NATIVE TROUBLES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2951, 13 June 1891, Page 2

NATIVE TROUBLES.

Ox Thursday afternoon last Mr I''. I). Rich, manager of the Thames Valley Land Company's property at Lichfield, arrived in Hamilton, accompanied by Mr James Walker, a contractor f it ploughing mi the liriiperly, and immediately consulted with Mr \V. AI. May with reference to tlio action of certain natives on the property whereby work was stopped. Lt appears that Mr J. Walker, who has a contract to clear, plough, and harrow 700 acres of the company's land at Whaitl Knranni No. •"> B l'i Block, in order to j»et to his work had to build a culvert over a swatnp and a bridge over the Waiomo Creek. The culvert cost £2 10s and the bridge i!(i. During tlio process of these works he was told by a nativo named Mihinui not to go on with them aH the land was his. On Monday last, June 8, when Walker had got all his teams on the ground and was about to commence work at 7 a.m., Mihinui and his wife Ngawhakahoro came up and pulled up the culvert and burned it. A man named Plaice and a native, Te Ha, saw this done. Again on Wednesday morning the .same two natives came down about ten minutes to 7 o'clock, first took up the earth and fascines on (he top of the bridge and then cut the stringers with an adus. The woman' pulled up the fascines and '.he man cut the stringers and threw them together with the sills into the creek. Inspector Emerson was at once communicated with and informations have been laid under the Malicious Injuries to Property Act, 1807, against the natives above named for destroying the culvert and bridge, and warrants were issued for their arrest. Inspector Emerson with Constables Berriman, .lor.es, Wild and Cavanagh proceeded to Oxford by train yesterday and would stay at Okoroi»a last night. This morning they will proceed on to the ground and arrest the natives, if possible, returning to Hamilton again by special coach to-night. It is expected that there will be further dspredations committed and Mr Hay drew up additional informations and warrants to arrest which the police have taken with them. [I'ROM OUK OWN CORKKSPOXDEXT], Napikr, Yesterday. With reference to the dilticulty between the Donnelly and Broughton parties, I have been able to gather the following additional particulars : —On Wednesday two constables proceeded to Omahu, where, on the land awarded to Mrs Donnelly by the Land Court recently, a party, belonging to Broughton's natives, were ploughing with five teams. It appearsthat a small iutereat in the land in dispute was awarded to a native named Noah, and when those ploughing were asked to stop, they refused to do so, saying that they ware acting under instructions from Noah, who was away at Waipawa. On this land being awarded to Mrs Donnelly, Broughton and his party, who were also claimants, were not satisfied with the judgment, and applied for a re-hoariug. Their application not yet being decided, they contend that the land is virtually in the same position as if it had not gone into tho court at nil. As Noah ha* a .--nail share in the land, and it was by his authority that these natives commenced ploughing, should any action be taken, the question of title is sure to crop up. Tho police will endeavour to hava the natives who were ploughing bound over to keep the peace, as if they continue, their actions are almost certain ultimately to lead to a row. On Saturday Mrs Donnelly and her party will hold a meeting to decide on what action they will take in tho matter. Latum. Noah, who has returned from Waipawa, informed the constables that ho will stop tho ploughing, and in view ol this action, it is not likely that miythingfurthcr will bo done.