AUCKLAND.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3675, 5 October 1880, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

This day.

Captain Steele, agent for Grant and Foster, offers 30s per acre for the block of 17,509 acres of land at le Aroha/ while the Waste Lands Board offers to sell at 40s with, conditions regarding residence, and improvements. Captain Steele offers to introduce forty-five Lincolnshire farmers^as an instalment and follow with more. The Waste Lands Board fixed a high price owing to the alleged auriferous character of the land. A compromise is probable.

Mr Hislop, Under-Secretary for Education, is inspecting the schools.

Numerous cases of wife beating are coming up at the Police Court.

Te Ngakau has called a meeting of King natives to discuss the question of abandoning Maungatautari and other old settlements near which Europeans are commencing to reside. The King has already issued a peremptory order for this to be done. About a fortnight ago he sent word to the natives at Maungatautari that as lands there were being sold to Europeans the people were to abandon ! the district and go to Hikuraugi or Aotea. The people, however, are not altogether of one mind on the subject. The land is fertile, well watered, and to many an aboriginal breast the place is rendered sacred by the buried bones of their forefathers, to say nothing of pleasant associations connected with courting (fays, and other reminisoenses common to mankind. Besides there are many Maungatautari youths and maidens imbued with the love of the pleasures a civilised township like Cambridge affords, with its well filled stores, public amusements, and the innumerable features of interest attractive to the curious and enterprising minds of the young. It is not easy to induce natives to forsake their old haunts to humour one man's desire for self aggrandisement.

The Fijian sentenced to Death.

Joe, the New Hebrides native charged with wilful murder, pleaded guilty at the Supreme Court this morning. Before the jury was empanelled Judge Richmond explained threugh the interpreter (Mr Thurston) that he could withdraw the plea if he liked, when the jury was empanelled. When this was done the prisoner again pleaded guilty, making a statement to the effect that he was under the influence of drink, and that the Sankey boys,had irritated him. He was sentenced to death.