THE WAIMATE PLAINS MOVEMENT.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 49, 14 January 1880, Page 2

THE WAIMATE PLAINS MOVEMENT.

The Hawora correspondent of the W anganui Herald, no doubt a very worthy fellow, has for some time past been treating the readers of that journal to sensational telegrams and letters on the Waimate Plains question, ami he even goes as far as to hint that the year 13S0 will dose, and nothin*; will be done. He is supposed to be well versed in all the movements of the Maoris, anti can. tell to a potato how much food they have in stock in case of war. As far as we are concerned, wo arc content to wait, yet a while longer. and we have every reason to believe that active measures are being taken now for the re-occupation of the Plains. The action taken by the Government in rcmovim;' the Maori prisoners to Dunedin am! Hokitika, is sufficient proof that a forward movement is about to be common cod. By shipping the. prisoners down South, a larger force of A.C.'s will be available for sendee on this coast, and io doubt Government had tins end in view when they took tins step. The correspondent referred to, in a recent letter to the Herald, says—“ If this question is not taken in hand shortly, the matter should raise a feeling of indignation and contempt in the heart o{ every man who desires a hit of freehold in New Zealand.’” Wo should very much like to know how this individual is so well posted in matters connected with the Plains, because some of the communications sent to the Herald have certainly taken the. district by surprise, and aie calculated to do more harm than good, inasmuch as they do not contain a particle of truth. The Press, in an article outlie native question, says—“ During the last few days the Colony has been startled by the appearance in several newspapers of sensational telegrams on the subject of the West Coast Maori difficulty. They sot forth in detail the whole plan of the supposed campaign—what will be done under certain circumstances, and what will bo loft undone. They take the people into the confidence of the Government in the 'most complete manner, and lead their readers to the conclusion that the senders are in daily consultation with the Cabinet on the minutest detail of their native poliev. Now, without pretending to any spec-id knowledge, we venture to assert that the stories to which we refer are little more than pure canards, manufactured out of the very smallest modicum of fact.”

The Wellington Chronicle of Thursday last says;— Some time* since it had been definitely decided by the. Governmeul that the Waimate Plains should he, occupied at. a few days from the present date. However. we now understand, on good authority, that tin; occupation wili not take place earlier than tiie 20th instant.. The lion Mr. Bryce, Native and Defence Minister, will in person superintend the operations, lie proceeds to Ilawera at an early date, for this purpose. The special corespondent of the Lyttelton Times left by coach this morning en route for Hawca, whence he intends to proceed to Pavihaka with a view of interviewing Te Whlii. la connection with the, proposed occupation of the Wai'.nato Plains, wc, to-day, received the following telegram from a reliable correspondent at Ilawera; —“Strong opinions arc expressed doubting the intention of the Government taking active measures re Wrtimato Plains. Major Atkinson passed through yesterday to attend a Cabinet Council to consider the question, and it is mooted in well inlonued circles that, the Cabinet is divided on this question.” Wo trust that tiie rumour about division in the Ministry is not correct. It was the fatal disunion in the Grey Ministry which prevented the West Coast difficulty from being settled long ago. The then Colonial Treasurer in the. absence of Sir Gfcorge, Grey at Auckland had made preparations for taking the wise course now said to he intended by the Hall Government, but the Premier countermanded the orders. We have always advocated a firm course, and wo still think it is the wisest that could be adopted. If the Maoris learned that the Cabinet was divided they would become more insolent than ever. Wc-. know that the Native Minister is strongly in favor of occupying the Plains, and wc trust that lie will remain firm in his convictions. Sensational rumors were afloat last night that the Government had determined to send to Opunake a strong force of A.C.’s. The cause of those rumors was that the Captains of the Hinemoa and the Stella had received scaled orders, which were not to be opened till the open sea had been reached. They had also been commanded to bo ready to proceed to sea by 4 o’clock this morning, and to lie provided with a weeks rations for their crews, and two hundred and fifty rations and a quantity of provisions besides. A considerable quantity of A.C. stores were placed on tiie steamers, those on the Hinemoa being marked “ Dunedin,” and those on the Stella “ Hokitika." The knowing ones thought this was only a ruse to put the people off the scent, and that the real destination of the steamers was Opnnuke. However it fumed out that the Government had dotormided to remove the Maori prisoners to Dunedin and Hokitiki. Accordingly, this morning, o’clock, 01 of the prisoners, accompanied by a guard of 30 A.C.’s, were taken aboard the Hinemoa, which started for Dunedin; 40 were conveyed aboard the Stella, accompanied by a guard of 2'» A C.’s, and the steamer proceeded to

Hold tiki at 4 a.in. In these places the forces required lo guard the prisoners need not be nearly so large ns if they were kept in Mount Cook Gaol. It is also thought prudent Unit the prisoners should, not be ke.pt in the North Island in the event of a conflict taking place over the occupation of the Waimate Plains. The Government has committee a gross breach of faith with Dr Puller the counsel for the Maoris. The postponement of the trial could not have been obtained without the consent of the counsel for the prisoners. Dr Duller consented to that postponement on the distinct pledge from the Government that the Maoris should be treated purely as political prisoners. Dr Duller was yesterday in conference with Ministers fora full hour, yet he learned for the first time by the Government organ this morning that the Maori prisoners bad been sent awav to Dunedin and Hokitika.