NATIVE NEWS. MEETING OF NGATIMATAKORES, GOLD PROSPECTING, &C.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1977, 10 March 1885, Page 2

NATIVE NEWS. MEETING OF NGATIMATAKORES, GOLD PROSPECTING, &C.

A mkkti.no of Ng.itinutiikores was held at Mongooiongo l.ml week, to discuss matters pcita-ining to their Kind. Some <if those who attended the meeting at Kihikihi were present, and when a discussion with regard to prospecting for gold took place. Wnhanui objected to anyone being allowed to prospect. The immediate cause of the discussion about gold was the fact that Ha-uauru has some men out nt present prospecting on his own property at Pniwhonua. Wahanui s friends objected to tins, and told H.iuauru to stop prospecting at once, but ho took a him stand in the matter, and iefu->ed point blank to stop the men. The tin cat w.is then made of getting the Government to stop him, to which he replied that the land was his own, and that ho had a pel feet right to do as he liked, and that he could not see what right the Go- \ eminent had to interfere with him and his own propel ty. He knew his boundaries, and had told hit* men not to go outside thorn, and ho would continno to prospect inside them. It having been said that Wahanui is to turn the first sod of tho railway extension, those piesont objected to it. They s.ud, " What right has he to turn the sod on l.md over which he has no claim ? The r.itive land through which tho line will first pass is not his ; let him go and turn a sod when the line comes to his land." They thieatened to come down and stop him if lio tried to turn tho first sod in oppositu nto their wishes. This, however, may be only a- f irmal way of laying claim to certain Kind. Whether they c.iro one straw about the ceremony of turning the fir*t sod i- veiy doubtful, but it would not be t'tuiuettci for them to allow tho line to go on without making uomo protect, not nccossanly in earnest, but to show that thoy cKnmrd cpitum land. It iH very probable that if U.iu.mru persists in his right to look for gold, and more particularly if he rinds any, th.it it will hurry on the passing of the country thiough the court far more quickly than .my negotiations of the Government avai would. If there in gold in tli.it country, tho sooner it is thrown open to the digger* the better. A Kuroppan could not keep diggers away from gold on his pioperty for twenty four hours, and if there is gold in the King Country I don't sen why the Maoris should bo allowed to do it.— (Own Correspondent.)

Mr John Knox will sell .if the Hamilton Auction Mart, on S iturdiy, proi'uce, fiuit, potatoes, Cochin lowls, ponltiy, &c.