REPORTS FROM OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5123, 24 August 1877, Page 3

REPORTS FROM OFFICERS IN NATIVE DISTRICTS.

i :, The reports"presbrited‘' ; to Parllairieit..this session from officers, in'"the'lseVeral'ri’ative; districts of the/,QOlpny, ar% i( Dni,the;’>vhole of a MriiiWhite; jR.M. ? : statibrie<3,:'at Mougonni, staties/that the natives irirhis district continue to conduct -themselves peacefully and loyally, and- that with ‘the exception of, opine' slight jloca], excitement, barised by a judgment bf the,JCarids jQ9,urt £ ,jn March last, nothing has ocerirred to disturb, the even teribr'bf their'way 'afbririd; Mbngonui,' .The 1 crop/ in' th'e 1 neighborhood, haWbqefl*‘verygbod [this year/ which’ Mr. White .as being; a, fortunate eifcuiriafaiibej in' the absencejot anything like active stirring progres's’ iri c tlqe dis-, i trict.. Theyeihas been dess fatal sickness 4han for many .years, past,; arid very little crime.'’ >• , dri-om/Hiilrianga-Mr.iYoniStunner, |R.M., .rep'P'tsithatvtherOL-isjbut;little‘oharigq fb recoi d in tlie conduct or conditiori of the nativesresiding; in, this-district./,.! As/hitherto!, they , continue tq heh'aye tliemselves lih .arilqrderly mndjpeaceable The; rpuribetri-.o( cases. ,broughf;|intO ;,the:iEe3jdent 'Magistrata f ß| Court .(luring the last twelve monthsjin which natives have been concerned; are eight nriminalj This list does not include any Serious offences.! There have.been also forty/civil ;cases pandj every, ,judgment,giyen' has; been most promptly set-’ tied. ...There, [have'been, eqyeirildnfertrltjal disputes about .theboundaries; survey;-arid owner.ship,of’ lands,; v and (! though,r,they:.?havel given somoi little auxiety andi trouble; they have in ,every,mstapce.beenipeaceablyand'satisfaptorily arranged, . .There, has notbeen ;riiri'de in, agriculture;;.'^-Drunkenness,is not- sb prevalent ,as...it.rwas formeriy, and the riative ■.schpolsiripperatipniri the;locality are/alf doing 'good work rf ; f ,t-i'it,-)i}i 1 !o» rnoib. //• i'-' sl - - J b f "‘ : : ..Eroip jiains reports that 4 the,}rif>tives pftrr/ i'sriirig Their gq.m ’ftig.'f ‘,lbe;,great; ; draSvtiaqk 3 tQ the^prpgresSj;qf ; The'natiVeS’ “iri/bis' ’ district! fcon- } }siri4rS/ ‘and ‘‘rnearis in apd s pperidjng-;|heiir f moririyi pri' tahurigas. preya'-' jejit The 1 deei‘ 3 ibria[ given /.in' ,'the, [ppurt | hrive. beeri always .readily submitted jtp,:, ; and This; ’ nrq begin;ning‘torapppeciate tjje‘ jusi;ipp} 3 o£iEnglish Ijtws,• :’hn'd a r e.[ | &rgdj a; ’■■■, and, order,}and thrit' Tbere J 'is',.a diuiiautipn dri jMre jeases! ‘As ;tp’;their"sqbial;‘state! Mr.‘Bernp,.says*.'—■■ J TNb';cbarige;’foV,}t^epette i r l ia ) re i aUy,,ppreept-!' ible/;Ptheiipprqyideptripd I( geperally J( indolent; 'habits' alWprSg^sj, 9 .rilbne itris-tpbejfeaped, pbq|(t'^ey.inus’t! ) fali v,eryj 1 ;fal,'short fin, thehaqe }qff -lies, bpfOf eThem/ v Tbe|rgeuofal health jha; tives iriThe vicinity is/jgppd \*he mortality riot quite so great a® m tlie. preceding '■year/•■■while" iri ; ‘'th'ritreatniriritVf'' their sjclc' ai ffluch'greater faith ri’ri the Skilljof 'thri ’medical' . • profCssibii'prevailsj 1 '-’ptrfd^'a'‘ de'Sirb ‘ irihxrreme. ‘ Oases' to 1 be’dbirie 'ifiihatriri'rif ''.the < 'C6ibnial |HriS- ’: ■pital.”"