ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 497, 6 March 1880, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

[We are at all times ready to give expression to every shade of opinion, but in no case do we hold ourselves responsible for the sentiments of our correspondents.] {To the Editor of the Patea Mail.) Sin, —I trust my letter on Highway Board matters was not misunderstood. I defended the late Board, which, having done good work and being now defunct, should be allowed to rest in peace, but I offered no exculpation of the present one ; nor could I do so in tho face of its very extraordinary resolution to exclude “strangers” from its meetings; for I hold that such a provision, though perhaps sound in law, is contrary to all principles ot justice and equity. It seems that the local Act makes no provision for audit, and that under it expenditure of monies may be kept completely shrouded in mystery. Such a system is fit only for the grinding injustice of the dark Ages, and should be relegated to the oblivion it so richly merits. All public business should have the widest possible publicity, and surely those who intend to act impartially will court, rather than avoid, investigation. At certain times it is necessary in the interests of justice to exclude the general public, the opening of tenders for example ; but this it only done in committee, and when the Board come to consider tho committee’s report the public have a right to be present. As regards the roads I am personally interested in, 1 want no more expended on them than strict justice and impartiality will warrant, and this end is best attained by conducting the Board’s business in the full light of day, and affording each ratepayer an opportunity of seeing how money is expended.—l am, &c., JOHN W. KEN AH. Waverley, March 3rd, 1380. P.S.—l take tho word “strangers’'' to have the same, signification it has in the House, and to mean ail persons not members of the Board. J.W.K.

N lil W Z 13 ALA N1) It IF L 13 ASSOCIATION. Thu second prize meeting of the above Association commenced at Nelson on Monday last, and is still proceeding. The following is a list of the events as far as they have gone : Match No I.—Any Member, 200, 400, and 500 yards. Seven rounds at each distance. Open to all members of the Association. Entrance foe, ss. Snider and muzzle-loading Enfield rifles, or carbines of Government pattern. I prize of £lO ; i prize £9 ; i prize of £8 ; i prize of £7 ; 1 prize of £0 ; 1 prize of £5 ; 4 prizes of £i> ; 0 prizes of £2 ; 8 prizes of £l. The following are the prize winners— Smith, Dunedin, 78; Morris, Oamaru, 77; Milne, Wavei ley, 75; Lieut Bennett, Wellington, 74 ; Ellis, Thames, 74; Rogers, Blenheim, 74; Fenton, Thames, 73; Buckley, Christchurch, 73; Hood, Blenheim, 72; S. France, Blenheim, 72; Doidge. Nelson, 72; Cummings, Wanganui,' 72; McKenzie, Blenheim, 72 ; Robinson, Wellington, 7i ; Crossman, Nelson, 71; Weir, Thames, 71; Coleman, Waikato, 71; Fox, Christchurch, 71; Moore, Nelson, 71 ; Armstrong, Nelson, 71; Okey, Taranaki, 71; Moore F., Nelson, 70; Thomas, Thames, 70. Match No 4. Volunteers only. 400, 500, and 600 yards. Seven rounds at each distance. Open only to Yolunteer members of the Association. Entrance fee, 2s 6d. Snider rifle, Government pattern. 1 prize of £10; 1 prize of £9 ; 1 prize of £8 ; 1 prize of £G ; i prize of £5 ; 2 prizes of £3; 3 prizes of £2 ; 10 prizes of £l. The prize takers in this match arc— Purnell, Okey, Taylor, Monk, Webster, Richardson, Sergeant Doidge, Lieut. Rogers, Hunter, Turner, Harding, Lieut. Adams, Hoskiu, McKee, Christie, Hood (Blenheim;, Griffiths, Kitching, Cummings, and Hooker. Match No. 5. Volunteers only. 200, 400, and 500 yards. Seven rounds at each distance. Open only to Volunteer members of the Association. Entrance fee, 2s 6d. Snider carbines, Government pattern. 1 prize of £8; 1 prize of £7 ; 1 prize of £6 ; 1 prize £5 ; 2 prizes of £4 ; 3 prizes of £2 ; 5 prizes of £l. The winners are;— Burr, 74, Ist; Woolley, 74, 2nd ; Thomas, 73; Winseih, 72 ; Moore, Hill, Corporal Hood, Gordon, and Keller, each 71 ; Gell, Purslow, and Laird, each 70. Match No. 6. Any Member, not being a Volunteer. 100, and 300 yards. Seven shots at each distance. Open to any member of the Association not being a Volunteer. Entrance fee, 2s 6d. Any large bore rifle. 1 prize of £8; 1 prize of £6, 1 prize of £5 ; 1 prize of £4 ; 1 prize of £3. The winners are—Pronse, sen., 46 ; Price, 46; Hackock, 44 ; Ellis, 43 ; J. Harding, 42. Ten others competed.

