WAVERLEY.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 431, 31 May 1879, Page 2

WAVERLEY.

(From our own Correspondent.) May 28. Sia William Fox met the electors in the Town Hall on Tuesday. The meeting was not over well attended, owing to the short notice that had been given. Mr Winchcomb was voted to the chair. Sir William considered that the last session of Parliament had been most unsatisfactory. What little had been done, was not done wsll. After Sir G. Grey’s stumping tour, the colony expected to hear of great results for the benefit of the country, but every part was disappointed i Government had promised to stand or fall by the Land Tax, Beer, and Companies Bills. The Land Bill had passed, the Beer Bill was kicked out, and the Companies Bill withdrawn. The "Land Tax had been bungled, and was the laughing stock of the county. The people could not undersaud the tax papers. Mr Ballanoe had been trying to collect the tax, but could not succeed. Mr Ballance had succeeded in making an exhibition of himself, for he was a man of no experience; in fact he had never been a member of Harbor or other' Boards, He had no scholastic experience, but had picked other peoples ideas from Magazines. Speaking of the Waimate Plains, Sir .Willian considered that gross had been made there. There was no chance, of getting the £400,000 (placed on the estimates by Mr Balance) from that source at present. When the House met, things would look gloomy. The speaker did not wish tomake difficulties; there w,ere plenty to contend with without that. The .King

party in the" Waikato had not struck a blowj after their defeat, and here the natives had remained sulky. The late Sir D. McLean.; had thought it better (to use a vulgar term) to let them sweat; and t was a wise policy. Sir G. Grey had been down on bis knees to the King, offering everything, and receiving nothing in return. He went to them on all fours, and was laughed at. There were two great principles to remembered when dealing with Maoiis. Ist. When you have beaten them, never make overtures. Sir George crawls 10 them, asking to be forgiven. 2nd. Never bounce natives on the land question. If you do, you will put their backs up at once. They must be dealt with by negotiation, and they would not go back from their word. Ur Sheehan’ took a wrong course in setting the natives at defiance at Waimate. The Maoris had been promised certain reserves, end when the surveyors came, not an inch was set apart for them. Mr Sheehan should not have demanded Hiroki. The only answer he received was that Hiroki had done what was right, and tlio Native Minister had to go away with his tail beiwoon his legs. Sir William considered that Mr KncyoUon knows very little of native affairs. Sir George Oioy and the Native Minister had ruined native matters, which were, before they came into office, in a good position. In answer to a request to explain his action on the beer tax, the speaker replied by putting another question —Why should he not have voted as he did ? He had asked the same question sevei’al times, and could not get an answer. The Government were too dependent on the revenue from the liquor traffic. The Good Templars through the country approved of his action. In speaking of Mr Bryce, Sir William said that although political enemies, that gentleman and himself had always pulled together in matters connected with the immediate ’ welfare of the district. In reply to a question, the speaker said that rumours were afloat of a split in the Cabinet. It was probable that Government would be defeated, in which case their only course would be to ask for a dissolution, or resign. On the motion of Mr Hogg, seconded by Mr McLeod, a vote of -confidence in, and thanks to, Sir William Fox was carried unanimously.

In consequence of a communication received from Major Brown by Mr Sicely, yesterday, a hurried meeting of settlers was called to consider the aspect of native affairs. Mr Sicely was voted to the chair, and explained that he had seen Major Brown that morning, and had been told by him that a native named Kereopa had been holding out certain threats of following in Hiroki’s footsteps. Major Brown wished it made known to the settlers, and to warn them to be on the look-out.

Sir William Fox addressed the meeting, and said that the immediate danger to the settlers in this place was that Kereopa, and perhaps others with him, might carry out the threats that had been used, and damage settlers property, or even commit murder. It was to prevent this, therefore, that the settlers should bestir themselves. Had a white man used the same language, the law would have been exercised, but lie supposed it was not so in the case of Maoris. It was said that the Crown Prosecutor in Wanganui had given it as his opinion that there was a technical objection to bring the law into force against Kereopa. If there was no law to apply to this case, he thought Government should act as if there were a law for it, and take upon Itself to suppress this man. He thought that the settlers should be armed, and recommended that Government be appealed to in as forcible a way as possible to suppress Kereopa, and to supply arms. Maori matters were not looking bright. The natives in Taranaki had begun trouble in the way usual witlr Maoris, viz., by taking forcible possession of settlers’lands. There was a rumour that the Maoris had said that the action taken was an assertion of their rights, and was done to force the Government to test those rights in the Supreme Court. Ho hoped it was so, but if Te Whiti had really said as reported, that there was to be a great earth-quake, and called on the natives to come to him, and that the Pakchas should be their slaves ; if he had really talked in that manner, he (Sir W.) thought things looked bad. Mr Sicely stated that some two months since, an application had been sent to the Government for arms, and read the reply from the Under-Secretary Defence, sent to Mr Kenah, which ran thus : “ Sir, —In reply to your letter of the 2nd ult., relative to the issue of arms and ammunition to settlers in the Wavorley district, I am instructed by the Hon. the Defence Minister to state that arms and ammunition are in the district, and if (as Government has no reason to believe) disturbance of the peace becomes imminent, the officers in command of districts will bo instructed to take steps for the distribution of the same, as may appear necessary.”—bince that time, other complications had arisen, and he (Mr Sicely) thought the Government should be appealed to again. Proposed by Mr W, Milne, seconded by Mr D, M. Hogg, “ That a Committee be appointed to draw up a memorial to Government, asking them to take measures to supply arms to settlers, and to take steps to maintain the peace of the district.” —Carried.

Mr A. Milne spoke on the necessity of steps being taken to have Kereopa either removed from the district or apprehended he had threatened the peace of the district, and was a man who would be quite capable of carrying those threats into execution. Mr O. Hawes said that settlers should be armed, but thought Government would not do so unless an organised force was formed. Government would not arm private persons. Messrs Hawes, Fookes, and W. Milne, were appointed to draw up the memorial, which was done on the spot. Proposed bj r Mr Swinbourn, seconded by Mr A. Milne, and carried, “ That the settlers of the District express themselves willing to enroll themselves as' volunteers.”—lt was decided that a meeting be called for Friday evening next, for that purpose. On the motion of Mr McFarlane, seconded by Mr A. Milne, it was resolved, “ That a committee of three gentlemen residing in the Town of Waverley, be appointed to act in unison with the vigilance committee appointed at the last meeting.”—Messrs Sicely, Fookes, and Fortescue were appointed. Mr McFarlane stated that he had been informed on good authority that Mr Dutliie, acting on the order of Mr Sheehan, had lately supplied Maoris with arms and powder to the amount of about £3OO.

Mr D. M, Hogg, who was lately charged with a breach of the Arms Act, has received the following telegram from Mr Ballance —“ Your explanation respecting the powder selling matter has been accepted, and in* structions have been given to stay proceedings. The prosecution is now quashed.