•Bpme'of/thb' parerits Beem tb ; };be iim* 1 pressed'' with’ the' v’alup of'edupatiprilbritheir children’j/but'ri-hritKer the.feeling is a' permanent I one ■ may/ Mr.* "Kemp' 'thinks, be ' 'dpubtf pi. l ‘ As to' holders of; hind he 'says Whether as 'individuals’or' in' comrilunitiesj.experiericd has,. ‘I thirik, shown ' that/thri'.'tra'de in land has tempted many,-avaricious persons' to throw off; • arid ighore ‘ thri 1 bbligritiori due * to’ 'the .tribe or. ‘ community dbrig recognised as a custom," usage, ' or native law'for’ common defence, and tpus to deprive the'weaker rileiribers of'their, owp and fchildrferi's inheritance.' ‘ !A J rririiedy suggests, it Jself, I thirik/.'iri the affirming' of ritles'.to 'iridivii : duals as; a rule, aid thus render, ftite occupation 'arid'purchase 6f"land' mo’re equitable;,'ahd,-at tlie same time ' pffer. greatef' facilities to ‘bona ;/icZe';colonist’s dor the peaceful arid'.prosperous ’ settleinent'bf ‘the 'country,' "The' abandarijnent alCoby the Government at 'this 'stage"of the -purbhase 'ol;'native’ laridri./seririia’; tb, be| ribt ’only ivirie;but prilitlc'.forimany/rchSins.”' j Mi-, Packey/'JVP.’, j that'} there' is’/no driirKed eharigo in' /he’ cbnditidri of" the ''natives I ,in. that district/ ‘".With some ■ few l exdeptioris,' i be''db , es i 'n6t'’;th'irilc [ miri;h j pro"’ ’gress has been'iriade in .industrial pursuits. As regarda thestatebf feeling lietween the /.laoris arid their 'pakeha rieighbOrs/He' 'liT'6£' dpinioni that " bn' th/rSvhole nothing" could be more ’’aatisfaCtbry.'''-,";"' ’ '" :l " ' ( ' / . .. f'- states that ’during"the past’lpvel'v-e mqriths'there Vhas [been •a total absenfee pf !, the ; political'gafheririgß for which ’the Hauhau I pariy‘ I ,r hrid l become so. • notorious.- Not that these meetirigEf’jYere.unpro- ’ ‘duCtive ! bt good, for eyqn’when’‘balled!in ari-, unfriendly spirit to Enr&jibqri 3 ). they acted! as "a sort of safety-valve! hnd Ca'chf} ‘‘’village Hampden"' haVing ‘aired b> B "elriqu'ericb, 1 aid, iuqro important' still/’ all’thp fiobd 1 fri‘ the borhbod hiring corisuriaed or "Wastyd,' the people ■ ■'dUpCrsed;'rihtisfidd ’‘‘.leiaain, "as th , ey%bVrifrir | ' l the :i prbserit.’’!" But ribwj the. ■rieceßsity/for: theSq liMis does : riof apparentlyeirirt/ thb native’iriiridb'elrig less unsettled,' and" 'itbeirig'getterfflly uririeriitood' that the'“ nitiye diffibulty',”/';6t i i r a3‘ 1 iriuCh 1 ' of,' it as 'ribw exists',' 1 1 Iwould’be ari'anged' “.sbriie day byTawhiaq and' '.thb'Gx/verririabnt.'’.’ 1 ' 1 ' Iri'fHo'nieantiine,' tho jralk' ■ bf th'e’pebpKS (jblerrihly’cpnteritwith tho aqtual State bPthirim/are'Becbming'iribre' industrious, •and quantities of produce td the nearest markets! ’’ // ’•‘T l ,' j - '■"’'’Mr/’G/Marriialh’of. Port' Wflikiito, reports, that’the riati^es'.bf I "his ■dißtribt ! 