NEWS FROM THE NORTH.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 548, 3 February 1868, Page 2

NEWS FROM THE NORTH.

AMIJ O.U* If vu^tuiu brings us our files to the evening of Thursday last, 30th ult., but we have not anything of more than usual interest or importance to report. The new gold-fields on the Tapu creek, the scene of the recent discovery of alluvial diggings, is progressing in importance, A township has been laid out, the lots fully taken up, and an extensive population has become located there. Altogether it begins to rival the quartz diggings of the Karaka, which, however, continues to yield a satisfactory supply of the precious metal.

la political scatters there is no change. The ministry continue to hold office, and though the present form of Government has been condemned by the Council on the motion of Mr Garleton, no substitution has been proposed, few or none beingfound patriotic enough to accept the honors of office minus its accustomed . emoluments. A rifle shooting match took place on the 27th ult , between Mr Sly, of | No 2 Company Scottish Rifles (Dune*, i din), and Private Hazard, of No. 1 ! Company Auckland Rifle Volunteer, which resulted in the victory of the latter gentleman by 5 points. The 28th instant being the anniver- , sary of the Colony was celebrated as a general holiday. The same course was, we believe, pursued in Wellington, but the anniversary appears to be : entirely forgotten in Hawke’s Bay. A remarkable letter from an Arawa, > in the Southern Cross on the present [ state of the native question, and the , cause of anxiety from the movements t of the rebels, will be found in another place. The Arawa says he does not

write from jealousy, but for the information of the new Governor. The Wanganui Evening Herald says that there is no truth whatever in the 'report that two companies of the ISth Royal Irish were to return to that place. The Hauhaus of Waiapu and Poverty Bay are anxious to pay their respects to the Duke of Edinburgh on his arrival —of course at the expense of the pakeha. One of them, a chief of Waiapu, writes to the Auckland Committee:— Our difficulty in corning is, that \vc have neither canoes nor Maori garments. The reason why \vc have not these things, is that the people do not yet live, nor does the laud. We are -able to cultivate the soil at present, bur arc unable to make canoes or weave garments, because we arc living iu sadness on account ot the doings of Mr Biggs and TV Mokeua, who arc taking our land and driving the people off—putting up land-marks on our own pieces. Is this work right or v> rung ? One of the most inilueutial men of Poverty Bay also writes : Now here is d-vith ; the people are dead, and the land is dead. Perhaps you have heard ot the distress of Turanga, brought on by the Tarauakis, O friend, we arc feeling keenly out your letter 1 waving us to come, thither and see the Queen’s son. The thought is with von, for we have no, ! -•-v„ tv u-ua. !,• wo ooulJ ! jtravel on to you hy land, but as it is there is a long sea track, which piv,cuts our coming. But do you devise measures in relation to this. We ■ desire to write a letter to the (ouenmienl on behalf of the Hauhaus at the Chatham Islands, hut ■ there has not yet been a meeting so as to agree upon what to say.

Of course these loyal gentlemen will be provided with “ canoes and garments,” and “ measures will be devised ” at the public expense for an end so desirable. In reference to the above the Southern Cross rental ks that “ the Hawke’s Bay clique have most strangely been allowed to do pretty much as they please in the south-eastern part of the province of Auckland.”