The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1880.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 502, 24 March 1880, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1880.

Te Whiti is again to the fore. He is threatening with the arm of llcsh to help his spiritual power out of a difficulty. That spiritual power has long been in some perplexity as to how to bo independent. nf naruiil weapons, am! yot to roaiat effectually the powder and steel of the pakeha. Mystical speeches on his part, and blind faith on the part of Ins followers, he found, was not all that was required. He has, therefore, assumed a more business like tone, and amid innumerable promises and professions of peace, has contrived to wrap np a threat of war. There are, however, different views that may be taken of the manifesto. We, on our part, do not imagine, for a moment, that it should in the least alter the plans of the Government, alarm the settlers, or, in any way, be more heeded than other volumes of “ stinking breath uttered” by Te Whiti. It was becoming prosoy to the faithful to jonrimy month after month to Paribaka to bear nothing that they could curry away. They had bad no treat, nogreat sclf-gxaltation since Mr Sheehan was foolish enough to expose himself to the insolence of a sulky savage. That was a day to be remembered by the true believers, for then their heavensent leader manifested himself fo the Gentiles, and treated the greatest of them as his wash pot. To Whiti hns felt all along that this was bis great triumph, and has yearned Irr another opportunity. This is why he recognises no Native Minister but Mr Sheehan, the man ho exulted himself over. He cannot endure the idea of the new man, who maintains liis own dignity, and that of the colony, being recognised by tho Maoris. The prophet feels that for the faithful to recognise tho authority of the man who has coolly ignored their leader would be a step towards joining in that of ignoring themselves. The Boyal Commission has also kept out of his way; they have not asked his opinion, or gone to Paribaka to make obeisance. Tho military officers have gone on as if no Te Whiti were in existance. They have not visited the august savage, or allowed him to pluck a single feather for his cap from their dignity. They have obstinately refuged to melt into thin air, or sink into the earth with llieir forces. And then the men, women, and children, have been trooping onto the Plains by the hundred, which looked like occupation in earnest. 13ut not content with sieving the Plains and making roads through them, the land thieves were about to cut roads through tbo bush, and strike at the very root of the Maori power. All this, together with the refusal nf the clouds to bring back the prisoners, was very monotonous-to the iaithlul. Something must he done to r vivn their drooping spirits and quicken their faith in the unwashed prophet. But no Minister presented liimsel! to he spat upon, no Commission came to bqg an audience, and not even the Governor presented himself before his divine rival. What then was to ho di ne? Fortune would

have it that a larger army of gaping pakehas than usual were present, and among them some, at least, who should have known, bettor. There was “ the tall man of arms in the tall hat standing there” (Colonel McDonnell); there was the cx-Superintemlont of a Province and an ex-M.H.R. (Mr Carrington); there was a great and powerful man from the Greenstone Islam], who had repeatedly asked To Whiti if he would condescend to sec Sir Hercules Robinson, and who probably means to send that worthy to Parihaka; there was also, under the shadow of the “ tall hat,” the special commissioner of the Wanganui Herald, and besides these historical names, some sixty or seventy others, Te Whiti observed how elated his followers were at seeing the white men, groat and small, docking from far and near to do him honor and drink In his inspired wisdom, and he concluded that this was the best time he could ever hope to have for a little bounce.

This is, to us, the true theory upon which to account for Te Wliiti’s late explosion. Wo have before protested against the wretched curiosity that takes droves of people, who are supposed to lie interested in putting Te Whiti down, to listen , to his ravings, and by so doing strengthen his self-conceit and his hold upon the native mind. The Government are playing their part Well—Mr Bryce has ignored the prophet, the Commission lias done likewise, and the Premier the other day visited Opvmake, and came away without in any way feeding the pride and power of Te Whiti. But scores of people appear to be doing their best to counteract the effect of the wise and dignified conduct of the Ministry in this matter. There is one species of creeping things, especially, that should either be sent to keep company with other disturbers of the peace, or receive a pension to leave the colony—wo refer to the special correspondents. There is no statesman in the colony whose utterances are made so much of as Te Wliiti’s. Hence it is that he is able to say that the Governor “goes to secret places to talk, but I talk in the open here, so that every one may hoar.” We know of nothing more disgusting and contemptible than the interviews which the adventurous interviewer of Kimble Bent holds with the prophet. Can anything be conceived more ridiculous than this hero’s asking To Whiti if he would receive the Governor ? It is too comtemptible for notice were it not criminal as well as idiotic.