'iri;f£WqrJqf ‘the’ edticatidn^df’rtKrir/qhildferi‘ by ’teabherS; , aria , ihHt ! irit'eiriperpnce is debreasirig'.. The’re'hdb bebh sdffie'bppositidri' by 'ri'qectiqn of i.tbe'Ngatitipa tribe/torthei ereotion bf'trigpridimetricall stations On Their land; which - led jb" 'a‘ ,Stoppage>bf the;survey. ij/phC oropaShayei be'Cri’ abundant, and. the people are in . abetter posi-;ttiOn;lthari:lthey(-were>lSst„year.i;;-X!!!! ■'■:■ Ui v» 1 ,j Mr. iRi :S.!ißiish; of,Raglan', speiiks favorably ol.the-atate iofuthe natives/lnlthatilocality, as does alfloiMrwjCampbeU/jofoWaiapm I ~j. Dr. Ormdnd; of Hawke’s Bay, says ■ there ia no event, of importance to; record in his [district./amongst; the-riatives for tho past twelve months. In ,'consequence o£i heavy .floods .during- .the early part o£„thp.year, tho patiyes.lqst their crops, qnd had ( it„not i: been for 1 credit being „ given" to,. them by the local afcofekeepera/,‘an, appeal ,'w,held have , had' to be made to the ' Government for, assiatanee.-

Owing, however/:to the facilities-tor. credit'the natives have 1 got info '.debt, arid'm spmeliridivi/ ‘dualcasba owe frpiri£2oo toT'iOri., Drunlcenness, pfostit'utidrijVapd larceny ■ are on the decrease, but; there’ is a mania for gambling. ] 'Some Alightriand disputes hkye bocurred, arid! in one instance a eurveypr.-waslwarhedioff tlie ground. the - negotiations 'of ' Dr/ Ormond 1 and his native assessors, Hamana ririd'Tbha, the|inattbr [has“been," .■'settled amicably/- Another new sbhobl has been.applied for by the-Uriwera tribe at Onepoto. • 211 stand of armshaye been recqyqred fromlthe native? in the locality. "Mr." S/Docke, B.AI. of Napier, reports that -during-: the past year matterain' relation to The natives have gone on quietly, -with the! excep-,! pi the ' land ;’di?pnte?,,,which are now the subject ’of'litigation in the law courts.'s r A" large -area'of lan'd is being [ acquired froth the 1 Maoris•'bii' 1 the 1 Bast "Coifst, 1 which'’ iviU Jend, greatlyifb dei'elop"the resburces of the country/ .espebially if 'dray foads/'afe made, from poverty. Bajy" i tb‘ ir lYairq»!i Maori' 1 'pbj>ujatiou. ( m the district is about the .s.ame.f 'as last‘'"year, or perhaps rather less. ( ‘i‘.-Too: much stress cannot.) be laid-bn the'rimpbrtahce 1 of continuing the eduoatioa : '/»f !) 'the 1 jising.. Igeneratipu .pf, Mqofin Jhe-Enkiw^,J a, !S U! ’'S e -'' Sbme'inovement towards teetotalismralnq form-" ing lodged, -'arid/some excitement a revival ip relation .to religiqus matters, .haye [ .'taken p|ace.,‘a^ong,-the.qpast,‘ whibh, it is tobe.’ hoped, is a sigh of improvement/ fbrj it has 'beeri’remarked, ‘The religion of - marikind'is ■the effect of Tmpyftyejnenf;,,and j-pot.-thej cause,o£_it/ -,ln/regaTd- tb!theif-political-condition-. |ip .thpi : el'efti.ons'/gqjng/bn, ‘aipujid ps./ tor what talces ‘place at'WeUingibhj.than formerly;; ;and:--discuss.l questions yaffecting-ethemselves' closely/ and ,! 