THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY AT THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 23 July 1880, Page 2

THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY AT THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

(by telegraph.) (FROM OUit OV,'S CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, July 22. The Chronicle to-night publishes the folowing important telegram in reference to the new Maori prisoners : —" These are the :first Maoris belonging to Te Whiti's tribe who have been arrested, and it is doubtful how the old prophet will behave. Some old hands in the district say that they would not be surprised if the whole of the Plains natives were to allow themselves to be arrested, but I cannot say that any such - opinion is at all general. The Hawera Star gives the following version of the origin of the present difficulty :—' So far as we have been able to ascertain from different sources it appears that the road was carried through a clearing of 50 or 60 acres belonging to the natives.' = Adarge quantity "of potatoes and other things were planted in the clearing, and the fences-having been broken - down, horses-and. bullocks found' their way in and consumed a portion of the' potatoes. The natives asked that they might 1 be allowed "to' erect gates on ;.the road, but were not allowed to do so. Permission, however, was given to_ leave the fences standing for two or three days so as to allow the natives time; to fence on each! side of the road. This did not appear to satisfy them, and Te Whiti:is reported to have stated that as often as the fences were re-erected-he should pull them down: [? re-erect them as'• often : as they were pulled down.] When Colonel Roberts found that no agreement was possible he ordered the fence to be taken away. Te Whetu" appears to have lost his tamper, and threatened to cut down the telegraph wires.'" •