INTERRUPTION OF THE SURVEY AT MANAWATU.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 830, 1 October 1870, Page 2

INTERRUPTION OF THE SURVEY AT MANAWATU.

We regret to have to report another interruption of the survey on the Manawatu bjock. On Tuesday, the 13th inst., a native named Richmond pulled up 25 transverse pegs near Awahuri pah. On Saturday last, Eooro te One sent to Mr Downes and said he wanted to speak to him. Mr Downes, went, and found the Ngatikawhata natives assembled in Matthew's whare. Mr A. M'Donald was requested to act as interpreter, and Hepi, Matieu's wife, commenced by saying that the pulling up of the pegs was not the act of the tribe. They would not object to the traverse of the river, as part of the general survey, but would not allow any lines to be cut across their land. Koorp, te One, repeated Hepi's statements, and, in told Mr JDownes to cease work and go away, as the Jfgatikawhatas would not allow any survey of the block. This was the deliberate resolution of the whole tribe. He then asked if tho surveyor would go away or promise not to cut any boundary line§. He.rini: Kooro's wife's worcf was not only for me., but for all surveyors to cease surveying JSgatikawhata land. Teara te Tahu repeated a? above, especially mentioning Wihjtera reserve, and reserve, in fact any reserves on the Hgatikawhata claim. The traverse of the river had nothing to do with them, \t be,gar} and ended anywhere. Matieu said the Ifgatikawhafa, qne and all, would not allow any survey attempting to restrict them to any particular boundary. Takana said his reason for objecting was that the parties had not agreed ; tne question of title was not settled ; it was not competent for one disputant to cause the land to be surveyed; it was at first allowed because the fojurt had given for tribal division. Ko objection then remained to obstruct the general survey of the block. (Mr Downes here objected, it was beyond his power to hear or answer any question of title). Timona said i Stop your work to-day and leave to-morrow. Ariti Kihu did not approve of the suryey ; stop work. Keuben said surveyors must go back, and cutting up his luna\

Wirihana repeated: Kariana did not object to the survey of the road, but would no|b allow the survey of the reserve. Marakai sajd: Stop your work and leave .the ground in peace and quietness. Mikirooki: Stop your' work, and go away to-morrow. Kooro te One said: AH the old men of the tribe are here excepting two, who are too old to come ; they all agree with the young meu in this their action. Hoeta said he had something different to say. He was not able to sustain the survey. The reason why be cannot carry on the chain wa,s that all the Ngatikawhata were included in the reserve, and they all objeoted j if it was for himself only he could do so. Ho was not prepared to ask the surveyor to go away. He would ask the surveyor to join in making a request to the Government;' the joint request to be a report of the work of the Ngatikawhata, and to know the opnJQn of she Government. Kooro te One wished to ask Hoeta his reason for asking the opinion of the Govern? merit. Hoeto said it was not clear to hjm why the. Order of the Court was abandoned, giving time to the four tribes. He wished an explanation x>n that point; that was his only reason, Kooro te One urged Hoeta to give his own opinion, saying he had no right to be different from the rest without strong reasons. The others had fully stated their reasons for the course they had taken, and they had a right tq equal candor on his part as an important member of the tribe.

Hoeta said if the Government had asked him to assist them to go against the rest of the tribe he could not do so. Jf it had been a reserve for himself he would, but could not in a reserve for the tribe, Ahitana: I have not much to say; the reason I speak is that I hear the tribe wish to. return to the first word of the Court as to the division of the land by the four hapus. I approve of their action. Tapa te \JThata had a great deal to say, his first words were of the same character as Hoeta's; he was a seller; he could not say go away, but he coujd npt say go on; the reason he could not was that the piece reserved for him, which would enable him to lift up the chain, is within the portion of land claimed by the tribe ; if he lifted pp the chaiq now, the trouble of the tribe would be greater than it was in the beginning; for tjiat reason he considered it would be wrong to do $q until this dispute was clear ; he also thought they were right, and thought so because at the commencement of the purchasing, he stood, alone against the tribe, and had done so since; for that reason his body wag against his tribe, but his words were what I heard; he approved of what tjie tribe were dping because their action was clear and deliberate. On Mr Downes stopping him, he said he would write to the Government and inform them of the reasons that influenced him ; he bad no objection to the. traverse of the rivey pr to jihe general survey of the block. Arita Pekama approved of the word to the surveyors to stop work; her thought was the same as the Ngatikawhatas; leave the Nga? tikawhata to find out their own boundaries; when they had dpne so they would arrange al| disputes. Mr Downes addressed the natives nearly in the following terms:. I said I was glad to hear them say that the pulling up of the pegs was the act of one individual, and not the general act of the tribe. That as the seryant of the Government, I had no power to decide a$ to whether or not I should or should not continue working, but I would communicate to the G/pvernraent their speeches as their deliberate intentions. I should first of all replace the traverse pegs destroyed by them and finish the road line to Mr Stewart's, and by that time I should probably receive instructipns from the Government.

Kooro te One said : I was clearly to understand that they would not prevent me from traversing tjie river or laying off the road, but notwithstanding anything the Gto? vernment §aid, they would if I commenced cutting any boundary lines, at once remove me beyond the claim of the Ngatikawhata with all mj tents, and that without any more talk. A letter was shewn from Mr Travers to Ifooro to One, and others cf&ted tlie 9th inst., in which he informs them that they are entitled to demand a fresh investigation, that the question is not settled, and that they are entitled to use sufficient force as may be required to remqve trespassers., but without Violence! which might be punishable. Although Hepi, Matthew's wife, disclaims any knowledge of the pegs being pulled, Richmond, the active party, was accompanied by Simon, a relative of Matthew's, and a, boy of Takana's. I'hey were seen by the native wife of James Smith, a settler, and by Margaret, their daughter.—Wanganui Herald, Sept. 21.