THE NATIVE AGGRESSION.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1096, 8 July 1879, Page 2

THE NATIVE AGGRESSION.

RENEWED PLOUGHING AND ARRESTS.

Wellington, Saturday. It is reported that the Government advices from the West Coast to-day are to the following effect : — Seven natives resumed ploughing this morning on Finlayson's ground, near Waihi stockade. At 2 o'clock they were arrested by a body of A rmed Constabulary. The men effecting the arrest were unarmed, bufc they were protected by a covering party. The natives wiU be taken down to Patea to-night, brought before the Resident Magistrate, and if committed for trial, wUI be sent to WeUington. Titokowaru was not with this party, but wiU probably accompany another one.

Hawera, Saturday.

Ten Maoris left by caach this morning from Hawera, with an eight-horse escort of Patea Cavalry. The Maoris are a fair specimen of Titokowaru, s best fightingmen.

Te Ike says their ploughmen will come, and that, when aU the ploughs are taken, others wUI come with spades. They choose smaU paddocks, because the cattle are not so likely to destroy their crops as on large runs. He states that on the 17th September they wUI come into the undisputed possession of the lands of their fathers, and that there will be a grand resurrection.

There appears to be a prospect of Te Whiti and Hiroki being m WeUington gaol before the end of the month. The chance of a peaceful settlement improves. .Caution and energy must be exercised. Titokowaru says if blood is shed by us I war wiU burst,out with irresistable fury. The Normanby settlers deserve immense praise. The Maoris were ploughing from daylight, but it was 12 o'clock before they were interfered with and stopped. Things work thus : To-mor-row four men come with ploughs, next day two, then one until fche work is finished. Then foUows a different course, laid out by Te Whiti — an unknown course.

Jackson, a half-cast, implicated m Brady's murder, was among the prisoners to-day.

Major Atkinson leaves here on Monday for WelUngton, going by of Hawera and fPatea, so that he may acertain the position of affairs there before attending ParUament. Messrs. KeUy and Carrington will go by steamer.

New Plymouth, Saturday.

THE TRIAL OF THE WAIHI PRISONERS.

The native prisoners brought m from Waihi yesterday, were charged before the Resident Magistrate afc 2 p.m. to-day, under the Malicious Injury to Property Act, with having committed certain damage to land belonging to Mr Thomas Bayley, at Waihi. Mr Thomas Bayley was the first witness caUed, and proved that the land belonged to him, and that damage exceeding £5 had been done. He stated that about 15 acres of land had been damaged to the extent of £5 per acre. Mr Humphreys Bayley corroborated this evidence. He stated he had warned the natives off the land. . Captain Messenger deposed that he went to arrest the prisoners. He told the natives not to go^ on with the ploughing, or they would bring trouble on themselves. They did not stop, and he had them arrested. Constable Gilbert proved arresting the prisoners. On their being asked if they had anything to say, Lloyd replied that he did not plough of his own free will, but on the order of Te Whiti, and he thought that Te Whiti ought to pay for the damage done. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr Standish) prosecuted, and asked, on behalf of the Crown, that the natives might be committed for trial at the Supreme Court, WelUngton. This the Magistrate acceded to, and the prisoners Were committed accordingly. Tlie natives were told that the Government Avould pay the expenses of any witnesses they might wish to call m the defence.

The natives have agreed to repair ElUofcfc's fence at Waifcara, Te Putua and the natives who committed the trespass having considered it advisable to do so, rather than be put m gaol for the offence.

TE WHITI 'S PEOPLE ALARMED,

Te Whifci's people are said to be seriously alarmed at the decided action of the Government, and the only settler left amongst the natives now expresses no fear whatever.

Amongst those to be brought to WelUngton for trial is Ngamare, a most important personage amongst ihe natives. Two others of Titokowaru' s people liave Offered their services to tho GoA-ernment.

Thirty-four White Cliffs ploughmen Avere brought before the Police Magistrate this afternoon, and committed to Wellington Gaol uufcil delivered by due course of law.

Riori, the chief, said : "Wo we the arms. It is the body that works. We Avork as the body directs. Te Whiti sent us, and I agreed Avith my people to obey." Haayera, Saturday. MORE PLOUGHING. About eighty natives m partie-* each

averaging about ten men will plough simultaneously about the Waingougoro to-day. Owing to a heavy fresh m the I river, fchej r were unable to cross yesterday. I The eleven prisoners who came from Hawera yesterday have not yet beeu brought before the magistrate. A further batch of six will arrive early tliis'moming. when the Avhole will be committed for trial, and shipped by the Patea steamer to Wellington, the steamer is detained for that purpose. MORE PLOUGHMEN ARRESTED. Six natives commenced ploughing Mr Finlay-jon's .lands yesterday morning, and were arrested tho same day. After dinner another batch of fourteen commenced, amongst whom was Te Manu, for whom a warrant is out. All were arrested and forwarded to Hawera, aud sent to Patea this morning. Seven ploughs, fourteen bullocks, and two drays were at Waihi. All the Maoris captured are fine men — some renowned warriors. It is reported that Tifcokowaru will come over with the last of teu parties of Maoris. Grumbling is constant among the Volunteers about all work and no pay. Tho settlers Avould like to see some proofs of the bona fides of the Government promises, re- tho Railway.

PLOUGHING BY MOONLIGHT.

Hawera, Sunday 10 a.m,

A number of Maoris crossed the Waingongoro this morning and commenced ploughing again at 2 a.m. A detachment of Ari_ed Constabulary are on their way up to arrest them.

