AUCKLAND.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 684, 7 January 1865, Page 4

AUCKLAND.

The Oftbage at Matakafa.—According to the account of this affair given in the New Zealander, the Messrs. Meiklejohn were as much to blame as the Natives. That journal says:—We have deferred giving any particulars of this unfortunate affair until we could ascertain with some accuracy the real state of matters. From what we have learned we are enabled to state that it has nothing whatever to say to any general feeling of disaffection amongst the Natives,- it is purely a local, or perhaps we should say more correctly, a private disagreement between Mr. Meiklejohn and the neighbouring Maoris. There are several rumours afloat as to the cause of this disagreement, the most probable of which seems to us to be that the Maoris of the Hanangi tribe were offended at Mr. Meiklejohn's destroying a portion of a pa situated near Omaha Bay, and that they were determined to take restitution. Accordingly on Thursday last, the 22nd inst., they collected together to the number of about a dozen, entered Mr. Meiklejohn's house in broad day-light and commenced plundering it. The elder Mr. Meiklejohn was absent at the time, and his son who was on the spot, managed to escape unnoticed and rode off to the nearest settlers , farms and collected as many of his European neighbours together as possible, with the intention of returning and taking summary vengeance on the marauders. When they arrived, however, they found that they were too late, for the enemy had decamped, and as night was coming on it was thought useless to attempt pursuing them through the bush. Everything portable was taken away out of the house, and some of the furniture a good deal damaged and knocked about, but no violence was| offered to any one on the premises. The Natives certainly threatened at first that they would kill any one who resisted them, but Mr. Meiklejohn, junior, very sensibly let them take their way, and watched his opportunity to escape and seek reinforcements. Word was sent down as speedily as possible to Auckland of the affair, and the Wonga Wonga steamer, which conveyed the news, put in at Kawau on her way, and i communicated to his Excellency the particulars of what had occurred. With his usual promptness, when emergency calls for it, his Excellency summoned the Native Minister, Mr. Mantell, Mr. Rogan, Resident Magistrate of the district, and his own private secretary, the Rev. Mr. Thatcher, to a consultation j at Kawau. Mr. Weld, the chief secretary, was also about to proceed with the other gentlemen, but it was afterwards considered unnecessary, and he returned after embarking on board the steamer. The Wcnga Wonga arrived here on Tuesday with the intelk'-J gence ; kept her fires lighted, and returned to Kawau the same afternoon with the abovenamed gentlemen, who had a consultation with his Excellency the same evening, arid next morning went in to Omaha Bay in the Wonga. Wonga. There they landed, ana having made careful enquiries from both sides, they induced the Natives to return almost everything that had been taken from Mr. Meiklejohn's house, and persuaded this gentleman to make them a small monetary compensation for the damage that had been i done to their property. In this way the matter has been amicably arranged, and we understand that no further steps are likely to be taken in it. As we said before, it is purely a local matter, a private dispute between a settler and the Maoris, which we are liable to at all times, and which would be almost passed over in silence, but for the present disturbed state of the country, when even the slightest incident is looked upon as a " shadow " of some " forthcoming event." Had Mr. Meiklejohn not taken the initiative, and done what he, as an old settler, ought to know the Maoris would look upon as an aggression, these Maoris would have left him in peace and comfort and he would have suffered no loss. He, as well as many other Europeans in the country, ought to be well enough acquainted with the Maori character, to know that they will not stand what they consider to be an injustice, but will take the law into their own hands, and force a restitution at any cost. It is most fortunate in this instance at all events there has been no bloodshed, and we think that there cannot be the slightest doubt that the Government, when they enquired into it, found there were faults on both sides, and so judiciously arranged it so as not to rouse the feelings of either party. CoAii at the Waikato.—The coal mines at Taupari, on the Waikato, continue to be very profitably worked, under the able management of Mr. W. Eowe, inspector of mines. Several branching shafts have been struck from the main line of shaft, and extensive chambers dug, the superincumbent mass of earth being supported by wooden pillars. Tramway lines nave been laid from the various chambers to the shoot, which has been recently erected, and enables the workmen to fill the coal-bunkers of the steamers very speedily. We regret that, owing to the late heavy rains, one of the side-shafts fell in, and some earth at the mouth of another;

but workmen were engaged, and the shafts are being set to rights. These accidents did not, however, interfere with the working of the other shafts. The box and shoot will hold 100 tons, so that a large supply will always be kept for consumption on the river. The coal seam is in some places ten feet thick, and tapers off to a thickness of a few inches towards the top of the mountain. The quality of the coal is improving as the seam is further worked.