THE AHURIRI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 554, 24 February 1858, Page 4

THE AHURIRI.

(From the " Independent," Feb. 13.) The intelligence brought by the Steamer of the arrival of troops at Ahuriri, and of the intention of the Government to dispatch thither a large number from this place, has caused considerable excitement, erroneously leading to the belief that the quarrel between Hapuka and Moana Nui was likely to prove more serious in its results than had been generally anticipated. It has for some months past been determined to station a force of about a hundred and twenty men permanently at Napier, hut the statement of this force being augmented to three hundred needs' confirmation.. No orders have come down to the military authorities at Wellington, and when they do, we have reason to expect that they will not be for the removal of more than are required to raise the force already sent from Auckland to about one hundred and twenty or one hundred and fifty men. We copy, however,, the following paragraph from the Auckland " Register," which gives us all the information that is kiowu on the subject. "Troops for the Ahuriri.—A very unexpected order was issued in the course of Friday for. immediate dispatch of a strong detachment of 300 men, with four guns and as .many artillerymen as can be spared, for Ahuriri. Such a force and such urgency has led to the belief that the. danger must be pressing and that the Government must be in possession of intelligence of which the best informed are as yet in total ignorance. We have made every inquiry without being able to elicit anything 'beyond the fact that Lieutenant Hemes", with 80 men of the 65th Regiment, Dr. Tydd of the •58th Regiment, Commissary Wood, and Mr. Broke of that department, have been ordered to embark at Auckland as sobu as the requisite tonnage can he procured, and that they ai-e to. be simultaneously augmented by a detachment of 200 men of the 65th Regiment from •Wellington. The movement has excited no small amount of curiosity. The motive that has-led to it will, no doubt, become known in due time." " • The native quarrel has, we are happy to say. assumed a far more satisfactory aspect than it appeared likely it would have done at the date of our previous advices. It was then supposed that reinforcements would arrive to strengthen •Hapuka, but-it now appears that these allies were more desirous of acting as mediators than as partisans of either of the'contending parties. By tho'following extracts from the " Hawke's Bay' Herald," it" will be seen that the interference (if Mrv^L^wioi"*- 1---1— —-*—: '"'""""'Th^Natives.—ln our last we mentioned •that through the mediation of Mr. M'Lean and_ others Hapuka had consented to retire inland, and his opponents had .agreed to a fortnight's truce for the purpose of enabling him to take away his good*. The removal has since been going on steadily, six cart loads having been taken away on Thursday. Some difficulty.'having occurred in procuring" carriage, owing to part of the Te Aiite road—between the Pakipaki and Poukawa—being iv a very bad state, the provincial authorities placed upon it a portion of the road party, with the view of making it passable for drays as quickly as possir hie. Since our last a party of about 200 natives jliave come up from the Wairoa and'its neighbourhood, accompanied by the Rev. James Hamlin. They left home in the hope, through mediation, of bringing matters here to a peaceful termination. They are related, in an equal degree to both the belligerent parties, and are therefore the more interested in sie;ng the quarrel at end." Their intentions are entirely • peaceful; as may be gathered from the fact that they are almost unarmed—about half-a-dozen muskets being the whole of what they muster. .On leaving the port they visited Te Ilapaka's pa; and after remaining there two days went over on Thursday to see Moana Nui's pavtv. .The only question now at issue between the contending parties is one of time—M.oana Nui's people having allowed Te Hapuka till this day •week for completing his removal; whilst he says that it ramiot be accomplished under two mouths. This difficulty the Wairoa people, with the able assistance of the Reverends "Messrs. Hamlin and Williams, are now endeavouring to remove." A week later the ' Herald' writes more satisfactorily. "The Native Feud.—The feud between Hapuka and Moana Nui is •seemingly at an end. A sort, of tacit aequi'oscem-p in an extension of time, lias, it is generally understood, been given by the victorious party. The Waii;oa natives, accompanied by the Rev. James 'If.imlin, left" ' for home on Wednesday last. There is hbw."■evcr, 'we find, a lurking suspicion of Hapuka's '- (sincerity in the.minds of his opponents."■•' .. 2The presentee pf thf troops will gire: the , llesidcnt Magistrate uiore-coiitideiK'e in taking ••'decided..steps to stop tlie annoytlnyes to.-..which 'stJJue'n'f tho settlers" have, been subjected.from. •"-Moana Nui. than' b.6. b'3\s' hitherto been able totVel,': Tliis chief hsls lately'been conducting ;. lihnsolt* in a very imperious manner. An in-: ♦.jfonnation was recently laid against him for:

j striking the ferryman at Waipureka, but Capt. Curling could do nothing in the matter. Now, we hope, the prestige of the troops will restore the quiet that reigned throughout this district before the quarrel between Hapuka and Moana Nui unfortunately took place. The remainder of the news from Ahuriri is cheering, and gives evidence of the district going rapidly a-head. The Southern Cross, the pioneer of the direct trade with England, had about 500 bales of wool on board, and; would soon leave for Wellington, to till up. Labour is becoming very scarce, and the native war had sadly hindered the harvest, Maori labour being principally depended on. An. Agricultural Society had been started and SO ; guineas subscribed by those present at its foundation meeting. A Freemason's Lodge was 'shortly to be opened. Some private property had changed hands by auction, at excellent rates; the following sales aye mentioned as examples:—The Ahuriri Hotel and three sections on Meanee Spit to Messrs. Richardson and Charlton for £-(330; and the Settler's Hotel, Waipureka, better known as the Clive Hotel, was sold to the present occupant, Mr. Arthur, for the sum of £260. Twenty-three Scamperdown whales had been caught off Wairoa, averaging one and a half tun of oil each. A very satisfactory commencement bad been made towards obtaining a Presbyterian minister from Scotland. Last, but by no means least, a separation meeting had been held and a petition adopted for presentation to the General Assembly.