The ploughing party of nine who started to plough about two this morning near Waihi have been arrested. A party of fifteen started ploughing at Opunake this morning, and it is expected they will be arrested the same as the others.

Wellington, Saturday,

The Government to-day received a telegram to the effect that a party of Maoris, nine m number, who commenced ploughing at Hawera this morniug, have been arrested ; their two ploughs and six bullocks also being seized.

FENCING.

A second telcgrani reports that fifteen Maoris have started fencing some land near Opunake, and orders have beqn sent to arrest them immediately, and, if possible, m time for them to be put on board the Hinemoa, which left New Plymouth at 9 o'clock this morning Avkh forty prisoners, and will caU at Opunake fco pick up the notorious ringleader, Ngamare, who is m custady there. The total number of Maoris now under arrest is ninty-three, exclusive of the two boys who were .released from custody. Although the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court open on Monday, it is doubtful whether the Maori prisoners to arrive to-morrow cau be tried this time, as the depositions have not yet been received.

Hawera, Saturday,

Last evening, about 5 o'clock, fourteen strapping fellows, Titokowaru's young men, were brought m, making twenty netted yesterday. This morning, at daybreak, word again came m that Maoris were ploughing at Finlayson's. The men went out and caught nine. _ They were ploughing, planting, and singing songs of joy, to the great annoyunce of the sentries, through the night.

Titokowaru has now very few fighting men left. We expect to net some more to-day. The burden of the work now faUs upon the Normanby settlers, who are deserving of unlimited praise. Some Settlers are anxious that more constables should be sent here. It is. thought that our men should be placed on pay immediately.

Napier, Sunday,

NATIVE AFFAIRS AT HAWKE'S BAY

AND TAUPO.

The Wairoa County Council have decided to petition the Government to strengthen the garrison at Frasertown, where there is a large quantity of wariike stores, guarded by two or three Constabulary only.

Te Kooti has announced his intention of visiting the settlement. He says his visit will he friendly, and there appears no reason to believe the contrary, but the settlers think it best to be prepared for emergencies.

The natives of Hawke's Bay profess the greatest friendliness to Europeans, and say that those who represented otherwise altogether behed them. They approve of the action of the Government m arresting the Taranaki ploughmen. The Taupo correspondent of fche ' Hawke's Bay Herald' telegraphs that a parfcy^ of Hauhaus visited the telegraph working party at a place twelve miles north of Taupo, and warned them not to attempt to stretch the new wire across tlieir land. The work was pushed on and finised on Friday. The Hauhaus were indignant at their warning being disregarded, and requested an explanation. On being informed that the natives of Orakei Korako had told the party to go on with he work, aud to take no notice of any attempt to stop them, they said if such was the case they could not blame fche workmen, but would go to Orakei Korako, and talk with the people there.

Wellington, Sunday

Forty-nine Maori prisoners arrived from; New Plymouth by the Hinemoa, tliis morning, and fire lodged m the barrack?, under guard. More are expected from Patea by the steamer Patea.

New Plymouth, Sunday.

THE MAORI PRISONERS.

Tho Hinemoa arrived at daylight this morning from Wellington, having on board a guard of the Armed Constabulary force, for the purpose of talcing charge of the native prisoners who were taken at Waiutu, and were committed to take their trial at the next criminal sessions of the Supreme Court at Wellington. At about eight o'olock the thirty-four prisoners were escorted to the beaoh. Teey shewed unmistakcable signs of feeling. Some of their women who had followed them were overwhelmed with grief; the men, however, braced themselves up for the inevitable, and, at the word of command, took their places m the surf-boat, to all appearances undaunted. Kiori (Lloyd) their chief spokesman m Court yesterday, declared they were ready for whatever might happen. He shook hands with Major Tuke and Captain Messenger, and said he did not blame them ; they were only obeying the Government orders, m the same Avay that he was obeying Te Whifci's. The Hino. moa left for Wellington about nine o'clock. The natives taken at Lane's were committed for trial at the District Court here, therefore, unless there is a change of venue applied for, they cannot possibly be taken away, so, very probably, fchej r may be tried here. Tc Whiti has senfc one of his chief men to Now Plymouth, who has sought an interview with these natives.

PLOUGHING AT MR KYNGDON's.

Information has boon received that Maoris are still ploughing Kyngdou'sland. Our informant was there yesterday, and was speaking to the natives. They say he (Kyngdon) gave them permission to plough his land. They Avorc told, if that were true, then the police Avould not iutcrfero Avith them; but if it Avere not true, and they Avere to plough any other person's land, they would be taken off to gaol like tho thieves afc Waiutu and Oakura this morning. It rather frightened them, and they did not .vinoo fchu sainu

desire to coutine their work. Mr Kingdon has gone to dispel tho natives notion that they wore ploughing with his consent. The action lately taken by the Government m arresting tho native political ploughmen has materially weakened the desire of the natives to continue lawless acts. They are beginning to have a faint notion that To Whiti is powerless to protect them. OTHER CAPTURES OP MAORIS. Intelligence was received m town to-day that Major BroAvn had succeeded m taking nine more natives, making 40 that have been arrested. At the present time m the Hawera district, with the 50 natives arrested here and at Opunake, aud the -10 afc Hawera, there are 70 Maoris m custody. Tho action of the Government m the exporting of these men to Wellington considerably- lessens the danger to settlers m the districts, who have now very little to fear from au uprising of the natives. The -Taranaki Herald' (Opunake Correspondent) telegraphs this ovening that the Armed Constabulary bagged 14 more natives, whilst busily engaged m feucing Bailey's land to-day.