TARANAKI.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 399, 20 August 1861, Page 4

TARANAKI.

(From the News, Taranaki, August 8.)

THE NATIVE8 —PLUNDER,

Since our lust issue some of the pluudei taken by the Southern rebels, aud four hoises have been returned. Theso things have been brought up by Te Hira, Iloari, Komene, and several others belonging to the Ngaruahanga hapu of Taranaki. Komene and his party have been anxious to come over ever siuce tlie Governor's terms were submitted to them, and would have brought all the cattle and sheep with them, but were prevented by the Warea natives, and more particularly Minarapa, they having driven the cattle further South and killed many of them.

Wiremu Kingi, also of Umuroa, is anxious with his followers (abom 30 in number) to come over i;nd bring back all the plunder in their possession, but at present, are prevented by the Tipoka and Warea natives, who would certainly seize anything they might attempt to bring up at present.

Natives at Hangatahua say they have heard from Wai'gauui, lately, to tlfe efftct thtJt hostilities will soon commence in that district, as the soldiers have built one or two stockades in the neighborhood of Kai-iwi the recently purchased land on the border of the Wellington province, which the natives looked upon as an aggressive movement on the part of Government. If such be the case no doubt we shall soon have some of the marauding Ngatiruanui back again to harass our outlying districts in search of fresh pi under.

Meantime we are glad to hear that something like a stand has been made against the claims of natives who have not not come in under the conditions offered by his Excellency. Too often are rebel natives to be found prowling about iho town, buying to supply their wants, and observing upon our condition and defences with impunity. Whilst such laxity exists what wonder then that they do not think it necessary to come under any conditions. Last week, however, a case came before the Resident Mogistrate's Court, in which the right of a native who had not urged his rebellion, to recover a debt from a settler, vrtis summarily dismissed, and a lesson taught them, that the laws they reject and outrage will not be permitted to be available to them for remedy or protection.

The circumstances wore those. Prior to the proclamation of martial law, a native ordered a new plough from a settlor, -for which be was to have given him £7 10s.— i.e., £2 10s. in money and an old plough valued at £5 in consideration of the job. The old-plough was brought iv and delivered arid .£2 paid on account of the £2 103. Before the plough was made the native, Paorata Rauparaha, joined Wm. King at Waitara and was in rebellion against the State. He is a well known native, wa3 at the defence of the L. pa, and subsequently in even- action at Waitara, fighting against h.pr Majesty's troops. He declined to come in under the conditions of peace made by Hapurona with the Government; and now with a daring effrontery which the laxity of our dealing with them has certainly done much to foster, cornea into claim a debt due to hi en from an inhabitant of the district he had for 12 months been doing his best to give 10 fire and sword. He does n< t want the plough, he has uo such peaceful notion in his head, he wants the ,£7.—lt is refused him, and he applies to one of the native officers aud was very proper referred to the Piesident Magistrate. The case was brought into the court, and neatly for tho first time in a native case a tiuly just decision was arrived at. He was asked, had he been iv rebellion ? Hf> admitted that he had. He was asked, had he submitted and come again within the pale of the law ? He said he had not; and he was told that until he came in Uiider the Governor's proclamation the administrators of the law could lend him uo assistanoe however right abstractedly his claim might be.

lIIAIA AND THE MAOHI KING. [The following is a'translation of a letter from this loyal and brave Maori to the proprietor of the Taranaki Herald :] — Friend Garland Wood.—This is to tell you to print the following Icorero, to publish it that all may hear it, ami that should uot be lost io one person. July 23, 1861. Fiiends the pakt-ha, and the natives, w'uolive iv all parts, listen. We have heard of some remaiks recently made in the newspaper, published in the days of this mouth, which has come from the South, from Wanganui. It is stated in that paper that 1 have forsaken the Government and have joined the Maori King. Therefore I am anxious that ray thoughts should bo widely made known, that my friends the pakeba, and also my countrymen the natives who have made fellowship with the Queen may hear. This is a question—Was it a native or was it a pakeha, who said that about me ? Listen, the natives or the. pakeha who said it; listen, both of you. What is the good of the Maori Kiug that you should say, I had forsaken my Queen ? You know nothing about it. They king] were even my rangatiras in former times ; that is, they were my ancestors', and also my fathers' rangatiras, who wers killed by them, eaten, and taken with their relatives into slavery. Now has come a new chief for me (the Queen), therefore I renew my thoughts and my body, to my Queeo, who is in E:igiiind, and I shall see her goodness and all those tilings, which will establish all my actions in this world.

As regards tho Maori King, for yourself, you fjlse men, keep your king ; you iguorar.t men, have your king ; you. forgetful men, have your king; you, tho man with his oars stopped, keep your king. Go together, with your king to bo blown away by that tad wind to death. I Mill not build my house on the sand, lest tho rains should fall, the floods come, the wiuds bow, aid beat upon my house, ami great ba the fa1! theicof. Ju like manner I will nut build my ihoiitih'is upon the Maoii King, but railur wi 1 huilJ my thoughts npou the ruek —natudy, tlifl Queen. ? This is all, from Ihaia, and from Tabjati Tiraubau, of Waitara.