There is another supposition on which the threatening language of Te Whiti anrl Tohu can be explained. It is well known that the Maoris have a rooted dislike to the intrusion of the pakeha’s into the bush about their strongholds. Now it is, or was, part of tho groat scheme of tbo Government to cut roads, in several directions, through the bush. Until about ten days ago, this was only talked of, but then fifty men were sent to Stratford to begin the work, of all others, most hateful to the natives. May it not be that Te Whiti saw clearly enough that these fifty men would not be left there if danger were apprehended ? If ho foresaw t bis, and spoke accordingly, ho was certainly right; for the men have, we believe, been re-called. We are inclined to think this a slight exhibition of weakness, which the cunning Maori will not forget to gloat over and take advantage of. There are contractors and other men at work on the Plains, miles away from any protection ; surely fifty armed men are as safe there, for as Maoris do not begin by attacking armed men.

But however much we regret that the prophet lias scored a point in this matter, we would be the last to advocate or encourage rashness. Should the worst come to the worst, we have every confidence in the power ot the Government to cope with the difficulty. If blood he shed, wo have no doubt that Te Whiti will suffer more than tho “ singeing of his eyelashes with powder,” and that whatever may become of Ibe spiritual Te Whiti, “ the Te Whiti that oats potatoes” will soon eat them no more for oyer.

We regret to announce that Mr Dennis O’Sullivan, baker of this town, was killed last evening whilst coming from Manuiahi in his trap. The accident happened just this side of Mr Williamson’s, Kakarainea, at tho bottom the hill, where the horse ran over the embankment, upsetting the trap, and pitching Mr O’Sullivan out on his head. Ho appears to have been killed instantaneously, as he was not observed to speak or move after the fall. Tenders are invited by Mr J. Ivess, to close at 6 p.rn. to-day, for the erection of a machine room for the Patea Mail. Forms of application to be placed on the Electoral Roll of the Egmont District, can be obtained from the Cleric of the R.M. Court, at Carlyle or Hawera,. Wc have received a lengthy letter from Mr Wilson' Milne, of Waverley, on the old subject, which has been consigned to the waste-paper basket-~not from its worthies noss, but that we consider enough has been said. The Premier and the Native Minister passed through Carlyle on Sunday, on their way to Wellington. The day chosen was a very good one for avoiding deputations. The Native Commission- was to have sat at Carl' le at 10 o’clock this morning, but (.wing to the inclement weather, the sitting will not take place at that hour. Should the weather clear up, the members of the Commission will possibly arrive this morning, ami sit during the afternoon. A large number of natives were in (own during Monday, but the cold and wet has driven them home.

A public meeting will be held in the Carlyle Town Hall to-morrow evening, to urge upon the Government the desirability of immediately proceeding with the railway 7 from Carlyle. Mr D. Slater, P.D.0.R., has been deputed by the District Court at Nelson to reorganise Court Paten, Ancient Order of Foresters. Mr Slater is now in Carlyle, am! will hold a meeting for tho above purpose during the week, notice of winch will be given.

Mr Joseph Ivess is now in Carlyle, making arrangements to take over the Patea Mail on the 3rd April. An advertisement elsewhere announces that a ivw paper—the 'Times —will also be started at flawera by the above gentleman; about the lath April next. Two papers at Ha worn ! Tins is a slice of kick that the most sanguine could not have anticipated. We expect to hear of some hot work in that quarter presently. Success to Hawera and its two papers. The s.p. Patea left this port for Wellington on Sunday last, but after getting outside it was found impossible to proceed, owing to the boisterous state of the weather, and she had to put back. She lias been lying in the river ever since, awaiting a change, but at the present time there seems no prospect of it—in fact the weather seems to be getting worse.

