NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 171, 12 June 1873, Page 3

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Tub following contribution appenred iii the D S O'ms of Monday last:— "There are, no doubt, times nnd occasions when a judicious gift of those vitul xeco*:>ane, to the Maoris, flour a..d sugar, may effect great good, an.l tend u-ry beneficially to the preservation of peaceful relations, but it alinoit appears at the present moment that this is somewhat overdone. If my information is correct, a number of Maorischiefs it may be said— living at Tawlnao's head-quarters, are in receipt of yearly salaries from the Government of this colony, but they were powerless to prevent the murder of Sullivan, and from all appearances they hare no influence otcrTnwhiao or his Ministers to induce them to surrender Furukutu, or any of Todds murderers. There is a chief named Takerei te Eau, one of the hulk prisoners, now at Te Kuiti, who receives, it is said, iIUU c-year frrom the Government. It ii admitted that lie is a rangatira of the purest blood from both parents; that he is much bluer in blood, indeed, than TawhiaohiniKlf; but this gentleman has lately become so independent that he would not, until the other day, visit Alexandra to receive his yearly salary— it was, he declared, to be forwarded to Te Kuiti for him, or he would not have it! But it was this last straw that broke the camel's back. It wns not considered -afe to send a messenger with so much money to Te Kuiti, and, having forwarded the money to Alexandra, there the Government made a itand. Under these circumstances Takerei te Kau ceased dictating, and quietly came down on Friday last. The chief Aihipene te Kaihu is generally supposed to bo an assessor resident at Waiuku. Since marrying the Princess Sophia he has resided at Te Kuiti, and will no doubt receiTe his salary regularly as of yore. Such Maoris as may not be of suflic'ient rank to receivo yearly salaries are allowed rations— if they are rebels— when visiting the frontier settlements ! Friendlies, unless belonging to the fighting contingent, must provide for themselves ! Tlie result of this sj stem of treatment may be imagined Only on Tuesday Jast, at Cambridge, the storekeepers and other settlers were loudly complaining of the ' bumptuous' conduct of rebel Maoris from Purukutu's settlement at Aratitaha, who were ■•warming over the town— many of them ma half-intoxicated condition. Although a detachment ot Armed Constabulary may be stationed at the settlement, no step u allowed to be taken without reference to head-quai ters. Ot) the occasion of poor Todds murder, the officer in clmrge ot the detachment at Alexandra had timely warning gnen to him of the murder, nnd was urged to send a few constables to a spot mentioned where the three Maoris engaged in the murder would emergo from the Pirongia Ranges. But he could do nothing ; his hands were tied until he had receded instructions from "head-quarters." The ln»t payment, or rather bribe, which it is said has been offered, «ju to Pfli A\ lirmni, thenatne who rescued Mr Matkay from Nuku'-> dutches. A gift of £15U was forwarded, but the X unites refused their consent to his acceptance of the moneu Hone t<- One had only his own sweet will to consult as to t lie acceptance of the gift of £250 and the silver-mounted mcerchaum pipe. Very considerable annoyance is felt at the apathy of the Govir.iment in arre-tnr Maoris who are pointed out by their companions whilst m our settlement* as the murderers o f „ One of the Maoris who shot Todd has since frequently visited Alexandra, nnd he was in attendance at » late Native Land Court sitting at Hamilton. Yet no steps were takon to apprehend him on the charge, as would have been probably done had the delinquent been a European."

At the Preston Intermediate Sessions, rectntly, a man named Henry Wilson was charged with brenking out of the County prison at Preston, and taking a saw with him^ The prisoner had been put on some work in the barristers' room of the Court-house, and in the absence of the warder, he got through the window, and managed to climb to the roof of the prison— a most daring act. By getting on the roof of a lower portion of the prison, ho dropped to the ground, and in open day— people passing to and fro^past the prison walls l, e escaped. On it becoming known that he had escaped, a number of warders and others set oil" in pursuit, and the daring fellow was captured. These facts having been proved at the sessions, the learned chairman naked the prisoner if lie had anything to say in his defence ; to which he replied, •' Who would not escape if they had the chance ? Look at Napoleon 1., md St Peter. They botli escaped from their confinement, and why should not I? [Laughter.] Of course, it is human nature." The Chairman: "An angel let St Peter out." Prisoner : " "*ame with me. If a lady left the door of her bird-cage open, the bird would fly away. I did the. same thing ; I took my hook because there wns nobody to watch me. [Laughter ] There was neither lock, bolt, nor bar. I had not the least trouble to get out I saw a crowd of people outside, and I thought it my duty to join with tbein, because you know I had finished my work " [Loud laughter ] The Chairman . " You broke out There II no excuse. H arc you any w itncssea to call ?" Prisoner : " I was by myself. I did not want any w ltnesses, I can tell you." The chairman sentenced him to an additional three months for his daring attempt.

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