'in l :the'se' ! 'disbut»iohs' geherally, 'evince a" great dislike to road board rind all -otber ratesj-aud-taxation- in general/ Ih this, perhaps, ’they shoiv a/feelihg. "otljefs .besMeCtbeniselye? ;ppt,/in [/regard to many of’ their/pblitioalnexpressions;iit; may be isaid,'. as I-Teiririrked in regard to the education of their children, too much progress must not be - ' expected, in,- onq ■genoratiqnr I -fbr takes a lengthened period toilaise the natural standardof a whole people.”.. J r j 6i Major Brqwnj of, ,1V ew .Plymouth, says that' the natives are gradually but steadily improving in their —feeling of submission |o the ■‘-Eurbperiht/and ’ri'ccepted/the/paryyipgjout of ’the' cdrifiscatibri of the brilanpe pi Hnd between ..the: Batea and Waingongoro • rivers without serious demur. Major Brown say's;,!—-tt have; to express my indebtedness Aq tHe',qhiefs Hone Pihaphv and Taurpa . for itheiri.able 'assistance and advice on many’occasions. "The Iritterfelt very keehly his havihg'been taken prisoher tol Otago,;aid.the reproach made.to.him at| WanKingi;'j'“that'ihi3< opinion was now of no value, as he was only a slave/’ :-! His/appoititmerit 'ria‘!ai assesspr has’ ; been greatly,appreciated ; by.him', as a-rCcogni-’ tion by the Governmynt,that,his,irj-idq and in-’ fluence have hot been seriously impaired |by his ’ deportation to Dunedin, which he speaks of as' >“ the darkest day of hiadife,’,’ ( ,while the he went on return was “ the brightest" day of his existence .The i natioa .police force was-.couaiderably, reduced last year, as Captain - Wilton,; who is in qharge: bf it,' Considered that i it ebuld # Be ; dbhe;"wiithout impairing its efficiency., rj I cannot'as yet recommend’any further reduction, as it hari beep,,, useful in’preventing theft, and recovering, stblfeh propefty/oven oh ; the“Waimate qide bf the Waingongorb River.” j Mr - 1 Wbbd; r bf! ’ Wanganui/ ' says' the! land ’ question! is i thq ’rillxabsorbing one; "ambrigst tho , nafavesiof'hisndistriot; iHe considers l tljat too ; - .much .effort cannot atpresent’be made'tpmeet .thereasppaJjle.-clriimspfijthegAlaori-populatioD, "jwitlj.the^yifiwi , pfj.pcohpsingviheieiflctilje and ; restless, .mjndf/ and, f tijgfeby/pr6yeptipg dis‘affebtipn^ahd! perhaps ,oyerlj, rebellion.j /native'is atm ‘ a !powef in fhe i country, and it I '■wbffld'l3e a'grerit mistake tp-Treat} ’and representations/ with ’ indifference! j "The ’ efthrifty has 'ribw artived at "another/crisis, and l 7greri’b' , eafb, !f f6resnght? : ahd;taot"afef to tide "the ' bolbnyrisSfely through ’this 11 period of < itslhistory; so that"an hmicable ! sblution 6f the -jiritivefdiffioidfy.'may'yetibec attained'-’loj after' '.so.rHaaiiyryearsiofiipeace, seouredobnly Tjiy the (TLjthpxfe’wise-aad jfprbeafing ridnuriisttatiph pf jthe Gqvernpqept ; of/the ppuntry ris;,exhibited in" i(s. cqhduqy pf i’atiye /jUpon. the whole, ,ia j ; shjown By ‘MaonsTo}appeal fpr a settlement of klfcliffibulties