A Waitara Settler on the Situatior.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3215, 9 June 1879, Page 2

A Waitara Settler on the Situatior.

.« • \y ! Unanimous Opinion that aa ■■■ OufbreaK will Occur.;?' j Preparations all over the District, i The Wellington . : Post publishes the following extract frdm a letter from a resident at Waitara:—" Things are in a prettyjjtoto; up here howS "\&np of the day we expect to hear" of some of the old Maori atrocities. The people are , in a great state of excitement, and form* I ing rolunteer parties all over the district. Our .rpmPaD? musters • over- seventy members, and we are all to-be sworn- 1 in to-morrow, and supplied with arms and fifty rounds of ammunition for the defence of the district between Waitara and TJrenui, about twelve miles. The oufcsettle.'s are seeding their wives and children into the township. All day long the people are going to the telegraph office for tie latest,news, and one or two are determined not to leave their own houses, and i are erecting stockades around their homesteads. We do, not care lor ourselves, we would rather enjoy a." brush" with the Maoris, " but it is those in the back country who will suffer should war be proclaimed." A. party is to go out and protect the retreat of settlers who wish to come in. One thing, is certain, no matter what people say, if there is not to be fighting at once, there will be within the next twelvo months. One thing can possibly stay it, and that is to give back to the natives the whole of the confiscated lands, which means turning thousands of settlers from their homes, and the ruin of "the colony financially in this line. I have been where I have learned the Maori "character pretty well, and I am rather a favourite with them. A week or. two ago I was up .at the celebrated Manukoribi pa, and the old chief Te Watu asked me for my dog. I laughed at him and told him I did not want to part with him. He said, in Maori, " Wait two moons. I will, have that dog. In two moons Babylon; will be destroyed, and if you will not give' it to me now I will take it then. At first you will see a little smoke and then the fire will break out." I laughed at him, and, after filling his pipe, came away. I

saw him again to-day, and lie said, "The smoke is arising," so that you may see it is not a mere party interference, but a well laid out and. studied plan for a native rising. They are led by old Te Whiti, whom they think a god, and he has only to hold up his hand and bloodshed will commence.