NORMANDY AND NATIVE ITEMS.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 268, 7 November 1877, Page 2

NORMANDY AND NATIVE ITEMS.

(from a corresfoxitent.) From its position Normanby should eventually become a town of importance. Situated on the Mountain Road to NewPlymouth, and being the nearest town to the Waimate Plains, it only requires the latter to be opened for settlement to.ripen into a large and . thriving place. Already it boasts two. stores and a baker’s shop,-while’ the hotel accommodation is ample ; and the' name of the s landlord of the Normanby. Hotel—M wi D. McGregor, late of the Empire Hole* Wanganui—is snfficie.it guarantee for the excellence of the fare provided, and that travellers and the public generally ;will meet with every civility hnd attention. Another . hotel : is iii course of jerection, although it is very doubtful if there is need for such an addition to the number of public houses in’tlie district, ; there being, . besides the , Normandy Hotel, already mentioned, two more within a mile of the township. ~ . The population of Norinauby and the vicinity was estimated by a writer in the Patea Mail of the 13, th ultimo, at 300, which estimate is, I imagine, , rather over than under the m ark; and the general feeling of the country is, I believe, rather against, than for, the issue of unnecessary licenses. Having already one public house to every hundred of the estimated population, ah addition to the number would appear to be uncalled for. Some , time ago , Nor- ■ maiiby could boast'of a butcher’s shop, but from lack of sufficient support, it is now closed. Surely a place which cannot support a butcher's shop, should be amply provided for with one public house. A. large number of the settlers are agitating for the formation of a Small Farm Settlement, particulars of which' have appeared in the Mail. I may repeat' that the Chief Honi Pihama was present at the first meeting, and appeared to take a warm interest in the proceedings. Mr William Williams, of Carlyle, acted as interpreter for Honi, and the chief expressed a wish that the movement might be extended to the Waimate Plains. Giving the chief all credit for his loyalty, as shown by the expression of such a wish, it is at the same time a matter of impossibility that such a proceeding can at present be carried out. News comes of trouble from these' same Waimate Plains. Several natives belonging to Kanpokonui have stolen horses and driven them to New Plymouth and sold them. The stolen horses are the property of both Maoris and Europcaiis, and it is thought they must have stolen and disposed of a large number of horses. A summons has been served on eacli of. the depredators, but they failed to make their appearance in Court. Captain Wilson then went to Kaupokonm, accompanied by a number of Maori policemen, for the purpose of arresting two of the thieves. Te Mann, one of them, is the same man who was taken ont of the coach on the beach between Opimake and Parihaka, when he was on his way to gaol for an assault on Mrs Bartlett of Opunake. The other riative is, I believe, Te Raifcahou, a younger brother of Te Mann. After a long talk with the natives, prisoners were secured, and the Taranaki coach making its appearance, an attempt ivas made to put them into it for the purpose of conveying them to the Hawora lock-up. The attempt was, however, frustrated by the appearance on the scene of a number of women, who rescued the prisoners from the hands of their would-be custodians, who returned to Hawera empty handed. Comment on the riiatter is needless, as the facts speak for themselves, and it must be evident to the most casual observer, that the Queen’s Warrant does not inn on the north side of Waingongoro. Lost mistakes may arise as to the tribe who own the criminals, I may mention that they belong to a sub-tribe of Ngaruabine, called Mangaponxa. Ngaruabine is a sub-tribe of Ngatiruanui, and Ngaruabine again is divided into five separate hapus or sub-tribes, viz., Raukuku, Eauihi, Okahu, Te Kupanga, and Mangaporua. The latter claim, the doubtful honor of owning the hqrse-thieves. Maungaporua are decidedly Government men, having been kupapas during the last war, and having always sided with Government. Titokowaru is a member, and the head of the Rupanga, and has, repudiated all knowledge of the thefts in question, and has declared his intention of standing aloof should trouble arise through the proceedings of the Government in the matter. He says it is entirely a matter between the Government Natives and Government Europeans, and should the delinquents not be given up, he will not interfere with the passage of any troops which may be sent to arrest them. Titokowaru was down at Kanpokonui on Sunday,' and proposed that £IOO should be paid by Te Mann, and Te Raikahou, and that if the authorities