WAIPA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) January 6th, 1863.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1727, 31 January 1863, Page 12

WAIPA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) January 6th, 1863.

CHRKTMAS has l^ ss f d off here without any particular casualty Most °* " le settlers had invited their native /.lends to pa^ke of their Christmas fare, and thaw* with many otuen uiiinvited, were present at tho settlers' stations, JtKany of the » ative f n0 doubt went where they expected to get mmt .both of liquids and solids. OtJy <> ne , ,nati v e that * have heard of, prepared a din. lier » h^ lb waB on the principle of "no pay, no dinner.' and consequently few attended. Spirits, lam Jold, could be had if paid for, though it was not biip^ed by any of the stoiekeepen. np here. One European up here got mulcted »u .*2o, it has been said, for supplying a native with gw>g. -I-his said native gave it to the wife of another native, who made the complaint to Mr. Gorst. JSTo one can approve of giving spirits to the natives, still I cannot but remark upon the partial administration of the law up here. Why is a native allowed to bring up spirits, and dispose of it to the other natives, without any license, while a storekeeper is mulcted in the full amount of the penalty for a similar offence ? Bnt that is not the greatest hardship, for a European is forced to obtain a permit, to enable him to bring up a supply o£ wine for his own private use, and also for medicinal purposes ; and frequently is put to the inconvenience of riding or .sending twenty miles for the permit. I canuot help thinking that the prohibition against supplying the natives with drink «timulates their desire to obtain it, and leads them to commit a breach of the law. If they are British subjects it might be woi th considering whether it would not be as well to put them on a footing with Europeans in this respect. January 12th. The natives, having been told that Sir George Grey stated that the steamers would be placed on the Waikato some time dining this month, proves to them that his Excellency means what he says, and I trust there may be no delay in executing the design. Anything like hesitation is construed by the natives into an evidence of fear, and pioduces the opposite of a good effect. A rumour reached this some time back that a steamer was not to be sent up the Waikato for some indefinite period. I would regret this, if it were possible to avoid it, solely on account of the effect any postponement of the measure, being once determined on, from whatever cause, would produce. I admit that it would be with the utmost difficidty aU y Vw issel drawing the depth of water the 'Avon' draws, v "ould get \ip the river to Eaugiawhia. What we want ari * steamers, such as they have on the Indus, drawing eighteen inches of water; but a smaller class «» vessels would do here. However, any steamer is better than none at all, and I do hope to see or at lea^t to bear of a steam vessel entering the Wai&ato heaaS, Tliis will be a step in the right direction, and now is the time to make a vigorous push here, aud establish British law and order Rimly— not as these havd beea .established m Lower Waikato, which is simply a deteion. These very good natives, usually recfcoß.eC! «P»& -is Queemtes, are the first to oppose tho efcefttner — tfc#t is, if any substantial opposition is at all offered. Ah instance of this will suffice. Wata Knhutoi called out Jo me and my native?, as I was coming np the river, *«d said ho was going in to see the Governor and oppose the steamer. My natives smiled at the remark, and did not believe him ; but the effect of such remarks is not favourable to us when communicated to the Kingites. The same day a chief of Ngatip, said to me he did not approve of a steamer coming tip tho river. 1 said to him " Does Sir George @rey stop you, or wish to stop your Maori vessels coming into the Waitemata ?" '.'Co this question he gave no ] answer. , Again I was challenged at Ngaruawahia, and I told them if Sir George Gro/ said the steamer wa" to come, come it would. Of ■ course they had long heard the news, nnd talked of opposing the progress of tho steamer, and dragging her ashore, aud all that kind of stuff. When lsee them doing it, I will then begin to believo they mean all they say. You will, perhaps, recollect of Thompson' haying sent a letter to Governor Browne, stating tmct if the road to Maungatawhiri was proceeded witii, he would consider it an act of hostility, &c. Hehc'e no road to the Waikato until Sir Gteorge' Grey, took it in hand. In my opinion both steamers.; should come up the river prepared for auy emergency, 1 aud I do not think the natives would interfere' with .them. At all events they would not ho nearly so likely to be attacked ifit^was known they were armed, th»a if they were simply laden with flour and blankets. They have great dread of war steamers, ' and fear would keep themipeiiceable if they \rere conscious that an attack 'would i expose them to danger. On the other hand 1 it 'is just .possible! that having stud ao much about stopping the steamer, they might be induced to commit an overt act if it got wind among

them that this vessels were not in a position to reriit aa attack. ' In fact, ' ihe notion that a war steamer ia about to come up the Waikato has 'created ahorfc of | panic among therm - They > do>. 'not know' what to ; think ; and fear is the uppermost feeling.- / , Now is the time, however, for his , Excellency to take advantage of his position, and establishßritish law firmly in 'this 'district. I, for one, 'claim the protection of the law, as a loyal and peaceable''subI'ect of her Majesty, in one of her colonies. Hitherto '. have not had that protection, and having stated my grievances, to the resident magistrate, lie told me he had no power to secure me redress. I allude here j to one, particular tribe, of which Honi Papita is ; chief. I hear that a certain European, residing in the Lower Waikato, has placed his lands aud family, and the entire of his property, under, the protection of the Maori King. He is a British subject. Now, that is an' event which is greatly to be deprecated. Far better for the Government to call in all theontsettlerst than that such occurrences should become general. We were nearly having a fight the other day between the Ngatihinatu and the Ngatiapakura, about the possession of an eel pah. It is not settled t yet. The latter are determined, under any circumstances, to hold fast to their pah. ■■ ' This brings me to think of direct purchase. It is my opinion that it is preposterous for European* to think of buying land from the native*, with the hope of having peace among them : unleii they locate large bodied of settled, tay from 400 to 500 men in each location, they would not be able to protect themselves. I think that Europeans going among them, M indivi' duals or families, will do no good to the natives — bring no end of trouble on the Government, and entail daily annoyances on the unhappy settlers. This will always be the cmo so long as the natives treat our laws with contempt. Many cases might possibly occur in which they would put the law at defiance. For instance, who would dare go and put hir hand on Honi Papita'i ion for a breach of the law, if he had rendered himself liable 1 Not e?en Thomson nor Matutaere could do it with the view of bringing him to judgment before » European magistrate.

