AHTURIRI.

Colonist, Issue 29, 29 January 1858, Page 4

AHTURIRI.

We have news up to the 9th instant. The subjoined:is from the Hawkes Bay Herald: Jt ; CESSATIbN OF' NATIVE HOSTILITIES; ,'JOur readers will be glad to 'learn'' that" the native hostilities which have so long existed, and which have led to so lamentable a loss of life, are likely to be put a stop to immediately, by the retirement of Te Hapuka inland. This, as many of our readers are aware, is the point for which his enemies have contended. They \have, always said, " either Te Hapuka must be killed, or he must retire to his own land up the country." Hapuka, on the other hand, has always declared that he intended to go, but did not choose' to be driven. He did not set up any claim of his own to the land iifKisToccupalion, but some of his wives and children had an undoubted right to it— some of his children were buried in it—and he had been invited to remain' there by the very parties who now sought to turn him off. • For these reasons^ while professing his intention ultimately, to remove, he'has, until lately, expressed his determination to

hold his; ground until it suited himself to retire. ■ .."' .-. '■'.-,, ■. . , '/.-,..' { .' . ' The Rey. Samuel Williams, Mr, Cooper, many influential settlers in the district, and ; numerous native chiefs related to both; parties who from time to time have visited: Ahuriri, all, on repeated occasions, urged upoin Te Hapuka to take this step at once, and so put an end to the deplorable loss of j life'and the other evils that were being entailed upon the district. To these remonstrances, however, Te Hapulca has always turned a deaf ear; and it Was, not till the arrival of. Mr. M'Lean, who threw the weight of his opinion into the scale, that the old chief was prevailed upon rto remove. An armistice has been concluded; under the terms of which Te Hapuka retires, with all his goods arid chattels, to Poukawa; and is permitted two weeks the purpose of so doihg. Arrangements, we understand, are already in progress for the projected removal, with every probability of the;eieodus being completed wkhin theprescfilJediime. This, as may well be supposed, is a bitter pill for the " poor old chief to swallow. Natives do not understand the idea of a garrison marching out with the honors of war; and hence he;must feel the more" humiliated at being obliged to abandon his fortress in the face of the enemy. Fighting, however, is for the -present at |in alndj in this there is,' on public grounds, much cause for congratulation. - i . THE WANT OF A BANK. ; It is being much 'felt in this district, and a numerously signed letter, we understand, has been forwarded to the heads of the respective banks in the colony^ witlv the view of having a-branch either of the one or the other, established in the town of Napier. It is a strange anomaly in the position of this district, that, with all that, constitutes wealth, it is sadly deficient in nionev. Its settlers "have land and houses, flocks and herds, they have an annual product of wool representing many thousands of pounds, yet they not unfrequently suffer inconvenience for want of a circulating: medium— ; involving, it may be, the necessity of draw- | ing on Wellington for: a very small sum, and of seeing that draft pass from one hand to another in the ordinary exchange of trade. . - Now this state of things should not be permitted to continue; arid we trust that one of the banks, (how healthy, a thing is opposition!) will see fit, if not at oncei to , establish a [branch here, at least to send a resident agent, with the command, ofa, limited quantity of bullion, which might, till premises could be obtained, be deposited in the treasury safe.

We are persuaded that the premiums upon inter-Provincial drafts alone would suffice to cover the expense of such an agency; yet these would be little in comparison with- the large and safe discounting business that might be done—say, for example, a wool-grower's acceptance to his agent, drawn against next clip;, or the large sum that might be netted in exchange between this an<| JJondon —say the discount on drafts against shipments, secured by hypothecation of the bills of lading. jWe really trust that the good judgment of one or other of the gentlemen appealed to, will not permit so promising a field long to remain unoccupied.

The Wairoa.—On Saturday .last three whales were captured in Hawke's Bay, by the boats' crews of the northern fisheries. This information was given by Capt. Hunt, of the Zillah, to Capt. Anderson, of the; Spray* No further particulars have reached us, butthree sperm whales would doubtless prove a good haul. I Shakespeare Road.—-No tenders have been received for the metalling of this road—easily accounted for by the paucity of labouring men within the district. We i trust that, under' these circumstances, the Provincial Government will send up the necessary labour* and complete the work on its own account. The Spit is now being i covered with stores and other buildings; and means of communication by dray with the township and the interior is a sine qua non to the profitable occupation-of these buildings, as well as to the! general advancement of the port-. Pilot Service.—We recently chronicled the arrival of a whaleboat for the pilot service at' Napier—a four-oared boat. But what is the use of it without hands ? To the pilot, being by himself, such a boat is valueless; and the advantages which might otherwise accrue to the port are utterly lost. On |Wednesday morning the Spray was seen coming up the mouth of the harbour with flood tide;.he was utterly unable to go out to her; no gratuitous assistance was at hand; and no funds provided for the payment of a crew in such an emergency. ■ Chance at last favoured him in a volunteer for the occasion, otherwise the vessel would have had to wait outside till slack water. As the grand panacea for this and a hundred other evils, we trust that, when the Council is called together, a bill may be speedily passed,- giving necessary powers to a Napier Harbour Commission. A preliminary meeting was to be held at the Royal Hotel, to establish a Presbyterian i Church.

A meeting of the Settlers' Association is called for the 31st instant, to consider the future prospects of the Ahuriri District, and the subject of an early application to the General Government for an" entire separation from the Pr6vince of Wellington. ' , With the view of forming a Graziers' Society, a meeting had been called for the 30th inst.

A meeting of members of the Masonic body is convened for the 2nd proximo, with the view of taking steps towards forming a Masonic lodge in this district. Brethren of the " mystic tie" residing throughout the district will no doubt promptly respond to this invitation; while, in due time, those who are not1 privileged, will doubtless desire to avail themselves of the many adva'ntagos' resulting from such an institution1 amongst' us.