WAIROA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 671, 8 April 1869, Page 2

WAIROA.

[from odr own correspondent.] Clyde, April 1, 18G9. There is little news of general interest to communicate since my last. There has been the usual amount of reports of rebel natives being in our immediate vicinity; but I fancy.many of these reports arise from the naturally excited minds of the propagators.

In common with the rest of our fel-low-settlers of this province, we have had our meeting for the purpose of expressing our opinions of the action taken by the New Zealand Government in withdrawing from Mr M'Lean the power vested in him as agent on on the EastJpoast. The meeting was pretty well attended —Mr S. F. Prentice being elected chairman. It is hardly necessary to say that strong indignation was expressed at the manner in which the Government had treated that gentleman; all feeling that if we are to be relieved from our present difficulties, we must look to him as the only man likely to do so, and thereby r rove the saviour (?) of the district. I use the term “ saviour” advisedly, for unless a feeling of security can be established, the ruin of every settler in the district is inevitable. At present there are but few persons living upon their lands, and after the narrow escape of Goulet it is anything but pru dent to do so. It is astonishing how custom enables one to take matters coolly. There is a considerable number of men here who originally belonged to the Military settlers. Many of them have worked hard to get the land allotted to them fenced in, &c. Now, the case of these men is particularly hard. Owing to their respective homes being at so great a distance, they have been necessitated to come into the township of Clyde, where, oi course, in such a small place as this, the are unable to obtain employment; and to add to their difficulties, many of them have families to provide for. They complain that a native force is kept on pay by the Government, and thiuk that under the peculiar circumstances under which they came to the district, they should have the first chance, I consider they have a just cause of complaint. Ido not mean to argue that it is the dnty of Government to take upon pay either them or any other settler who may happen to be driven off his land, but they certainly should be put upon pay in preference to natives who have not suffered any loss from the unfortunate state of affairs, A native expedition under Mr Worgan, in search of Te Warn, is about starting from here. It is to be hoped they may prove successful in capturing that rebel.