LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 247, 22 August 1877, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[per press agency.] ———-fr PARLIAMENTARY. WELLINGTON. August 21. Replying to questions, Ministers said Road Boards would be supplied with the N. Z. Gazette. Government were making enquiries regarding the best means of preventing illegitimate speculation in Native Lands, till further legislation on the whole subject Supply Bill No. 2, f0r.£250,000, received by Governor’s message, was strongly opposed, but ultimately passed. Resumed debate on Sir. George Grey s incidence of taxation amendment, on going into Committee of Supply, Mr Murray thought the time had come when property should be taxed, and financial legerdemain with the treasury cease. Any deficiency caused bv railways, should be made up by a tax on property, which had enormously benefited by railways constructed. A long and warm discussion ensued, Mr Donald Reid replying in defence of Government. n Tue debate was interrupted at 5.30, AUCKLAND. August 21. Wm. White Middeley, an aged man, was charged with indecent assault upon a girl named Catherine Carr, 12 years old. He was remanded. The steamship Lionel was wrecked while entering Whangape Harbour and five men were drowned. There was a heavy break on at the time. On crossing the breakers the first one broached the vessel to, the second breaker turned her over,- and all hands on board were drowned. DUNEDIN. August 21. , A fire occurred in George St. last night which resulted in the destruction of three small shops. Insurance Offices are interested to the following extent—Globe ; £700;; Standard, £300.; Otago, LIOO. O'v.

NOKMANBY. (FROM our own correspondent.) August 20. News from an out-of-the-way half-civilised place like this is a scarce commodity, unless one was to sit down apd retail all the petty scandals of the pi ace, wlflch .wquld be very interesting to' yqur at a distance, no doubt. But, howeyeiy we have had a Native gathering here during the last week, which, together with the almost continuous downpour of rain, has made it prejfy lively. Jibe Maories seism tfj delight in a wet day, especially jf there is a pub.- handy. - Imagine a host of them,-many of them in the way of dress well and artistically turned out for' thh occasion,—sonie offthe wahines particularly so ; others, again, fresh from the wilds of the Waimate, halfclothed in rags and tatters, but all, more or less, wot through, and covered with mud, which abounds in Normanby on a wet day at this season of the year. Fancy this lot, in this state, crushed into the bar, taproom, passages, and every available room in the hotel—packed like herrings—steaming, smoking, stinking, drinking, shouting, bawling, singing hakas, and creating a pandemonium far surpassing anything ever conceived by Milton or Dante.

But, to come to the object of this Maori meeting, which was, so far as I can learn, to formally take possession of the confiscated land up the Mountain Road, and pay over a sum of something like £ISOO, by way of compensation, to those Natives interested in the land, but who had not actually taken I '.part in the Native rebellion ; also, to decide upon a reserve, which had been asked for by the Natives —certain boundaries having been mentioned, and partly-agreed to by Major Brown, —which boundaries Major Brown was led to believe enclosed about 2000 acres, but which, subsequently, turned out to contain about IC,OOO acres, of the very cream of the land. But,., during the course of the debate, which has lasted since last Wednesday, a > rather.difficult point was raised by a young half-caste woman, of considerable personal attractions, named Mere Milii, who, in spite of a good deal of opposition on the part of several old hags, succeeded in establishing her claim to part of the land, but who would not take any share of the compensation money, but demanded a block of land instead, as Well as her share in whatever laud might be set aside as a reserve. : .

The idea has been seized upon by most, of the other Natives, who now scout the idea *of the compensation money, and demand each a block of land instead ;■ so' that, between the- reserve, and their individual blocks, there would be little or nothing left for the Governrnent.*' But, of course, the Government cannot, for one' moment, entertain such a proposition, although it will be a difficult point for Major Brown do combat. ; The argument now on the native side, is : “ If you have confiscated this land ; if it is yours, as you say it is, Why do you come here offering us money for it ? Your story of confisca tion is a ruse to frighten us ; your offer of a paltry bit of compensation money, which, if we. accept, you think will give you a claim upon the land; is also arose; and the whole is a swindle to get our land for next to nothing. If the land is yours, why not send your sawyers, and your carpenters, and your men to make fences and roads, and take possession of it. and do-not come to us with these trumped up stories of confiscation and compensation. Either the land is yours, or it is ours. If it is ours, Jet us keep it, or sell it, which we line. IE we allow yon to have your way with this land, you will come over oh to the Waimate next, and say that is yours also. Well, if yon think so, come and take it.” Thus the matters stand at pre-. sent between Major Brown and the Natives, and the meeting has boon adjourned till Wednesday, 22nd inst.