THE PROVINCES.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 75, 21 November 1864, Page 3

THE PROVINCES.

By the lAldingii'anii Airedale, we^haye later files . from the North. ..j-^.ii -, ■•::.-. AUCKLAND. The Neva '• Zealand, >I£efal& i ha.s the following ■with reference to the escaped' prisoners : — " We/learnffrom-a gentleman who, coining down, from the northj; -met, Tffith /some of these; natives on their, way -to Hokianga, ;that. large numbers, of them are dispersed; among th^. northern' tribei, where they jhaye friends and connections ; : thus,: as we have-before stated, the leaven of disaffection is beingc£widelyi spread. ;i The gubernatorial mis-, management in' allowing the prisoners to be placed with no other guard than their parole upon the Eawau has sown the storm — the whirlwind will . at no distant date be reaped by o ; the jColonists. These Maoris on being reproached with having betray td the. trust reposed in them, that they effected -their .escape; after 'being set in comparative liberty on the- rKawau on parole, excused, themselves by, saying that' it^ was a miserable place, and thojagh at first the Governor came amongst them, he soon left" them t j themselves in doubt and uncertainty as to theiir future, leaving them under the impression that" they were henceforth Blaves, doomed to the task of tilling his private estate. They acknowledged that they thoroughly understood the nature of the pledge- when they twice solemnly gave then* parole of honor to the Governor, through Mr. White, on board the Marion hulk— promising not io leave the island, if liberated, without the permission; of the Government; but they urged, in excuse, that liberty was sweet. Thus, ks we have said, too much blame "cannot be. attached to the conduct of Governor Grrey, in taking the parole of honor of a Maori as a . sufficient guarantee of His good faith." '' : "' : ■'■" -"'■' ' :''"' "■:."'. ' ' ' '•■'".' The same journal says :— " It appears that some time shice the Native Chiefs who wish, to remain friendly towards- us, wrbte, 1 as' 'indeed we stated at the time, to Sir George Grey, praying him to interfere, for .the .sake .of peace and for the sake .of their young men, and remove 'these escaped prisoners from among them. 'Will "our readers believe it— but it is said.by these Chiefs .that the philo-Maovi ApoBtlo," the abbrigmal-lbying Governor, has had' this" document in his possession seventeen, daya/ aud haV not even vouchsafed to acknowledge itsx.eceipt, mucli less to answer it.".' , Two Maoris, who . escaped from. Kjnrau, have given themselves up.. It ib reported that they have reeeived a free pardon. The Herald comments on the state of the Auckland police. It is badly paid, and not sufficiently numerous. .. ■<■ ... . Experiments with the coal recently discovered at Russell, tend to prove" that it. is equal to that obtained, at .Newcas tie. ; A great trade may be expected to spring up, as it can be (so it is said) delivered in Auckland at 20s. per ton, t>r even less. ; : : . r .. •■■ ;.!•.■.•.' '.-' ■ ■''■■■■ - *"