THE MAORI AGGRESSION.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1095, 1 July 1879, Page 2

THE MAORI AGGRESSION.

(Saturday's Telegrams.)

AFFAIRS AT MOKAU.. Information was brought into town this morning that Wetere had ordered Mr Short and his family to immediately leave Mokau. Mr J. Jonos proceeded to Mokan, m the Hannah Mokau. to bring them back as soon as they can get there. The natives, who, m 1868, were brought from Chatham Islands and placed on the other side of the Nanui, as a protection to the settlers from the Hauhaus, have long since become fanatics and believers m Te Whiti. It is these natives who httvo commenced plQUgjung upon jjr

Bayley's land at Waiti. They have 8 bullocks and ploughs, and 25 at work. Ihey are very impudent, and talk, of stopping the road to the White Cliffs next week They say they will send men to plough up Captain William's and Mr morgans property. Some natives told a storekeeper at TJrenui to clear out at once, for they intended to have all that was there. One of the Constabulary men who has been m the habit of visiting Mokau occasionally, and has been usually received by the natives m a friendly manner went there last week, when he found the .natives sullen, and they would not speak to him. THE WHITE CLIFFS AND WAITARA. The Armed Constabulary oamp at White Cliffs is going^to be largely reinforced.; A native near^Waitara being insolent to 'a EuropeanV^be latter gave the Maori a severe shaking and threw him on the ground. The natives picked him up; and ran away without a another word. On Wednesday, a native was conversing with a pakeha on Te Whiti's supernatural powers, and appeared to be quite confident that the bullets could not hurt him when he had the prophet's protectien, wherupon the pakeha produced a revolver, and^asked to try the experiment. The Maori most emphatically declined to exhibit the prophet's power, and was doubtful if the experiment would be successful.

OPUNAKE. There are native ploughmen at Opunake at work on the Armed Constabulary paddock They state they will plough right through the middle of the redoubt if they can get the bullocks to go. There is a feeling here that the natives are determined on rising, and are doing everthing to. provoke hostilities, and that the Waikatos are concerned m the affair. The action of the Government m preparing to put men on the railway meets with general approvals here, and is considered to be the only true civiliser of the Maori. A NATIVE ARRESTED. A native named Tamake Kopokanui, was arrested this afternoon at Hawera, charged with stealing clothing from a storekeeper named Bang. It was considered advisable, to take him to Patea, where he will be tried, and, if convicted, he will be sent to Wanganui. MOVEMENTS. Major Roberts arrived from Auckland last night, en route for the West Coast, to assume the command, i The Native Minister is here now, and Colonel Whitmore is expeoted at Taranaki next week from Auckland. The Hinemoa leaves to-night with 50 more Armed Constabulary for Opunake. She then goes for the Governor to the Manakau. MAJOR TUKE REMOVES THE MAORIS AT OAKURA. To-day the Government received the J following telegram from Major Tuke : — • OaJcura, 1.45 . p.m.— l have removed the Maori ploughmen, and have taken their bullocks, drays, and ploughs to their hainga. They were addressed m the first place by Mr Carriugton, who told them that if they went .off the ground quietly no harm would ensue; if they refused, they would be forced. They refused, and I immediately sent a party to each plough, carted them rway, using the Maori drays and bullocks. Unarmed men only were employed, und there was no resistance whatever, or any anger displayed on either side, The natives followed us off the field, and are now at their whares talking over the affair. THE OPERATIONS AT HAWERA. A native who has just come m, says the Maoris will plough again as soon as the weather clears up, perhaps to-morrow. He is fishing for information, and wants to learn the probable treatment the husbandmen will receive if they come again. He says some of the last crew will not volunteer again, they were so scared the other day. One ploughman was m Hawera yesterday, swaggering about town as bold as brass. He was not one of the leaders, but says they will come again, joined by other natives who have not tried their hands yet. A good smart castigation will probably be administered next time, and the ploughs smashed. The attempt at seizing the Hawera land has not proved successful. Some leading^ Waimate chiefs disclaim all connection with the movement, and say, if their followers will not act wisely, they must abide by the consequences; they will not help them. How they would have acte^w^pviding the movement was undisturbjr by pakehas, is another matter. , "I just' ar a rumour that the natives are plou ang Mokoia, a few miles on the Carlyle .de of the Hawera. Mr Livingstone b d mustered the ejectment corps m anticipation.