Telegraphic News.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1018, 2 January 1879, Page 2

Telegraphic News.

SPECIAL T£ LUG RAMS. [press agency. I TAURANGA, Monday. Mr Moss, M.H.R. accompanied by Wi Marsh, Wi Katene, and live natives, started yesterday from .Rotoma on the way to Cambridge. The oojecfc of the natives, who requested Mr Moss to accompany them, is to open up a road which, they assert, will bring Cambridge within 40 miles of Ohinexutu." About eight miles of bush intervene, and the natives go prepared to cut a way through the bash. Great interest m the expedition is felt at Rotorua, as, if successful, it will bring the Hot Lakes District within one day's journey of Auckland. The two chiefs assert that the road is as level as a table the entire way from Canbiiclge to Ohinemntu. They expect to reach Cambridge to-morrow night WELLINGTON, fllonlay. The * Post' says that the Wellington Law Courts are likely to have before them a most extraordinary dispute as to the title of a considerable extent. of city land, some six or seven acres, at Pipitea Point, which for many years past has been occupied by some of our leading citizjns. The claimant is named Moffafc. His father settled m the colony before it was separated from New South Walqs, • aud the present claimant, who is about 40 years of ag-e. has spent nearly the whole of his life amongst the Wairarapa natives. . Ib is said that he is a chief aoiono 1 them, but whether that is so or not, he is evideutly a man of considerable influence, and is possessed of large blocks of laid. He is married to a native woman, and has a half-caste family. Though, as mig4it be expected, Moffat is not an educated m«n, hei appears, to. possess a large share .of natural intelligence • and acutenesay Some years ago he was sentenced to -a years' hard labour for manufacturing: powder -,4'or the

1 natives, ad it is suid he served a like time m the Auckland gaol. His claim is based upon the a'legcd pirchase by his father from the natives of the land at Pipite*, the boundaries of which he states were marked by "Try pots," snah as ..whalers use. According, to his qwn' statement, ho possesses Crown grants issued to his /a thereby the New S mtlv Wales Government, and also by the New Zealand Government after Uh3 cclouy was separated from Now South Wales. When he came to towu, a short time ago, he found tin. old woman who remembered thes'-tle, and pointed out. the ground as well as she could ; got an iron " pro I" made by a blac!csn>itb, and went carefully over the supposed boundaries, and he was at l^st rewarded bp striking one of the " Try [iota" which had become embedded m the earth. If true, from this mark the other boundaries can easily b* ascertained, a.s the Crown giant will, of course define the extent of the grant. Moffat further states that he has consulted several of the leading solicitors of Wellington, and that they all advise .him that his claim is indisputable. The; value of the property is, at a- moderate estimate, £40,000. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Ttis said that imperative instructions have been issued by the Minister of Public Works" tlat all free passes on railways are to cease after to-morrow (Ist January), except to members of Legislature, and officers of Railway and Public Works Departments travelling on Public service." The 'New Zealand Times' says it is whispered -dliat considerable difficulty is experienced m administration of the Land Tax scheme, particularly m 'the; way of getting information as to the value of land. The expenses, too, are said to be m excess of what are estimated. The Government estimate the expense of the land valuation for the first year will be between .£lO 000 to ,£12,000 ; but that as subsequently the valuation will only be made every third year, the expanse will be'coniparatively light.