TE WAIROA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 253, 17 April 1865, Page 2

TE WAIROA.

(from our own correspondent.) April 12th. I am wholly at a loss to understand .the various statements contained both in tho Times and JTerald, professing to come from correspondents who, if they really are on the be either blind, or wilfully render false accounts of what, they .know to be going on. One writes that “ the followers' of the hau-hau who remained af Te Uhj after the main Why /went on. 1 to Turahg'a, bolted on the arrival of a schoener supposed to contain

arms, &e.” Now; Sir, there is an utter want of manliness in this miserable attempt to curry favifr with the Goyfoment by euch,misxgpwßOTt»tioii' of filfet in the.first place, add'such i Kcfe sfiod'spittle ad ulation, in the second; ' Ncp one*doubts that tfe Governments—General and IVovfnCial—will dot all in their power for their own credit’s sake ; and. I scarcely imagine it can afßxrcf the Heads of Government any gratification to be alternately . pot, write such 'statement* (believ’ed By the v wrifer‘ to be. fact) without comments and. humbug, "rri’eTri^sibuTsiek fb read. I buliietfe' ,(and *T write ,wbat I ,see and believe to be fact) that the Imu haii superstition has made much -ground" eiodus from Tauranga Confirming this opinion) Jihroughout the entire East Coast ti'Ue fat fat tfie, Wairoa. Ido not think that the policy of the leaders of the party is sit •■present aggressive,—so—far as the province is concerned, and here at Wairoa the natives have too much to •lose to allow themselves to be compromised by any overt act, at present, on the part : of their friends and gnests. At the same time, while believing there is no immediate danger, it would be nothing less than despicable folly not to use such precautions as are comeatable to meet a possible contingency, whose advent no men can foresee. My faith in friendly natives is but a limited one • old jealousies, feuds, and present self-interest will keep some straight, but I ami sorry for the man who believes in *he Maori love for the pakeha. If everything went wrong here with the natives the precautions already taken would (or rather will in a few weeks) render the occurrence of any great calamity most unlikely; and I confess that I consider the Government has only done its duty, and barely that, in at last paying some atteiition to a state of affairs, at least threatening and uncertain, if not at present actually dangerous.

In respect to the Wairoa population, comprising now upwards of fifty male adults, I hare seen no cowardice, and heard no “ cranking," and I believe that Wairoa contingent would, if called on, do as much as another, or any other man at a pinch. Amongst other items, now the Iris is repaired and placed once more oa the footing (the status quu unte) she possessed before her trifling mishap. Ask for the bill, the whole bill and then judge of The way the money go es. Pop goes the weasel. . . April 13. The party of hau-hans, numbering sothe 250 to 300 men, women, and children, reached Nuhaka yesterday. There are not more than 100 fighting men amongst f ern, their chiefs being a Waikato and our old friend Te Warn. Much tall talk of course took place on either side. Old Ihak'a, pulling otf his hat and showing his bald pate, declared that from youth to age he had lived wifk the whites, and had received nothing but kindness, and as to this Afua hau pai marire, he Would none of it. Tumihana and Wi To Pai Tarewa followed suit. The party have been some time past at Eukutaurna. ‘ Kereopa is not with the party. It is not unlikely that they niay strike inland at Waka Ei, and not visit the Wairoa. (FiiOll A COEBESPOKDENT.) Wairoa, 6th April, 1865. • ' The Wairoa has been quiet, except the return of the Pai Mariri mob, who bolted on the arrival of the steamer off the mouth of. the river with arms, &c., for the friendly natives. On Sunday last they were employed, chiefly-boys, making three poles for worship. Ala ee number of. fellow-fanatics are on their way from Turanga,, and no doubt the hanks of the river will resound in a few days with the dismal bowlings of the true believers. The chief (Ropia) at this place makes fun of them, and when bullocks .were, engaged to pull the timber to be used for {worship he asked where was their Atua that be did not save them the trouble. Ido not, think that thfere is any immediate danger here, but, a bold firopt is best. The people from Turanga are not expected until the end of this, or probably next week I will write you a full account of the dpipga of the Pai Mariris by first opportunity. . -