THE NATIVE SCARE AT PARIHAKA. Wellington, May 12.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 102, 16 May 1885, Page 3

THE NATIVE SCARE AT PARIHAKA. Wellington, May 12.

Rmjakdinu the sensational statements now appearing in the telegraph columns of the press with respect to the demeanour of the natives on the Wost Coast of the North Inland, and the uneasiness felt by the neigh bout hood of Parihaka, I have the best authority for saying that the whole affair is the work of agitators and European business people, who seem to be highly incensed at the removal of the CunM«ibulary camp at Parihaka. The Native Minister very courteously allowed mo to peruee the whole of the corrop-jtidence. I gather that reports now circulating are very much exaggerated ; indeed, I may say that the most of them are absolutely devoid of truth. Some time ago, when pome similar Candida found currency, I was able to inform you, from information supplied to the Native Office by tho Native Minister, that the agitation was being then worked up among the settiers of the Waimate Plains by two butchers, who formerly held the contract to supply the Armed Constabulary at Parihaka with meat. These persons naturally felt they had a grievance at the loss of trade thus occasioned, and hence their desire to foment a feeling of unea&ino^s among the settlers., in order that if possible power might be brought to bear upon Government, and tho re-occupation of Parihaka camp bo insisted upon. On the prosent occasion the chief agitator appears to be a Hawera storekeeper, who has written soveral ludicrously lugubrious socalled "warnings" to tho Premier on tho subject. This gentleman has been vory prolific of opinions, deductions, and prediction?, but when asked by the Native Minister (to whom his letters were referred by the Premier) for his facts, he had none to offer, but substituted instead a long rhodomontado traversing the history of the native difficulty of the West Coast during the past five or six years. It is right that, in the face of the alarming extracts telegraphod from the Taranaki papers, tho facts should see the light. The Native Minister has inquired fully into the subject, and all the reports from Government officers in the neighbour hood rsfert that there is no alarm felt as to the demeanour of the natives, and unequivocally give the lie to the absurd statement finding publicity in the daily press. Te Whiti and Tohu both appear to be chafing under the unwarranted suspicion as to their motive* and intentions, and resent what they cannot but teel is uncalled for surveillance, though of course the action of the authorities in endeavouring to ascertain the truth of the rumours is not intended as surveillance. The Maori mind is always suspicious if thore is tho lea«t indication of want of faith in their integrity. If any trouble arises, it will be wholly due to tho criminal acts of interested agitators, who view with alarm the with dravalof the expenditure of public money in the locality, owing to the removal of the constabulary and tho breaking up of the camp at Parihaka.

A clergyman at Bournemouth, while preaching a few Sundays ago from the text, ' Hegiveth His beloved sleep," stopped in the middle ot his discourse, gazed upon his Numbering congregation, and said : "Brethren, it is hard to realise the unbounded love which the Lord appears ta have for a large portion of this congregation u