THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 218, 22 July 1879, Page 2

THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

(Press Agency.) The Parihaka meeting took place or ihursday. Five hundred Maoris and five Europeans were present. Te Wluti said the ploughing was at ar end, as his object had been attained. He had ploughed the Government mana and tjie Government had ploughed his mana He was glad his servants had been taken prisoners for his sake. They were like the martyrs of old-like Peter and othei Apostles, and like Christ, who suffered foi righteousness' sake. He rejoiced to hear that many prisoners had 'been sent to Wellington, and hoped that the rest would be sent thither, that they might be taken into the presence of Kings covernore and chief men, that his words and works may be spread abroad. They would be persecuted but would be faithful to the end. The Government came among them with swords and guns; Ins weapons were submisson, reason and argument. The Government would eventually feel ashamed of the part they were taking against him. He rejoiced at the patience of his disciples, and assured them that they would eventually be rewarded, as his destiny was spiritual supremacy over all. He grieved at the stubbornness'pf Maoris and Europeans who would not believe on him. The Europeans said his intention was to commence hostilities.. This was not so- his mission was peaceful. His teachings were declared ravings.. Some men derided the uropjwts of old, .but eventually .-.believed in them and so would his teachings be finally accepted. The. next thing" that would come to pass would be the " Maungarongo Mountain of peace," after that, the resurrection. The wives and relatives of the prisoners who went to, Parihaka in tears, have returned rejoicing that their husbands and friends have' been accounted wovthy to suffer mrtyrdom for Te Whiti's sake—so great is the influence of the "prophet" over his followers. The fifteen Oakura ploughmen were put on board the Hinomoa, to be taken to Wellington at noon this day, Their demeanor was quiet, Te Whiti signifies that ploughing will be deferred till after.thetrialoftheprisoners low in Wellington, who, he says, will return in triumph, like the return of the Israelites from Babylon, with a Governnent agent to interview him (Te Whiti) on ;he confiscated land question. He says he vill allow no fighting. He adds that Whakawina has been well taught by Tohu low to act with tho Government at Welington, and lie likens him to a racehorse trrivmg at the winning post, ' A report is current at Hawera that the constabulary at Opunake baked the bread or the Parihaka meeting, the flour and rood being supplied by the Maoris. It is said that the natives will finish he paddock at Opunake, and then the •toughing will cease. Others say that here will be no more ploughing at all, but hat Te Whiti will wait tb-see what is done y Parliament.

EXTINCT ANIMALS OF THE COLONIES. Under the auspices of the Royal Colonial Institute a papor "On the Extinct animals of the Colonies of Great Britain," was delivered by Professor Owen, at the hall of the Society of Arts The author treated of the fossil evidences of mammals, birds, and reptiles found in the Cape of Good Hope, New Zealand and Australia. The most extraordinary of the old Cape reptiles was a creature attaining the size of the walrus, and which, like that amphibious mammal had a pair of lon<' pointed tusks descending from the upper W l>"t it had no other teeth, and it combined the two tusked cliaracter with the lower jaw, endentulous, like tliat of a tortoise, and a skull exemplifying crocodilian and laecertain structure." This creature was of the geuus called Dicynodon. -Professor Owen entered into a temchal description of the remains of the extinct wing ess birds of New Zealand, some of which have left their remains in caves and under other conditions, which enabled persons, to study and compare portions of their skin and even their plumage. There was evidence that the extirpation of the extinct birds of New Zealand was the work of man. Restricting; us remarks in .reference to Australia totheext.net species of the mammalian class, Professor Owen said he had had to name and characterise a score of kinds of kangaroo that had existed in that colony and had passed away; and these distinct species had made known to the zoologist seven goiienc modifications of the inacropodal family, distinct from any of the genera still represented by known living kinds of kangaroos. The most interest mgot the comparisons of the fossil remains oj kangaroos were the indications 01-a gradual resumption of the more ordinary puadrupedal cliaracter in the larger extinct species. At the commence"lent of Ins apnlication of anatomical knowledge-fifty years ago-to the reconstruction of extinct species not one of the' classes treated i„ the paper were known to nave lived m any of the three great coloSi t • uf' tllon ' asked Cesser Owen might be expected from analogous marches and collections of the fossil re»iai"H in the caves, drifts, and tertiary fenedfrom the varied configuration of JNcvr Guinea, from its mountain ian«es and concomitant streams and rivers,°its caverns doubtless opening into defiles and valleys; its latitudes, involving conditions and stimulants of life surging those under which the beasts flourished on whose remains colonial pataontoWy had been hereto exercised, that there was a promise of results which would exceed in novelty, in singularity, and variety of vertebrate structures all that had been contributed from New Zealand and Australia towards a philosophical comprehension o the scheme, origin, and progress of animated nature. ' *"