HAWERA.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3142, 14 March 1879, Page 2

HAWERA.

This day.

By the return presented to the House only 32,000 acres appear as under proclamation for the provincial district of Taranaki, on which £1,500 has been paid; but in addition to this Major Brown has purchased the Mate Tuonga block from the Ngahimaru (?) people, 50,000 acres in extent, on which only a small deposit has been passed. Great credit is due to Major Brown for bis tact and discretion in the management of Native affairs in this district, in his ccpacity of Civil and Land Purchase Commissioner, and he appears to have won the esteem of both natives and whites, who say that like himself he has only one eye, therefore his whole soul is full of light. It is said the reason of Titokowaru's sullen acquiescence to the survey of the Waimate Plains is he "bides his time." Te Whiti has promised the restoration of Waimate in March and Tito sits acquiescent to see the result of the prophet's pro* mises. Were he to undertake the conduct of affairs just now, the native youth would urge the adoption of rash acts, which the older chiefs would not sanction, so he sits still. What he wantf is the restoration of his chief township. Now that the name and idea of March has been introduced Te Whiti adapts himself to contingencies :—Although the present March has come and is passing away, Te Whiti reminds his people that there are more Marches than one, and that the one current may or may not be the Maori millennium. But it is certain that the Maories to a man in this district, feel certain that in some March or other, either in the present or future Te Whiti is going to give them back their confiscated lands.