WANGANUI.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 316, 30 October 1860, Page 3

WANGANUI.

(From the Wanganui Chronicle, Oct. 4.) Major Murray arrived on Monday to take command of the troops here, in room of Lieut-Colonel Wyatt, who left last week for Taranaki amidst the general regret of the inhabitants.

Taranaki Aid Fund —A public meeting was held at tbe Rutland Hotel on Tuesday evening last, for the purpose of deoiding upou tbe mode of application of tbe funds. Thomas Powell, Esq., was called to the Chair. The chairman read a letter from Mr, Greeufield of the Superiendei.it's Office, NeLon, to Messrs. Taylor, Watt and Co. Mr. Lewis aoting as treasurer to tbe fund, informed the meeting that be had received ,£BB 10s., and that a further amount of <£30 had been promised. It was proposed by Dr. Eee9, seconded by Mr. Watt, aud carried, " That the treasurer be requested to apply to Mr. Roberts for the amount held by him of monies paid toward tbe Tarauaki Aid Fund, and also to realise as much as possible within eight days of those other amounts promised to be subscribed, and that he then pay the same to tbe credit of Alexander Kerr, Esq., manager of the Union Bank, Nelson, for disposal by tbe Nelson Taranaki Aid Cotnmitte; an<? that the names of the subscribers with the amount of their subscriptions be published in the Wanganui Chronicle" It was proposed by the Rev. Mr. Nichols and seconded by Mr. Hoskins, that a committee to collect subscriptons for the above be appointed, to consist of the Rev. Mr. Nichols, Dr. Gibson, Messrs. T Flannery, D. Nathan, W. T. Owen, E. Lewis, G Ross, James Wilson, and T. Hoskins—We are requested to state that the list is still open at Messrs. Taylor, Watt and Cos.

Hui at Parakino.—On the first inst,, an important meetiug of Natives was held at Parakino, about twenty-four miles up the river, to which the Europeans were invited. About twenty of them were present, and about 800 Maories, not nearly the number expected, time not having been allowed for the invitation to reach the natives at the head of the river. Those for about 60 or 70 miles along its banks were represented; some of the Waitotaras were also present, and two of the Ngatiruanuis. A large booth of boards, with a calico roof, served as a council chamber, and every attention was shown to the European visitors. Major Durie, R.M., opened the meetiug by stating (Mr. Deigbton interpreting), that it had been convened by the chiefs who had beeu at Auckland, in order that they might express the Governor's sentiments in regai d to them.

Tahana said, that the Europeans had been invited in order that they might see, that the opinion that Maoriea aud Pakehas should be united prevailed among the whole of the river natoes; *nd Mete Kmgi» who followed, aug-

gested that the throne should be the foundation of their unity. Pehi then declared, that if they were visited by the Governor, as they had been by his predecessor, there would be no division among them to talk of the Governor and the King; ail would be one ; Hori Kingi bid him declare to all that they were one; Hori Patene said, that he could not see how the Governor could visit them, as all those in the interior had given in their adherence to the king; the Waikato had guns and powder; leave the evil with them; but for their part they were for the king and for peace; he had no quarrel with the people of the town; they might quarrel with him but he would not begin; if they (the Europeans) went beyond their boundaries, then they would commence the evil. The king was not anxious about tupara (war) but about tuwhenua (the mainland) Paora said, there was no fault to be found with the Pakehas; the blame lay with the Maori, in selling land to them but now they should be allowed to live peaceably on what they had bought; the coasts belonged to the Europeans, but the interior was still their own. Much more was said to the game effect. Tamati Wiremu informed them, that the Governor wished another conference to be held next year, and he proposed that it should be at Wellington or Wanganui. Hori Kingi said, that the fire blazed with the money of W. King and Peripi on the Europeaus' land, but not on theirs; they might hold the land as they liked ; for bis part, he sat down in peace in his own place.

The meeting lasted from 10 a.m. to near 6 p.m. with undiminished interest, and ia the even*, ing a letter was written to the Governor, requesting that the nest year's conference may be held in Wauganui.