NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 953, 18 May 1868, Page 2

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

(From the "Southern Cross," May 2.) During last session of Parliament a bill was passed empowering the natives to send four members to the House of Representatives. The Northern District, which comprises all this island north of the TamaM stream, has the election of one member. By a proclamation in the " G-azette," the election was appointed to take place at the house of Mr Barstow, Resident Magistrate, Russell, on the 15th instant. We are sorry to find that the natives generally, seemed to take little interest in the matter, alleging as a reason that four men will be of little use against all the European members. There was therefore, but a small attendance at Mr Barstow's on the day ot the election. Mr Frederick Russell, a half-caste, a son of Mr Russell of Hokianga, was proposed by a native named Rawiri Paru, seconded by Pori j and there being no other candidate proposed, Mr Russell was elected. The new member of the House of Representatives has received, we believe, a good English education. He is well connected on both sides, his mother being a relative of Tamati, Waka Nnene. We believe that several of the old settlers at the Bay consider that it would ; have been better if Aperahama Toanni had been sent as the representative of the Northern District. Our Upper Thames correspondent, writing on the 6th instant, states that Mr Buckland's cattle, which were seized a few days ago at Patetere, have been driven to Tokaugamutu, for the purpose of being killed- to feast the Moaries who may attend the next great native meeting.

The more advanced of the Hauhau party have left Ohinemuriin order to avoid meeting witn Mr Mackay. A number of natives and European! assembled at Orakei on April 10 to attend a meeting of the Maori and. European Reform Association, but no business was done, as thsre was no interpreter pres9nt. Te Wirihana, who had been depended upon, declining to undertake the responsibility. The Association adjourned sine die. Our Tauranga correspondent writes that all is quite in that district, and the natives apparently disposed to maintain peaceful relations with the European settlers. Our Upper Thames correspondent writes on April 13: — " The Hauhau section of these natives have agreed to allow the Queen's policeman to come into this district to send away any diggers that may be found trespassing on Maori land, and also that the Government can do what they wish with the land that they bought from the Maoris on this river some years ago. The Queen natives, 'or ISgatipaoas, with Te Moananui and his people, have told the Hauhaus that they would never consent to allow their lands to be handed over to the King, but that they meant to keep the right of the disposal of those lands to themselves. Rapata told the natives at the meeting that he would nat consent to his lands being handed over to the King or the Governor, but that he meant to keep them in his own hands, and then, if he wished to lease them for the gold or otherwise, he could do so, without any talk, as they were his own. Mr Mackay told Eeihana to Tauhua (who . was the principal speaker on the Hauhau side) that, if any of them left this district to go and fight elsewhere, they were not to return again. On the 9th inst Mr Mackay provided two tons , flour, with some biscuit, sugar &c, for the meeting. He told them that he would finish the talk, i, c., the settling of the numerous land disputes, &c, some time in Jane next. I trust I shall be able to give you fuller information as to good results or otherwise of this meeting, at a future date,' A rumour prevailed in town on April 25 with reference to Waikato, which we probably should not have thought worth while noticing, had it not been that we have received a letter "from our correspondent in the Thames, giving news of the same character. The rumour was, that the Lower Waikatos had determined to cross the boundary, and settle down on the lands they occupied before the war. They were not to attack any Europeans, nor destroy property, but, if there was to be fighting, to throw the onus of beginning upon the pakeha. That is the report, and, however intimate may be his knowledge of native affairs, no one can venture to say whether it is true or not. We know fora fact that the idea of doing something like this has been mooted and talked over amongst the Kingites. Another fact is, that the Lower "Waikatos living as they do chiefly on land belonging to the Ngatimaniapatos, do not feel jyefy f.omfnrtaKlftlin thftJEpreignt condition. ! On the other hand, we know tnat tne Kingites have lately determined upon extensive wheat culture this season, and [ have taken measures to carry on agricultural operations on a complete scale. But as these people profess to be guided in their determination solely by what is revealed to them as the will of God, no one can say what sudden determination they may for j . Of course, if they would; some down into Lower Waikato, and be content with the land they could cultivate and occupy, by all means let them have it. We should still have enough, and to spare; and the land would be better cultivated by Maoris than lying waste. If this were done, and the aukatis taken off, the province of Auckland would take | such a start a head as would soon enable it to distance all the other provinces of New Zealand. We learn that the Government have not received any intelligence from Waikato which would give countenance to the rumor, and, this being so, we are not inclined to attach much weight to it. The following is the letter from our correspondent at the XTpper Thames, spoken of above : — TJppeb Thames, April 17. Te Hira has not yet proceeded to Tokangamutu. Tor correspondent has been privately informed that as soon as Te Hira proceeds to Tokangamutu, and Tukukino and his fellow rebel chiefs send for their wives, then we may expect the Tekauma-rua to make their appearance in this district to clear it of pakehas. The Ugatikoe, a friendly tribe, are preparing, when that time draws near, to make a stand at Okahukura to repel the invasion of this district by those coldblood murderers, the Tekauma-rua. At the same time they look to our good Civil Commissioner, Mr Mackay, for material support in the shape of arms and ammunition. .""", Se Hira has just received a letter from the King, in which he proposes to make an attack on Ngaruawahia (in Waikato), but Te Hira will not as yet give his consent to fight, which is all that is keeping the King from at once making the attack on that township ; thus clearly showing the critical state of the Waikato, and that the fires of the volcano of rebellion may at any moment burst forth and scatter death and destruction over that at present apparently peaceful district. A report has just arrived that fighting . is going on at Cawhia between the Hauhaus and Queen natives about some disputed land, and that Tukukino, with some other Hauhau chiefs, have been sent to take charge of the Hauhau forces, and lead them against their opponents. The Maori King Twhiao has just sent for forty of his subjects that were digging gum at Otahu, East Coast, to return to Tokangamutu. He is evidently quiety collecting his forces for some important service. The Hauhaus are quite confident that they will be assisted by their god to free these islands from pakeha

dominion. They say, " Taihoa, ka puta ton matou motu ; £ci te Atua to whakaaro " — by-and-bye our island will be freed ; the thoughts and works are with God. _____