Two men lately swam tlie Mississippi river above New Orleans, for a wager. A reporter of the race says 11 None of tliem seemed to be putting forth much effort till it was discovered that an alligator had struck out from-the shore as a competitor, and then —well every man did his best to keep tlie alligator from carrying off the stakes. The spectators enjoyed the scene immensely, loudly cheering the alligator as he gained on the men.

THE -MURIMOTU DISTURBANCE; (Wanganui Chronicle) We have been at some trouble to collect trustworthy information with regard to what has actually been done at Mnrimotu, and the circumstances which led up to the disturbance. Our readers may rely on the accuracy of the following account; —Messrs Stndholme and Co. acquired equitable rights in the Murimotu lauds years before the Government thought of negocialing for the -Same. Sir Donald McLean’s and Sir George Grey’s Governments acknowledged these rights, and agreed to respect them, reserving the power to exclude such lauds as were necessary for Colonial or Native purposes. In 1674, a great Native meeting was held at Pa tea, when the question of survey was fully discussed, ana an agreement was drawn up, and signed by Kemp and other Natives, j who bound themselves to assist in carry- j ing on the survey, at the same time acknowledging the receipt of a large soni of money. This document is now in tho Native Office at Wellington. Jn the mouths of December and January last, instructions were scut by Government to have the land known as the RongipoWaiu Block surveyed. Negotiations with the Natives lasted over a mouth, Kemp being present at the Native meetings, and never once objected to the proposed survey. At the same time he was trying to get a much larger block (including the Rangipo-Wain land) surveyed, but the Ngaliwhili and Ngatiliana would not consent, and even Kemp’s own people objected, saying he wished to obtain the sole control over all their laud his only claim being the ntana he is supposed to have derived through the decease of a distant relative. The survey was commenced, and Kemp, without the least warning or pretext, wealoiit with thirty or forty armed men, who destroyed the trig stations, burnt bridges, and stopped pack-horses with supplies, wool, &e. Only a few unarmed Ngatiwhiti men and women were accompanying the Government surveyor surveyor at this time, hut in consequence of Kemp's threats, were obliged to send for help. Matters were in this state when Hohepa Tamamntn and a party of Taupo chiefs arrived and endeavoured to make peace. Kemp gave his gun to ILmraki, a llauhan chief, telling him to take it to Tawhiao, and that his quarrel was with Government, who were trying to steal his land. He also wrote to Hohepa, telling him lie was not to have the gun, but that it must he sent to Tawhiao, When Captain Mair reached Mnrimutu he went straight to Kemp’s camp to talk the matterover ; hut Kemp assaulted him, taking his horse and repeatedly ordered his Natives to shoot him. After Captain Mair had persuaded the Ngaliwhiti and Ngalilama to return quietly to their respective homes at Taupo and Patea, and tho surveyor had removed from the ground, Kemp broke into the shepherd’s huts, robbing them of food, clothing, horses, &c., and killing sheep and poultry. He then sent messages, telling the Ngatiwhiti he would burn down their settlements at Wain and Riuopuuanga, and ransack Slndhohne and Co.’s Waipnna station, and drive-all Native and European stock hack toNapier. Then the Ngatiwhiti, 42 in number, left their wheat cutting, and took up a position at Wain, for the sake of protecting their own, and the property of their Pakeha friends. Kemp has now eighty men, and is posted at Anahitotarn, three miles from Wain. Ho as been reinforced from Ranaim and has just received large supplies of ammunition, saved out of that issued to him by Government during the late war. He his still “ breathing threatonings and shngffe,'” against the Ngatiwhiti, the Government and the Europeans in general, and soys he will “ make tho land red with blood. ” The Ngatiwhiti are anxious to return to their harvesting and wool-washing, hut fear to leave Wain lest Kemp destroy Wain and Waipnna, and drive off their sheep as threatened. Kemp has twice stopped Stmjholme’s pack-horses with supplies, and the Kariai Station will soon bo in a state of starvation. His own people do not approve ofliis conduct, but they tear him, and soy he must bo J right, as he is a Government official. He keeps his young men together by paying them 3s 6d per diem, and giving them food. Topia Tnroa, the wellknown Taupo chief, has been requested by Government to remain at Napier, •and told that Government will take the matter in hand. It is a fortunate thing that he has been kept away ; had he been in the district, there would have been a collision long ago, us he is a hottempe.rod man, and could not, without loss of mdna, submit to the bounce of an inferior chief. If shots were exchanged and a man killed on either side, numberless outside; tribes would bo drawn into the quarrel.