THE PATEA MAIL. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1875.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 23, 30 June 1875, Page 2

THE PATEA MAIL. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1875.

Tim gap now existing in the line of telegraph between here ami New Flymouth, seems ns far off being spanned ! ns ever, owing to (he obsiinaey of the ; Pariliaka natives wb.o, led by their oxee.nirie chief and psnedo prophet, Te Whiti, oppo-,‘ (ho building of the line across their land, and land which they : claim to hi? theirs. Lately, rnmonrs have been current that Te Whili has become exasperated at the constant efforts of Mr Civil ('omniissioner Parris, who has for (he last throe years been si living to overcome the obstacles to the i completion of the line, raised by he Wliiti and bis followers, A New Plymouth exchange of a late date gives currency to a report, that Te Wind lias determined to spill blood over the dispute, and had actually sent some ol bis people to intercept and slay Hone Filiania, a chief, who has done the (Government and settlers ol this part ol the Colony many and. valuable services. We do not know what grounds there have been for the report in question, but it certainly does seem to us an extraordinary .state of things at this time of day, that a man like Te Whiti, who is looked upon as something closely akin to a lunatic, should bo allowed to stop the completion of an important link in five telegraphic system of the Colony, and by his action endanger the peace of (he. Province- Whether he really would spill blood or not is a question we are not prepared to answer, hut we think the bare possibility of bis being mad enough to do such a thing’, should open the eyes of the Native Minister to the defenceless state of the settlers on this coast. At present the number of Armed Constabulary occupying the various posts in this part, of the Island, is much smaller than it has boon for some years, and is quite inadequate for the purposes of even local defence, let alone that of preserving peace should Te Wliiti, or any other fanatic, take up arms and induce a hundred dr more of the malcontents, living at the base of the mountain, to join in a raid on outlying and unprotected settlers. Far be it from our purpose to set up a false alarm, but we are just as much averse to the opposite folly of inviting attack by neglect of proper precautions. It was only the oilier day the Government had to send a detachment of Armed Constabulary to Opnnake in hot haste, to quell a riot which luckily turned out of- small importance; but the very fact of having to send The men from Wellington at a moment’s notice, shows the insecure state of our outposts. Tito Kowaru is still at liberty to give trouble, and is doubtless at the bottom of To Widths attempt to interfere with, 'the, erection of the telegraph line through ' the latter’s tom lory. A cunning man like Tito Kowaru working in safety through the medium of a fanatic like Tc Wliiti, is always a source of trouble, and likely to remain so, so long as the Government are not in a positibn to enforce their wishes in the hot bed of obstinacy existing at Purihaka. Wc had hoped that Sir Donald McLean would have found time to have visited it before Parliament met tins year, and that lie might have been able to overcome the opposition of Te Whiti to the erection of the section of line alluded to. There is yet time for the Native Minister to do so, and wc trust for the sake of the peace of the district, that he will delay no longer in coming up the Coast, and seeing lor himseit the unsatislactnry statj'of Native aiiairs between hero ami

New Plymouth. Certain pakehaMaoris have, for a long time pant, been assiduously fanning the flame of discontent, in the hope, perl laps, that the arrival of a climax may secure them a billet, or that the Government may buy them off in some way or other. These men care nothing for the consequences to others of their reprehensible conduct; all they care for is their own petty ag- . gramlisement. It is a very great pity the law does not possess elasticity enough to reach such offenders, who should be escorted out of the district and severely punished if again caught attempting to locate themselves -in it. These arc the men who translate newspaper articles to the Natives, and who do so in such a way as to inflame the minds of their hearers with angry passions, which may lead to the commission of deeds of violence and ranine. If the Government is not in a position to push the line through, in spite of Te Widths opposition, it should refrain from useless attempts to argue that unreasoning fanatic out of his determination not to let the work proceed, and not endanger the'peace of the Coast. Wo are not aware of any difficulty in the way of carrying the line through behind the mountain, which would ho both a shorter and hotter route. Jiy taking it that way Te Whiti would lie out-flanked and shewn that he is not such an nn,surmountable obstacle as lie prides himself in supposing lie is. In a few years more at the most he avi’H have been called to Jus rest, and by that lime the increase of settlement will have effectually settled the Native difficulty in these parts. There is, therefore, everything to hope : for, and no reason for pushing matters i 100 closely just now, especially in view : of the small means of defence existing for the protection of our out settle- ; ments. ?

By defendant —You stated that you passed between Mr Cramer (whose body is u yard wide) and mys.lf, an.l therefore yon must have pushed idm aside in order to .affect a passage, as you allege that you passed within a yard from nr, and Garner Avas standing between ns. Did yon step off the road up the sand-bank. Witness—l did not push Garner aside ; I walked on. I did not step up the bank. Yon were standing on the grass close to the Masonic Hotel. It was broad day ligl# By defendant—Have yon over been mixed up with a similar case ? Witness—No. Defendant —Did I not inform yon that 1 was going to sue your husband for rent ? Witness —Yes ; but I told yon that my husband had gone to the Court to lay an information against yon. You had not called previously to my knowledge. Edward Garner-—I am a brewer, residing at Carlyle. I remember Monday, 21st Juno. I Avas standing on the road near the Masonic Hotel, Avhen I saw a female passing, but as it was getting dusk I did not recognise her as Mrs Pakcnham._ Mr Jlnrst was turned towards Beamish’s fence —-about 25 yards below the house. I was distant between six and seven yards from defendant. Any person passing might have “seen Hirst's back, but I don’t think could have seen any portion of Ins front. By the Beach—Was defendant standing on a high road ? Witness—Yes, your Worship. By defendant—What distance did Mrs Pakcnham pass from you ? Witness —The distance must have been from 12 to 15 yards. I could not distinguish your sox ; your back avus turned ' toAvards mo. I don’t think any person passing could baA'e done so. Defendant bad not been the Avorso for liquor. 1 consider the information to bo entirely a mistake, as Mr Hirst could not possibly have scon Mrs Pakcnham. Mr Hirst desired to make a statement upon oath, as the charge Avas a serious one against him. He wished to leave the Coilrt Avithont a stain upon his character. E. C. Meredith, clerk to the Court, deposed that defendant came to his office yesterday, find inquired if an information had been laid against him. I replied that there Avas, but it avus not complete, as the money had not been paid. Mr Hirst then offered me the money in order that the case may proceed, but I could not accept it. His Worship remarked that it was to be regretted that such a painful case should crop np in Court. As the information stated that the offence had been committed between Beamish’s and (Niger's Hotels, and the evidence disclosed it was committed beloAV Beamish’s Hotel, ho had no alternative but to dismiss the ease. As he said before, if people Avill go about in public streets, and then misconduct themselves, lie was determined to make an example of them. As there was not sufficient evidence adduced iu this ease, he would dismiss it.