HAWERA, Last Night. THE NATIVES AND THE COMET.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1189, 10 February 1880, Page 3

HAWERA, Last Night. THE NATIVES AND THE COMET.

The natives are puzzling their brains to discover the potent of the comet, which is nightly seen in a south-westerly direction. They say the comet appeared when the Waiuato Chief, Potatau was made King, that it stood differently to this one. They think this one foreshows the coming man, spoken of by Te Whiti, who is to appear shortly, when "the stone which the builders rejected shall become the head stone of the corner." They are also anxious to discover something typical, on the fact that the sun this morning rose blood-red, many degrees above the horizon, before they say it showed upon them. Some cases of fever a r e reported among the natives of the plains. "Lay down your rifles " is the advice of the natives to Constabulary. You will not be fought agaiust. Won' you be ashamed of yourselfs when you reach Parihaka fully armed and find all inhabitants pursuing peaceably their usual avocations? Te Whiti said no importance need be attached to the Constabulary crossing Waingon^oro; but when he was told that a present of feod had been made he said that was a good work indeed. The natives of the plains intend taking a quantity of dried sharp to Parihaka for the February meeting. It is noticed that many natives are fair believers in Te Whiti, not cutting their grass this year. A change of camp will be necessary in about a weebs time. The late fine weather together with disturbance of surface necessary in forming road made them very dusty ; clouds of dust herald the approach of every horse and vehicle.