The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1750, 22 September 1883, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal .md exact justice to j)1 mpn, Of whitsoexcr state or persuasion, religious or politic.)). Hero sh ill the Press the People's rijihf maintain, Un.nwd l>v influem i* .inJ unlit ibed by uatn. SATURDAY, SEPT. 22, 1883.

It was evidont to any poison aceustomod to study Maori character, that tho gonorai boiring and behaviour of the natives was anything but conciliatory towards Captain Fa irehild during his last visit to Kawhia, for the purpose of erecting bomon.s at tho entrance of the. harbour. Tho reanrks made use of by .some of the chiefs, were enough to satisfy anyone that the natives viewed this work with no friendly eye. The result Ims proved this prediction to bo correct, for the I beacons have, hardly boon in their | place two days beforo they have been pulled up and desiroyel by tho Maoris. On tho 19th inst., Tv to Ao and Tihirahi, chiefs of tho Ngatinmhuta tribe, deliberately went and broke them to pieces, and were preparing to sink the bouys when we received the lost information. Mr Langley, storekeeper, of Kawhia, waited on Mr "W. Duncan, who acts as Mr Bryco's agent, and informed him that tho European residents now living on the proposed township had been ordered to leave by tho Ngutimahutas, who lay claim to the land, now in the hands, of the Government, otherwise they would rob their stores, pull down their houses, and most likely do thorn pcr.ion-il violence. The tribe .spoken of havo removed all their women and children from tho settlements on tho west side of tho haibour, to the villages further inland, which conduct IlonoWetere, Hone te One, and oilier friendly chiefs do not hesitate to affirm, indicates coming trouble. Some of the principal hauhau chiefs openly declare that they intend to make use of all their power and influence to prevent Europeans living on the Kawliia township lots. Mr Duncan left Aofea early yesterday morning, and arrived at Hamilton about midday, lie immediately telegraphed to Mr Uiyce reporliug tho ccmrrence, and, in compli nice with the request of the Kawhia residouts, applying for protection. From tho tenor of the answers received by Mr Duncan from Mr Uryce, it is evident that the Government are not likely to allow those depredations to continue ; and it will be well for the peace and progress of the whole colony if they do no\ It may bo that the natives are at present but testing tho feeling of the Government in the matter, and if such actions are allowed to pass unnoticed, it may only servo to act as an encouragement to the Maoris to do greater wrong. For the benefit of those amongst our roadcrs who may not bo fully acquainted with tho whole of the Government transactions in relation to thoir possession of Kawhia during the last few months, it may bo well to briefly recapitulate some of the circumstances. It will be recollected by some, that about two years ago, the forty-four acres of land which now forms the sito of the proposed township was bought at auction by tho present Promier. Some months ago the Native Minister visited Kawhia in company with the Minister of Lands, and took with him Mr F. Edgecumbe and a party of surveyors, whom lie left to survey tho land into township sections. This they were permitted to do unmolested, but it must be borne in mind that tho natives who now outer objections to their action were at that time with the Maori King on the East Coast. In due time the s.s. Stella again entored Kawhia, and Captain Fairchild buoyed the harbour. This Avas objected to by several of the chiefs, but in a few weeks everything appeared to have become quiet again. On the erection of the beacons last woek their anger gave evidence of having received a fresh impetus. The sequel is already known. It -is quite apparent that they do not mean to abdicate their supposed ownership of the township land without offering some opposition. We shall not be kept long in suspenso by Mr Bryce, whose course of action, whatever may bo its precise nature, will, "\vo are confident, soon put an end to the difficulty.