NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 58, 4 June 1873, Page 2

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

(From the New Zealand Herald’s own correspondents.) Alexandra, May 23. The murderers are not likely to be given up. No such intention ever existed. If Rewi be sincere, why not take Purukutu and the native who attempted to’murder Mr. Mackay, and hand them over to the European authorities ?

If Rewi and his tribal followers be sincere, why would they not come here and live with the pakeha ?

Rewi cannot influence the Waikatoe. Thev liave no respect for him, owing to the treatment received by them at his hands before at the Taranaki and Waikato wars. He knows that, and plays his cards accordingly. Two new redoubts are being erected at Moanatuatua, which are to be garrisoned by thirty Europeans and the same number of Wheoro’s men.

Sergeant Castles left Alexandra yesterday for the new redoubts. Another redoubt is to be erected immediately on the Punui river, between here and Kihikihi.

Major Mair has been instructed to ask for Ruku, the man who attempted to murder Mr. Mackay. The Government also demand the murders of other Europeans named. The first shot fired with intent to take life, will be the signal for the uprising.

May 26. Mr. Mackay will be here to-morrow, to meet Ahipene from Kuiti, with the final answer from the king. Mackay distinctly told Ahipene that his day was the 20th, and he would not ask him to go to Tokangamutu. If he liked to go there and see the king he might do so, but not by his (Mackay’s) orders. Ahipene is expected down to-morrow. The king intends fighting, war to the knife. All preparations are being carried on by the kingites slowly but surely.

Cambridge, May 23. Tana, Thompson’s son, arrived here from Kuiti this afternoon, with intelligence of the movements of Purukutu. The nature of the message is, of course, not likely to be made immediately known. Mackay has the confidence of all the armed forces, who would follow him anywhere. His removal from the district would cause verv great uneasiness. He appears to be as good at organization as he is cool, intrepid, and courageous; ’

Ammunition is wanted. May 25. Mr. Mackay had a most successful meeting with Rewi at Kopua. ’’ Rewi assured Mr. Mackay that he would remain neutral. Before parting Mr. Mackay presented him with his own watch, chain, and locket, valued over £5O, as a memento for saving his life. At a dinner given to him by the Waikato settlers, Mr. Mackay said that since coming to Waikato he had worked with the Defence Minister, and that they were quite in accord as to the steps that had been taken in the p wt, and which ought to be pursued jn the future. He also said that he had very great hopes that the murderers would be given up to justice. Purukutu had been requested to come to Tokangamutu by Rewi and the king. Rewi sent tor him with one view-—the king perhaps with another. Rewi said, “ You give up that man, or I will hand myself over to Government.” Mr. Mackay also said that he had just returned from Kopua, where he had seen Rewi, and that he was better satisfied with that day’s work than with anything that had as yet transpired since he had been in Waikato. Rewi had said to him, “ Ab long as fighting is carried on by Europeans, I will not interfere, but if other tribes are brought here I may be compelled to fight.” Mackay said that he was in hopes this matter would now be settled without the necessity of the Government going to war, and that if he could get the murders of Sullivan given over to justice it would be better than having recourse to arms. In the erent of the law being powerless to do so, it becomes the duty of every man to uphold the law, but if war should occur, it should be made the last of all Maori ware, so that the result should be that the Queen’s writ would run through the island. - Hamilton, May 23. William Te Wheoro and eleven armed friendly natives have arrived, but are waiting for ammunition before they can proceed to Cambridge. Thirty others are on their way. A chief, who lives at the Komokorau River, reports that the Piako Haqhaus intend, while the main body of European forces are employed in the vicinity of Cambridge to create a diversion by attacking the Europeans resident on the Waikato and Waipa rivers. The Europeans and their families are disposing of their surplus property and store*. Grahamstown, May 23. Veiy great activity is displayed amongst all the Volunteer companies. The drills are very well attended. Each company has it rendezvous in case of alarm. The Ohinemuri natives are encamped on the bead. They avowedly deny having any intention of joining the king party. Taaranga, May 23. Hori Ngati says he will not fight. It is believed he will shelter and assist the rebels. - Wellington, May 26. The story of arms and ammunition going up the river is unfounded. (From the Advertiser.}

Shortland. There are several of the Piako people in Shortland now, and “ the situation ” was quite accurately expressed by one of tliem yesterday, when asked as to his ideas about war. “Do the pskehas wish for fighting? ” was the question in reply. “ No, they do not.” “ The Hauhaus do not. wish to fight, but if any force is sent into the king’s territory to capture Purukutu for killing a man who was working beyond the pakeha boundary, then there wfil be war.

It is to be hoped that Mr. Puckey will succeed in inducing the Ohinemuri natives to allow Mr. Alley’s cattle to be driven from Waiharakeke down the Thames, and that they will not insist on their first determination to drive them into Waikato. If they do the chances are that Mr. Alley will lose them altogether. They would have to pass close by Purukutu’s place, and he would seize them for passing over his ground. They woald “ come in handy ” for the kingites in case of a war. Ohinemuri. I have had occasion to visit Ohinemuri and several parts of the up-country lately, and could not help remarking the entire change of the natives .towards Europeans. Many chiefs and others, whom I have known for years to show friendship to the whites, now scowl upon and avoid them. One old chief indeed condescended to shake hands, but his friendshp ended in my refusing to get him powder and caps. (From the Thames Evening Star.) Ohinemuri. We mentioned in Saturday’s issue that Mr. D. Simpson had been obstructed in his work by the Ohinemuri natives, and the statement made was perfectly correct, as we find that the opposition of the natives was accompanied with very aggravated circumstances, showing a state of feeling the reverse of that we had been led to believe was evinced towards Mr. Puckcy,, and more in accordance with the temper and disposition described by Mr. C. F. Mitchell Mr. Simpson is pretty well known, has been engaged in making a preliminary survey of the country through which the proposed railway from the Thames to Waikato would pass, and from the beginning has experienced opposition from the Ohinemuri natives. On several occasions, his party hare been followed by six or seven armed natives but they have managed to elude them. On Saturday, as Mr. Simpson had completed the work he was about in the district, Hohepa and another native came to him armed with long spears (bayonets fixed on the ends of long poles) and behaved in a threatening manner. Hohepa was spokesman, and he said —as interpreted by the person who acted as interpreter—to Mr. Simpson, “ If you come here again, I’ll kill you ; I would have done it once, only you had a double-barrelled gun.” Mr. Simpson has accordingly come down to Grahamstown. He considers it very dangerous to be up there, and believes himself and party have been in great danger for some time. He informs us that from an experience of twenty years he can safely say he never saw natives so unfriendly as they are now. They are sullen and dogged, and ready for any desperate acts. Even the Government representative was received with tokens of unfriendliness. The state of society is one of constant intrigue, little private meetings for plotting, and reception of messengers and messages from the Waikato people. They are now, Mr. Simpson believes, kept well informed of everything that.transpires, and have assumed an attitude decidedly hostile to Europeans. Moananui says if lie is allowed to be taken by the bailiffs for the late lawsuit, he will be the first to spill blood in Ohinemuri.