THE NATIVE COMMISSION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 248, 27 March 1880, Page 2

THE NATIVE COMMISSION.

Hawbra, March 24. The Commission have taken more < videnco; here, and from that it would appear that had not the surveyors carried out the road line they were laying out against the expressed wish of Tito Kowaru and his people at the Okwrewa kainga on the month of the Malm, the surveyors would m t have been stopped at all. The natives djd not like the idea of a road

j coming th ough their cultivation, and another route was pointed out which they said would act equally as well as crossing the Maha. The surveyor, however, says that no such line was ever shown to him, and he defends himself on the ground that he tried to select the cheapest and most practicable route, and was anxious to avoid going too close to another public ntad which was running parallel to the one he was then laying out. It appears that when Tito Kowaru was spokeu to about the nation of his young men in obstructing the surveyors, ho said ho felt pouri, or dark, at what the surveyors wore doing, and though lie would not interfere himself, he did not feel inclined to prevent his young men doing as they liked. It also transpired that Tito Kowaru has for some time back been rather afraid to show himself in the townships, being under the impression that he ran great risk of being apprehended. Until the difficulty with the surveyors, ho had showed the utmost friendship to any Europeans who visited him, and every confidence in ns. The Commission will go to Patea tomorrow, as a lot of natives are waiting there to give evidence, but it is not improbable the Commission will have to come back here again for a day or two The chief cause of their gang off to Patea to-morrow is that the natives waiting there are becoming very impatient.