TNTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 92, 17 April 1880, Page 2

TNTERPROVINCIAL.

_, Wellington, Saturday. An interim report of the Native Commission is published. It deals first with the question of the Plains, or what is to be done with the country enclosed by the Waingongoro and Oeo Rivers, which belonged, before the confiscation almost entirely to the Ngatiruanui tribe, and contains about 120,000 acres of available land of which 30,000 is open plains. After a long review of the promises made and broken, and severe condemnation of the conduct of the late Government in commencing surveys without making reserves, the Commission made the following recommendations :— lst. — To make a broad continuous belt of reserves extending the whole distance between the Oeo and Waingongoro Rivers. 2nd.— To cut boundary lines of this continuous reserve at once upon the ground, so as to take in all villages and clearings, enough land being included to allow of an aggregate reserve of 250,000 acres. 3rd.— To cub three, or perhaps four, broad Hoes >

through the forest the whole depth of. the reserve, for access to tbs back country, in . such a way as to meet the tribal rights of each hapu, and not interfere with the settlements and cultivations. 4th. — To lay off within the reserve sites for sawmills, and to supply building timber, fencing and firewood whenever settlers are placad upon Plains, aud to set apart sufficient land for the establishment and maintenance of Native schools. sth. — To proclaim the 250,000 acres when marked off as being inalienable reserves, so long ns . the natives live there in place. 6th — To ascertain, as was promised, the tribal ownership of the several hapus, so aa to be ready wheueverthey themselves consent to subdivide their reserves, and give them titles under Crown Grants. 7th.— To allow no dealing whatever with any part of the reserve except those in the occupation by resident natives, uutil this ownership is ascertained, and the regulations under which such dealings can take place without danger. In laying out the continuous reserve, its front ' boundary on the Plain should be the line which will be the main road from Normanby, the township of Wanui, and then on to Oeo, special care being necessary in this boundary to avoid a repetition of the diffi-culty-that happened last year; for it is dangerously absurd to let a question on which may hang the peace of the* country be subordinate as it might be to surveyors to the question of the easiest point at which to ford a stream or make a boundary, which should be cut from both ends at once, Oeo aud Normanby. Regarding Manaia's claim, a grant of 1,5000 acres in a locality to be hereafter defined is recommended to be made to him. They also recommend that the piece of '■ land between Oeo and Wahamoki, seaward of the main road, containing about 11,000 acres should be granted to Hove Pihama at once, as well as the land he has fenced and cultivated on the inland side of the road, which may amount to 300 or 400 acres more, and that a tribal reserve for lais people to the same amount, between Oeo and «ouri, should be also surveyed now and made inalienable. Regarding tho Paritiaka question, which they explain means -what is to be done with the country between the Oeo and the Stoney Rivers, which, belonged, before the confiscation, to the Taranaki tribe, and contains about 125,000 acres of available land, of which 34,000 are open plains, the Commissioners recommend : 1st — That the Parihaka country lying inland of the road now being made along- the coast, and extending as far back as will comprise from 20,000 to 25,000 acres, be at once sent apart from the people, so long 1 as they live there in peace. 2nd — That the land surveyed of that road in the Parihaka block, containing perhaps 10,000 acres of open country, according 1 to a line which may be chosen for the road, as well as whatever is left in the Oeo block after a reserve for Piliama's people, be kept in the hands of the Government until the liability of the Crown under compensation awards has been denned. We do not think such a a defination can be made without legislation, and if so nothing- whatever ought to be done with the land that is left to us till Parliament lias expressed its will. Parliament will be called together for the dispatch of business on the 28th May. Mr Steveus M.H.R., has been appointed a member of the Local Industries Commission. At a meeting of the Fire Brigades held last evening, ifc was resolved to disband on Monday, without giving the City Council time to cousider the question of subsidy. Only four chief officers and two others dissented. The meeting was very lively throughout. Bluff, Saturday. Sailed : Rotomahana, for Melbourne ; Jasper, for Sydney, with oats ; Emily, for Adelaide, with oats. Napier, Friday. A woman named Wilson, was found by the roadside near Bastings in a very helpless state. She was conveyed to Mr Williams' woolshed, and a doctor sent. She gave birth to twins. It turns out her husband is a carpenter unable to get work, and has been wandering about the country in a state of utter destitution. The woman is rapidly recovering strength..' and Mr Williams is paying all the expenses. Duxedix, Friday. In the Butler case, Inspector Mallard waa submitted to a rigid cross-examination by the prisoner, who animadverted strongly on him questioning him (Butler) after he was charged with murder. The Judge's remarks implied that whilst a certain amount of discretion -was left to the police as to cautioning the prisoner, it would have been better if Inspector Mallard had refrained from questioning him, but as he he had made a memo of it immediately afterwards the evidence would be admittable. Inspector Mallardsaid he had debated with himself for nearly two hours as to what course he should pursue, and ultimately decided to make a memo, leaving his superiors to censure him if they thought it necessary. He, however, swore positively that the prisoner began questioning him (Mallard) on his examination in chief, and detailed several conversations with the prisoner in March, when he came seeking the Inspector's assistance to obtain employment for him. Butler discussed all the recent great crimes, particularly those of Peace and Moonlight, and observed how easy it was to destroy traces of crime by arson, adding, in conclusion, "If some great crime was comaiitted here like this I suppose you would blame me for it." Inspector Mallard replied "No; I should look for suspicious circumstances. If they pointed to you, I should certainly be after you." The case for the Crown is expected to close to-night. At the fire which destroyed ' Gorman's Hotel, money amounting to .£220 was lost. Saturday. Butler is addressing the jury at great length. He explains that his reason for leaving Dunedin on Sunday morning, the morning of the murder, was the belief that his arrest for Stampers' burglary on the previous morning had been planned. The Judge sums up after the adjournment. Hawera, Saturday. The usual Parihaka meeting takes place to-day. Titokowaru and a good many Natives have gone to be present. Surveys of Native reserves are going on favorably and without interruption. The Constabulary are going on with road works but slowly, as they have instructions to clear through heavy flax country two chains wide. No OBe can comprehend the object of delaying progress of road work by doing all this extra and unnecessary long clearing on. each side of the road. Auckland, Friday. Some of the jurors with whom influence was attempted in Hughes's case, which was one of indecent assault, waited on the Attorney- General and stated what had actually taken place, so far as they could speak from their own personal knowledge, and respectfully urged upon him the necessity of causing an inquiry, and taking such steps as will protect jurors from any attempt at influence in the future. The Attorney -General thanked the deputation cordially for the straightforward course they had pursued. The matter was one which struck at the very foundation of the administration of justice. He would at once communicate with the Minister of Justice on the subject with a view of having the whole matter investigated. Sievwright, a carpenter, has been killed at the Thames. He was working in the Caledonian mine when the supports gave way, and a massive piece of timber falling on the man's head crushed ,it to pulp. He leaves a young widow and two children. His mate wrb slightly injured, I