LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 299, 27 February 1878, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[per press agency.] CHRISTCHURCH. February 26. A conference of Canterbury Mayors and Chairmen of County Councils is proposed, to consider hospital and charitable aid questions.

CEMETERY TRUSTEES. The following telegram received by the Chairman of the Town Board explains itself : Government Buildings, February 22. G. F. Sherwood, Esq., Patea. Warrant appointing Carlyle Tovvn Board Cemetery Trustees was sent to His Excellency at Auckland yesterday. Will be gazetted as soon as returned signed. G. S. Cooper.

NATIVE OBSTRUCTIONISTS. A meeting of Waverley settlers was held on Saturday evening, to consider what steps should be taken in regard to threatened stoppage of survey of the Momahaki Block. Mr Bridge in the chair. It was proposed that twenty-five settlers should proceed to the block as volunteers to assist the surveyor. The proposition found but little favor, and it was urged on the other hand, that should serious opposition arise, it was the duty of Government to send a sufficient force to enable the survey to be proceeded with, and if necessary settlers could aid. From the telegrams published Patea people were led to expect there would be a general turn out of Waverley settlers, on Monday morning, to assist the surveyor. Several Carlyle men therefore determined to lend a hand, and a party of nine started early on Monday morning. On arrival at Wavexley, Major Brown was met with, and as he was just about starting, all rode together to the scene of contention. The party arrived at Sangsters about half-past ten o’clock, and proceeding at once to the surveyor’s camp found everything quiet. The survey party consisted of Mr Sicely (in charge), and ten men. Tapa, the chief who is instigator of present opposition, was supposed to be at Wanganui, All the Maori men, interested in the block, left camp early in the morning, leaving only a number of women and children to face the surveyors. A few Maori men, neutrals, were present as spectators. On Mr Sicely starting work, previous to the arrival of the party of Europeans, a number of the Maori women had interfered and attempted to take the chain and tools from the workmen. The chief work to be done was the laying of a bridge on the survey line over a creek. The Patea men joined in with those of Mr Sicely, and commenced to lay the stringers of the bridge, when the Maori women, somewhat angrily interfered, and tried to stop the work by pulling on the ropes against the men. A considerable amount of patience had to be exercised by the Europeans whilst the work was going on, but eventually the stringers were laid without any serious trouble. On the stringers being placed there was no further interference until the flooring was being laid, when the women attempted to pull all the covering off the bridge, but they did not show nearly so much anger in this attempt as in the former, and eventually ceased opposition and allowed the construction of the bridge to bo proceeded with. Four men of the Carlyle party agreed to remain with the survey party, and it was decided to send for about ten men from Waverley. Major Brown advised Mr Sicely to shift his camp to the bridge, in case any attempt was made daring the night to pull it down. The remainder of the Carlyle party left the ground about five o’clock in the evening, with everything quiet and peaceable. Mr Williams, of Carlyle, was present for an hour or so from half-past eleven o’clock. Captain Hawes and Mr Milne, from Wairoa district, were also present for a short time. The Waverley people generally appear to have deemed it best not to meddle. As the Europeans were leaving they met a number of the native men returning to their camp.