Applications for an assistant mistress for the District High School, addressed to tho Chairman, will be received by the Carlylo School Committee up to 5 p.m. to-morrow. Qualifications or testimonials must he forwarded with applications, A cricket match—Waitotava v Carlyle—will be played on Good Friday, on the ground of tho latter. The Carlyle team will be chosen from the following gentlemen who are first on the ground :—Messrs Jacomb, Fraser, Dixon, Kitchen, Baggett, Arundel], Drake, Keenan, F. T, Horner, W, Dasent, A. Black, Cowern, Nicholson, Courts, and Taplin. Play to commence at 10.30 a.m. sharp. Tho season for shooting, or otherwise taking native game—viz., wild duck of any species, bittern, pied still plover, wild geese, dotterell, pigeon, teal, black tilt plover, curlew, and quail—commences on the 29th March, and ends on the 31st July. Messrs Mnrdo McLean, Daniel Mnnn Hogg, James Blnik Taj 7 lor, Waller Switibourn, and Thomas Reid have been appointed by His Kxcellency the Governor as Commissioners of the Waverloy Local Board ; appointments to date from 13th September, 1879. The Ashburton Mail, under the head of ‘ Archangel’s Feather,” says—“ A correspondent complains that bis letter published in a Taranaki paper has been denounced in tho Patea Mail as containing perverted statements. This has ‘fetched’ that correspondent, who indignantly replies thus —‘ An odd feather plucked even from an archangel's wing would in some hands be pronounced faulty.’” Our contemporary lias got things rather mixed. We bud nothing whatever to do with the matter referred to, further than reprinting the letters in this journal.

Tlio multiplication oF 957G54321 by 45 gives 4414444445. Reversing t!io order of the digits, and multiplying 12345G789 by 40, we get a result equally 7 curious, 5555555505. If we take T2345G789 as the multiplicand, and interchanging the figures of 45, take 54 as the multiplier, wo obtain another remarkable product, GGG6GGGGO6. Returning to the multiplicand first used, 987654321, and taking 54 as the multiplier again, we get 53333333334—a1l tb rcos except the first and last figures, which read together 54, the multiplier. Taking the same multiplicand, and using 27, the half of 54, as the multiplier, we get a product of 2G6GG66G6G7, all six -s, except tlie liist and last figures, which read together 27, the multiplier. Next interchanging the figures in the number, 27, and using 72 as a multiplier, with 987654321 as the multiplicand, we obtain a product of 71111111112—a1l ones except the first and last figures, which, read together, gives 72, the multiplier.

An American editor writes .—Wo have tried the Bogadus kicker, wo have kept a kicking mule in our room, we’ve used bulldogs and kept shot guns, and still people who have nothing else to do will come when we are busy and insist on having us stop work and listen to them ‘ blow their horns’ for an hour or two at a stretch. We have invented a chair which is a success. It is made of iron, screwed to (lie floor near to our desk, ami the seal: is so arranged with steel springs that it ‘ lets go’ every ten minutes after it is wound up. One winding will lot her go three or four times, and it has the power of a three-year-old mule ; no matter who sits on it, when it goes off it lifts ’em and flies back to its harmless position. It wont through its first operation yesterday. A little chap with side whiskers, from Cincinnati, came in to talk to ns. lie took his seat in ‘ our chair,’ and commenced telling ns about our ‘flings’ at the swillhouse below his native city 7 . We wrote away 7 , while we knew ‘things was working.’ His tcii minutes was up. Flip! the machine acted, and he was flung right through space, say 15 y 7 ards of it, into a treacle tub kept, kindly at some distance to gently receive our visitor. He came out, ran down the street, but the little boys were after him, and insisted upon ‘licking’ him, which we in our mildness, and in another sens(», had refrained from doing.