dispute}, '■ T)fthe-ppfal and ■ Mri-Wobd sayfe’-He brinribtApeafi 'ad frivofably. as; - he c'btdd’Vvisb/ . Trii'ri'gficul.ture ’and' iriHiyspria.l, i-pUrshits- fairpfrfgfbßs' hris* been'made.' , | fir-Mr.’iWardjfof (Martbnfi speaks l oh I ‘the whole fay-orablyfofiTthe.Alaorls-iri his idistrict ; /brit rejgrets-; their 1 fondhess r for,-drinking) jail'd card , playing-n i Therejare, however, he thiultsj indications of all iiapj-oveusent in thin .directiqu, / h/tr. Bmiilin !( o£ f Maketu,j considers, (that. the- . aspect ,bf} native affairs, .m., ; his, districtijia With! ! bhe exception satisfactory/.-That excqptjon is, that ‘rin 1 idea prevails that .the death of two ■riritivfes, Was attributable’’io'lwitchcfri'ftl arid! rthat'i tlfreals ’ to 1 murder" thfee T ip con'sequence’ffiave^bfe'eri'Triride'"; But ‘Mr! TTamlin idoes not apprehend that tHb4e"tlifeat3 afle at all ilikelyitobbicarriedibut.'. ."li!pin« | -, -jTheoßev.-iJj W; stricken his reporton fhqj lOariterhury-iMapris says :—Though; still ;.sir£f,, . feying from ithe effects; of -1 the strain-put) upon their limited,resources; by their;i.cpntritmtiops ,to!.Mf. Taiaroa’s fund for,.prosecuting jth'eir land claims in, tbiv. English law : court», the natives generally/are bettor off this year than they have been for some.time past.}.,„ j " ’ Mr. H.'T.° Clarke reports, that ,’the Govern- ’ ’rnent have purcliasbrl "30,000,. and confi;cat(Ml<so,ooo acres ; in ! - the” Taurariga;'District.. .‘He:.- says: 1 1 "bstirilatei} at’ the vbry j least! -sls,ooo:.;acres ; been' acquired ifrom ■the 7 -nativesby icprivate! individuals// braking; ;a, ; total.-;,0ff,i’1:45.000 / acres, -•;: By j the Native. Bands Act, 1373, Beq. ,-24/.;there is a provisb.l'that. ‘ No ,]iiu,d;reserved,./or fha sup"}port ripd' mainterippee q£ the,., natives,,.as- alrio, }endqwriienTs} for, their - ,, benefit,,jshpllqbe j considered ’a' ‘ Bubdciency"'for. /such -purpose} ” unless thelreseryes : pb m’adb" fbr, these /qbjebt's added itpgether:shail’be-’e'qrial ’in an 1 bf''ri6t , 'iess r thari‘fift’y'aore/per'hbad ‘for £very r native.man, woman/;and;-child" <fA Mr;’’Clarke remarks With Iregard tb the Opposition" of the Pirirakriu::tribe I;wmlld alsOlfsuggest that every possible means - qhould :ba! used,’ short of' a display of feree, to induce the wewchi natives to return to their.owp-cAuntry., So long as,such a .-formidable,.band, of jirial-' contents remain rih',;Taurapga,,ithey’.,will epcourage the .Pirirakau’ in/taking}| mi [any "prisition ‘they : chbose‘ tri'/asauind' and. pe-a-cbnstarit sour6e.of ailxiety.'tq the Government;" ’rind aimoyance to Ngaitorangi rind their jEurb-} pean’neighbors.”’/ ■ l: ' i < .■' i-.-ml j The oxpressions 'of grief amongst' the’natives ; : atitheldeath of’Sir Donald McLean; aCeri/tb-, have been, very general throughout the , "Colony. He. appears : to have been; almost i univerpally regarded, by ,-,the,Maoris - ris.j aytrue,and Jjriqid'. friend;.lyhose loss cqnnot, easily be replaced! , , " v "':i ' ,!cdi