NORMANBY.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 278, 12 December 1877, Page 2

NORMANBY.

(from a correspondent.) In the present critical state of affairs with regard to the Waxmato Plains, it is absolutely xxecessary that the intentions of the Government on the one side, and the feelings of the natives on the other, in the matter of the survey, should be clearly and accurately stated, when mention is made of the affair m any way. lam Jed to make these remarks by the appearance of several paragraphs which have lately been inserted in the local papers, and also from numerous rumours which have been circulated throughout the district. I make use of the word “ critical” with regard to the state of affairs on the Waimace, simply because there is every reason to believe that if things are left to take their proper course between authorised Government officials and the chief of the tribe which is in possession of the land, that this very valuable and extensive block will come into the hands of the Government without any trouble, but that if private interpreters are permitted to interfere, and, however unintentionally complicate matters, the very desirable object the Government have in view may, to say the least of it, be indefintiely postponed. At the first meeting of the Ketemarae Small Farm Association, the influential chief—Honi Pihauxa expressed entire sympathy with the legitimate objects of tjie meeting, viz., to seek land in small blocks on easy terms from land which had been already clearly and decidedly acquired by the Government, and over which the native title had been extinguished. Honi is a staunch Government man, and lias at the same lime much influence witii the natives on tire north side of the Waingongora. Any misstatement of his projects and opinions is liable to lesson that influence which will surely and undoubtedly he used on the side of the Government. I believe that the Native Minister is about to visit the district shortly, andthat the pi incipal object in view is the acquiring of this very valuable piece of land. The establishment of schools and the spread of education amongst the maori population is an object which will be acknowledge by every one to he desirable, and any efforts in this direction will he heard of by all with pleasure. I believe a clergyman visited Tito Kowaru last week, accompanied by a private native interpreter, with the object of soliciting his interest forthe cstahlishmontofchurchos and schools among the tribe over which the chief is the acknowledged head. The Native Minister may entirely be depended on for every energetic endeavor to immediately acquire the Waimate Plains, and unauthorised interference should not in any way be countenanced by the public.