Native Affairs on the West Coast.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5098, 20 May 1885, Page 2

Native Affairs on the West Coast.

[Peb Pbess Association.]

New Plymouth, This day. Several settlers from Pungarehu, mostly Canterbury men, who bought land there, took occasion at Mr Samuel's meeting last night to deny the correctness of telegrams sent from Wellington re a deputation to Mr Ballance ; they repudiate the assertion that Europeans are committing the robberies and say that the settlers have lost 60 head of cattle the bulk of which has been traced to the Maoris. One settler says that Mr Ballance acknowledged to the deputation that he had received a letter from an influential chief, warning ■tlie-<3Jororomeat-of~tJis~statp_of the native feeling in the district, and saying"that"the" Maoris intended taking possession of the land, and were now marching over it to secure their mana (rights) to it. Settlers contemptuously repudiate the assertion that they want A.C.'s for their expenditure ; they say the A.C.'s hare all their stores, etc., from Opunake and spend nothing in the district; they want at least twelve men stationed in the district to check lawless Maoris; and one speaker said if Mr Ballance adhered to the one policeman policy, "if anything happened, blood be on his head." Settlers are very incensed at the telegrams recently sent from Wellington respecting them, and intend holding a meeting and forming an Armed Vigilance Committee.