THE HON. MR M'LEAN’S VISIT TO THE WEST COAST.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 50, 6 January 1872, Page 12

THE HON. MR M'LEAN’S VISIT TO THE WEST COAST.

On Thursday some canards were flying about town to the effect that the visit of the Hon. the Defence Minister to the West Coast, and the departure of a few men of the Armed Constabulary for the same destination had been occasioned by anticipations of native disturbances, consequent on the appearance of Titokowaru on the coast. Another version was that the determination of the Government to allow the extreme sentence of the law to he carried out upon Kereopa had something to with the intended movement. Both speculations are entirely devoid of foundation, the visit of Mr M‘Lean and the removal of the Armed Constabulary being each matters of the most ordinary departmental nature. The Luna was under orders to proceed to Canterbury and Otago, but the Native Minister deeming it advisable to visit Wanganui, Rangitikei, and the West Coast to adjust some questions relating to Native Reserves before leaving for the South, his journey to the Midddle Island was postponed for a few days. Colonel Moule accompanies the Defence Minister on the work of the annual inspection of the posts at Patea, and takes up twenty men of the Armed Constabulary who have been under training at the depot to take the place of a number of the militia who have been struck off pay. Very little reliance is to be placed in the telegrams forwarded by Greville’s agent at Wanganui, which appear in another column. The Government are not in possession of any information to warrant the assumption that Titokowaru has any intention of making his ap-

pearance on the Coast. It i 3 possible that some natives who have been in his following have, in the pursuit of their ordinary avocations, shown themselves near the Coast, hut the fact that Titokowaru is not with them, and simply threatens to come down ‘ c in a month” is sufficient to disarm the telegraphic news of any alarming character. It may be relied upon that should Titokowaru invite the attention of the Government to his movements prompt and decisive measures will be taken to suppress him.