men, and Mr Bryce is unable to state when the steamer will arrive to take them home. Between nine and ten o'clock this morning the Constabulary entered the village, and all the women and children were requested to assemble on the slope leading down into the pah from the graveyard. Mr Bryce, Colonel Boberts and others wore present, and Mr Butler acted as interpreter. Immediately the Natives, who were squatting in the marae, were called upon, they came out. The chiefs Mete Kingi and ITtiki, Captain Messenger, Mr Booth, of Wanganui, and Bugler Brookes were present to identify the Wanganui women. The work of picking them out lasted over an hour, and the number taken was forty-seven, including several children. Those arrested were then marched to a whare in the rear of Fort Bolleston, and placed in arrest. The Constabulary then marched from the pah into the camp, and were dismissed. The Press representatives were refused admission into the pah while the arrests were being made, but the officials state that nearly all the women from Wanganui district have been arrested. During the afternoon, several gentleman, who are here for the purpose of identifying the Wanganui men, visited the whores where the men are confined. They counted several there who could not be recognised as belonging to that district, and they were immediately allowed to return to the pah. The number released was forty-four. The prisoners will be sent to Opunake at five o’clock to-morrow morning under an escort of the Taranaki Mounted Bifles and a company of Armed Constabulary men, and the women will be marched on foot, but drays will be provided for the children and the baggage. One of the Natives is indisposed, and another a cripple, and these will be driven down. At Opunake they embark on board the steamer Hauraki for Wanganui, from whence they will be sent to their own homes. Mr Bryce had intended to visit Opunake to-night, and make arrangements for the transport of the Natives, but was enabled to do this by wire. The goods taken from the whares belonging to the Wanganuis have been placed in drays, and will be sent along with them. Hone Pihama, who came to Parihaka with the men to identify the Natives, has become very nervous, and this is said to be owing to his believing that he is under a spell and that he is bewitched. Utiki identified most of the women this morning. Mete Kingi addressed the Natives assembled in the Marae this afternoon, and again advised them to disperse. In referring to the destroyed whares, he said that the Natives could see what had been done. The Wanganui people had been arrested and their whares destroyed, and if the other tribes would not return to their hapus they would be treated in a similar manner. The Natives made no reply. Other arrests will, it is expected, be made to-morrow afternoon, on the arrival of Mr Parris, who knows a largo number of the tribes who have assembled in the pah, Mr Bryce expects a difficulty in identifying the Natives who have come from the districts between Waikato and Mokau, No Europeans have visited these. However, he is determined to disperse fihem, and if necessary by force. Mr Bryce mentioned that he was afraid that the larger portion of the crops (principally potatoes) now under cultivation hy the Natives "would have to be destroyed. He gave it as his opinion

that if this was carried out that there would not be any attraction to Parihaka, and alien tribes would thus be prevented from assembling there. During the past day or two the Natives have been busily engaged in getting pig* and taking food to Parihaka for a meeting on the 17th inst. It is not known who will address the meeting, but who ever does so will be arrested immediately. This afternoon about 150 Native children were amused in scrambling for pennies and biscuit* thrown to them by the constabulary. The fun was witnessed by nearly all in the camp, and a large number of adult Maoris viewed the proceedings from a hillock in front of Parihaka. An additional quantity of ammunition was discovered among the goods removed from the [ whores yesterday, and was taken into the camp, Mr Bryce expects to visit Wanganui • shortly, and will be present on the nomination i day for the general election. A rifle match i was fired atPungarehu this afternoon between ; the Timaru Artillery and the Maryborough • Rifles, and the latter won easily, defeating 1 their opponents by 160 points. Great praise j is due to the telegraph officials at Fungarehu and Bahotu camps for their efforts in facilitating Press work. The operators, who were drafted from the Torpedo Corps, are on duty early in the morning, and frequently have to , remain until after midnight. The mounted i rifles also have rendered good service since i they have been stationed here. Everything is f quiet at Parihaka this evening. 1