January 14. Sir George Grey took them by surprise at Ngaruawahia. The ICing being on a visit at the time nt the Mokuu district, Sophia who \vm there, immediately sent off to.Matutaere, but he having injured hiinielf riding, was prevented from returning to see his Excellency. However, he sent a letter to Sir George Grey, by one of his private secretaries, stating that if Sir George could not wait, perhaps he would come up some other time. In the meantime, Toetoe went off post haste, and as I presume, called for Thompion on hit way, and proceeded to Ngaruawahia. It is said that Toetos was firfct spokesman, and inquired from Sir George what brought him there ? The answer wa* — " Lore, and to see Matutaere." Thompson broached the subject of the steamers, and said "he should oppose them." Sir George, as firm as a rock, laid "he should tend them ," and his tact all through was moit admirably carried out, if I am informed correctly by the natives, as T give this report as I heard it from them. Sir George intimated that he was going to visit Thompson at his place (Tamihera), and also Eangiawhia. Toetoe said, " Well that is for you to consider," but I have no doubt if he does go he will be received well. There was one other speaker, but I have forgot his name. Where Sir George i* to-day I have not learnt, but I hope he will see Matutaere before he leaves. It has been said also that Sir George expressed a wish to take Matutaere's son with him to town. , Thin youth was baptised George Grey after his Excellency. I hope Matutaere will see the advantage it would be to his child. I may here remark, the great men up here did not like being taken by surprise, and say it was very wrong of Sir George to come up without sending word first, — that they might have been prepared to receive him, I presume is the reason. You must make allowance for any discrepancies, this being quite a native yarn to me, and I have not had time to learn if it is entirely correct. , Still I am under the impression that Sir George Grey left Ncaruawahia without proceeding any further up the river. — " Daily Southern Cross," Jan!^ 20. January 20th, 1863. The truth of my prediction which I have more than once made public thiough your very valuable journal, the Daily Southern Cnoss, that by stopping all con> inuuication with the natives, theieby depriving them of the necessaries for their comfort, good would come, is becoming more fully verified every day. I need scarcely observe that the great majority up here are half naked, and what few are at all decently clad are those who carry the mail between this and Auckland. From thit state of things, Patene has repeatedly made applications to have the mail reinstated ago.ni, south from this, which they so unceremoniously seized some time back, and refused to allow it to pa*s Kiki Kiki. Also my old friend (VVatene) Watson, of Waipa. road notoriety, has now said that he will allow the road to be made between Waipa and Waitetuna, provided Wiremu Nero has nothing to do iv this work thu side Waitetuna ; so it is quite clear to me as well as every one else in this district, what effect deprivation wonld have on the natives. In fact, it has been acknowledged by the natives themselves to me, although perhaps unwillingly. Relative to Sir George Grey's visit to Ng»ru«.wahia, I regret much his health would not permit him to visit ltangiawhia, as he then would have fallen in with Matutaera, — not that there could be much gained by seeing him, unless Sir George could have come upon him alone. It appears at present that the other chiefs do not intend such an interview, unless some of them are present to do the talking part, though I have heard that Matutaera has said that he had not been unwell, he would have gone down immediately to Ngaruawahia. However this may be I do not imagine Thompson would give bU consent, but if really a King, why not act on his own responsibility. There appears every determination on the part of the native* here to give up Tataraiinaku, at Taranaki ; also, I think to settle W.iitara by arbitration. Now for the steamers ! — and I really hope to hear of them soon. If the people in Lower Waikato are alauned, a3 I have heard many of them are, I have not heard an inscauce of anything approaching to it, by any of the settlers up here. It is a lemarkablo fact that during the Taranaki war, Lower Waikato Europeans were first to clear out and cause olarm in Auckland, — though living, as it hai been repeatedly asserted in New Zealand, amongst natives where good Jaw and order has been established. Then I trust to hear of q, road having been commenced up to Mere mere, Government land on the Waikatoe bank, about ten miles from Maungatawbjrj ; and I can see no reason why it should not, unless a little bounce of the natives ; nnd I think Sir George Grey is not to be frightened with such empty talk. Being just and firm with tbem, I am convinced that he will carry the day. Many little disturbances are occuriug weekly up here amongst themselves, and should they continue, possible some of them may break off their allegiance to ths king ov be expelled. I have heard such a thing hinted at, T may here mention that one or two chiefs wished Matuaera not tn go and see the Governor, — "Paity Southern Cross," Jan. 26*.