NATIVE NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 230, 31 August 1883, Page 2

NATIVE NEWS.

THE MURIMOTU IAtCROGLIO. STOPPING OP THE SURVEY PARTY. FURTHER PARTICULARS. [Thursday's Herald.J Considerable excitement prevailed m town to-day when it become known that the survey party, under Mr Rochefort, engaged m the survey of a line for the central route of railway, via Murimoto, has been stopped by the natives some* where m the vicinity of Mangamueoa. The information is to hand through the medium of an assistant of the staff who came bearing a telegram to be despatched to the Go versa meat from Mr Roohefort explaining the affair ; but very meagre particulars are as yet available. As far as we can gather,, the party were surrounded and taken by a ptirty of natives, and kept voder arrest for several days, at the end of which time several of them were sent back another way, and warned not to return. Mr Rochefort and another assistant have been brought down the river some distance* where they were threatened that if they returned they would be shot. This is a most serious matter, affecting as it may the interests of the district to an incalculable extent. It is much to be regretted that the natives cannot see th 9 advantage of the central route of railway, and are so dead to their own interests. It ie to be sincerely hoped that the ill-advised action of a few ignorant people will not have the effect of diverting the route from this neighbourhood. As far as we can learn from the Na- : live Taka, who brought the assistant info town to-day, the affair arises as much as anything from misunderstanding. It appears that Kemp gave the surveyors a letter to the people ot Mangannioteao telling them to tet the surveyors pass. The natives of this place, however, do not recognise Kemp's "authority, and being scattered about and seeing the survey (which they thonght would be permanent) on the land without any notice, they did not like it, and hence their action. It seems very probable from what this Maori states, that when the whole affair has been explained there will be no further objection to the survey.