LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 836, 5 June 1879, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[press agency.] Auckland, June o. A letter has been received by the niail which says-that Sir Julius Yoge! has appointed (L M. Reed Immigration Agent for the-North cf Ireland, with unrestricted powers to send out immigrants. Mr Reed’s head-quarters are at Belfast, hut he will occasionally visit the northern districts of England.

[new Zealand press association.] THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY. Wellington, Juno 2. Advices received by the Government from Taranaki represent matters as more threatening than was at first believed. It is now admitted that the ploughing was begun, and is being continued, by Te Whiti’s express orders, given in his asuaided capacity of an inspired prophet, and represented by supernatural and irresistible authority. The whole affair thus takes the shape of an outbreak of fanaticism directed towards the attainment of a well defined and practical object, namely, the recovery of the confiscated land. Te Whiti at any time may suddenly deem himself inspired to pronounce sentence of death on some unhappy settler or his family. The Government recognising the urgency of the situation, are making energetic preparations for bringing to bear a force sufficient to crush all resistance. The armed Constabulary is being largely strengthened by enlistment, and men are being trained assiduously for active service in the field. Reinforcements will be sent up to the disturbed district as fast as they can he i»ot ready, also ample supplies of arms and ammunition. Meanwhile the settlers are enrolling themselves as volunteers, and are being armed and drilled for service. The redoubts also are beingprepared and put in a thorough state of readiness for occupation by very strong garrisons, and some new redoubts and earthwork retrenchments are about to be thrown up at various suitable places under the direction of Colonel Whitmore. The whole of the disturbed district, in short, is being placed in a state of thorough defence, and arrangements are being made for bringing fully 1000 Ngatiporo and other friendly natives on to the spot as active allies agaiiut Te Whiti and his followers. The European settlers have been warned not to precipitate a crisis by any individual action on their part, but to act entirely in concert with the Government, and in the case of the more outlying settlements the women and children are being sent into town. Hopes are even yet entertained that by those demonstrations of a firm and resolute deteimination on the part of the Government to maintained and enforce the authority of the law, the disaffected natives may be induced to submit j but as everythiug depends on

the personal caprice of a fanatic, there is no security for a single day, and it is absolutely necessary to take ever precaution to guard against surprise. In addition to 70 or 80 cases of cartridges now on the way from England, large further supplies have been ordered. June 6. It is credibly reported that Te Whiti’s followers are almost unarmed, and wholy unprepared for war, the rumor that he was making warlike preparations being positively contradicted. The Government, however, are determined to have everything in readiness for any emergency. New Plymouth, June 3. The Hiiiemoa, with the Governor, the Premier, and Colonel Whitmore, left at 4 p.m. to-day for Wellington. A deputation of justices waited upon tlie Ministers before leaving, and a final interview, when the Premier stated that a force of 200 men would be sent here immediately for the protection of the place. The general opinion is that the arrangements made by the Government are satisfactory, and confidence is beginning to be restored. Several families have come into town, and will remain until the affair is settled.

Volunteer Corps are being formed in all the principal parts of the district. The excitement is now subsiding, and with' the arrangement for the protection of settlers carried into foree, confidence, it is to be hoped, will be restored, and busine-'S, which has been entirely suspended, will again be renewed, although it is feared it will take some time to recover from the severe shock it has received through the aggressive action taken by the natives. June 4. The arrangements made by the Government for the protection of this district appear to give Satisfaction, and the alarm has been somewhat allayed. A.t the interview yesterday with the Premier’, he stated that the arrangement he was making here was only part of a general scheme which was under the consideration of the Government for the disposal of the native difficulty for ever. The native political ploughmen who have been amusing themselves lately on Mr Courtney’s land, Oakuva, are getting tiled of their work ; they made a start on Monday, and were there yesterday. hut failed to putin an appearance to-day. They do not do much. The extent of their work each day does not exceed an acre.

Intelligence has been received that the natives have commenced ploughing up William Bayjey,a paddock at Te Nama, near Opunake, within a stone’s throw of where a force of Constabulary are stationed. They have warned Mr Bartlett to leave the Opunake Hotel, and intimated they intend to commence to plough his paddock at the back tomorrow. This is being done under the eyes of the Constabulary, and is intended as a further threat by the natives.

A rumor has been circulated in town that Te Whiti stated the 13th of this month was the day which the “ rum” (meaning an uprising or convulsion of some son) was to take place, and that on that day all the land will be in possession ,of the Maoris. These statenients, though coming from Maori sources, cannot be relied on, and may be mere exaggerations. Christchurch, June 2.

A ghard named Shepherd fell off a train on the Albany Railway while it was going at full speed, but escaped with only a sprained wrist.

E. Buxton, who was implicated in several acts of “ larrikinism” on the Ferry road, and, was apprehended at the Waiau a few days since in mistake for Barnard, the cattle-stealer, was fined £8 1 Is penalties and costs. The total amount of duties collected at the Customs for the past month amounted to £15,419 8s 3d. June 3. All the Sydenham applications for licenses were refused, and one of the existing licenses was suspended, and for the future no wooden houses will be licensed. Lewis has been committed for tria| for arson ; bail being allowed in two suritiea of £l5O and self £3OO. The total number of trout taken by 12 anglers in the Avon during the last season amounted to 1285, The largest fish weighed 6|lb and the smallest |lb. The river seems.as full as ever. An attempt was made about 3o’clock this morning to shoot one of the warders at Sunnyside Asylum. He was aroused by tho barking of the dogs, and when he went out to see the cause of the di-turbanee, a man presented a gun at him and fired it. The shot missed him and'the fellow disappeared. No trace of him has since been found; The Canterbury Ministers’Association has expressed its disapproval of his Ex-

cellency the Governor's action in regard to the Sabbath. The City Council have resolved-fo take legal proceedings* gainst Councillor Wilson to enforce the payment of £IOO which he guaranteed to collect towards widening one of the City streets. A young naan name unknown was fished up out of the riVer at 9 o’clock this evening. He had KeCn drinking and but for being a- good- swimmer would have been drowned. He.wished his resellers a. brief good night and departed at the same time expressing regret that he Was hot drowned. The unemployed have resolved to ask the Government .to..substitute day for piecework on the Waipill'a extension. Wellington, June 4. Information has been received of another native difficulty at Ho&nVbenui near Ofcaki, in this district. It is a tribal quarrel between two parties about soome land, and both sides being well armed they threaten to have a tight. A man named Ford was sentenced to six month’s imprisonment at Fcatberston for robbing his employer. Mr Blair has been instructed to lay off a small section of the Waipara extension line of railway, so as to give employment to the unemployed at Wages not to exceed 6s per day. Auckland, Jane 2. The annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held to-day, when the Chairman (Mr J. C. Firth) delivered a lengthy address, Mr Dargaville moved a series of resolutions, urging the Government to reiiupose the timber duties. There weie about 500 iuen out of employ and a largo number of; ships hid up inconsequence of the abolition of the timber duties. This statement was borne out by several speakers. Who ■stated that dm wa- the greatest blow yet inflated' on the Auckland Provincial District. - - The Albatross brags news from Samoa to the effect that. Matcote bad. been crowned king of the so-called rebel patty, The “ Government” party have made no movement as yet against.- it, and the residents are wondering whether there will be another war. June '4. At the licensing meeting to-day, pub, licans were cautioned to conduct their nausea I letter, for the future, or else their licenses would be refused. Ellen Whitaker was committed for trial for splitting- a man’s head open with an axe. S'; £

Gisborne* June 3. John Brodie was committed for trial for conspiring to evade the Anns Act; and Michael Boylan for feloniously selling guns to the Maoris.