NATIVE INTELLIGENCE. [From August 1 to August 31.]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2840, 1 September 1866, Page 5

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE. [From August 1 to August 31.]

At Waingongoro, on the West Coast, where the last fighting took placd, a number of the natires hare lately come in and taken the oath of allegiance. The founder of the Pai Marire faith, Te Ua, appears to be making himielf active as a peacemaker. The natires in the vicinity of the military post at the White Clifis, in the province of Taranaki, recently sent a message to the commander stating that they wished to give up fighting in the meantime. Nothing was settled, the preliminary demand that the natives should give up their arms not being Agreeable. Ahipene, a loyal chief of Waiuku, has lately been on a mission to Matutaera, the Maori King, who now resides near Kawhia, on the West Coast. Matutaera s»id there would be no more fighting, and has agreed that roads should be made between Kawhia and Aotea, and that vessels should trade in the harbour of Kawhia. The Government of New Zealand has lately sent a considerable number of rebel prisoners to the Chatham Islands, where they live in charge of a guard. It is now said that the Government have reiolred to withdraw the guard, which would leave the aboriginal inhabitants and the European settlers in great danger from a rising of the Maoris. A number of rebels still continue to hover about in the vicinity of our post at Opotiki.

One of the natives oonvicted of the murder of Mr. Fulloon, named Tamati o Ngatihoko, died in the Auckland gaol, on the 2nd August, from pulmonary consumption. The sentence of death had been commuted to fourteen years' imprisonment. It is reported from the East Coast that great distress exists amongst the Arawos, the tribe that remained loyal during the war, and that has rendered important services in the field. The Government «fceamer l Shirt' has been along the coast daring the month distributing provisions and seeds to the friendly natives. In our last summary we stated that "William Thompson, the celebrated Maori chief of Waikato, had gone to Wellington. While there he was examined before a committee of the Ilouse^of Representatives, with reference to a petition which he Itad sent to the Assembly, and which will be found elsewhere. On Monday, the 13th August, a dinner was given at Osgood'a Hotel to William Thompson and bis native companions, by Messrs. Feathers ton, Whifcaker, McLean, and other members of the Assembly. Mr. FitzGerald proposed the health of their guest, which was responded to by Thompson in a very pleasing manner. He said that he was always desirous of living at peace with the pakeha, and that it was only when his people joined the war that he was carried away with the current. He would like to invite the gentlemen present to his country, but unfortunately he is now very poor— even the food which he and his people were using had been purchased by borrowed money ; but when his people recovered a little, and again had abundance of food, he would be most happy to receive his pakeha friends on a, visit, and make them as comfortable as he could. During the course of the evening, Thompson offered to play draughts with Whitaker for the Waikatc. Whitaker played, although not for the proposed stakes, and the Maori chief won. Thompson then played with Featherston and McLean, and baat them— thus vanquishing the three Superintendents. Thompson has returned to Tauranga, en route to his own place on the Upper Thames. Mr. and Mrs. Hoapili, of the Sandwich Islands, who arrived from England in the ' Norwood,' have been visiting several of the native settlements, where they were most hospitably received. _ A correspondent, giving an account of the visit to Ahipene Kaihau, at Waiuku, says :-"We found ourselves inthe native village,and arrived immediately after at the house of the chief, where we were all most kindly welcomed by him and his wife. The house is a good substantial structure, furnished after the approved method, with chairs, tables, sofas, beds, &c., and the whole presenting » very clean and tidy appearance.. While luncheon was preparing Ahipene gave us a slight sketch of the late visit he had paid to the Maori King, Matutaera, at Kawhia. He told us that on his arrival there he was greatly disappointed in the object for which the King had sent for him. Lately a good many of the chiefs, and usual advisers of the King, have died or been killed in the war* ; and Matutaera requested Ahipene to take up his residence near, and become, ai it were, a Prime Minister to him. This, however, the chief declined. He gave us but a very poor idea of the authority which the Maori monarch has over hi<» subject. They hold very little respect for lu'm, and even dare to laugh at his commands. He instanced this fact by stating that when be (Ahipene) was in conference with the King, in a room in the house, some of the people came in as though no one was there ; and on being desired by his Majesty to retire for awhile and leave him alone with his guest, the intruder* took no notice whatever of his request. Matutaera and Ahipene had, therefore, to adjourn to the cook-houne to finish their conference. 'I he Kinghimselfabstainsfrom everything European.except grog, which be believes was sent into the world for the general delectation of man, and Maori princes in particular. 'He clothes himself,' says Ahipene, ' exactly as the natives did thirty years ago.' And now, I must not forget to describe the grand banquet set forth for us by the domestics of our kindly host. It was a 'spread,' which would have reflected no disgrace on any of our 'rangatira pakehss ; ' in fact, the best the province could afford of the good things of this life at this season of the year was placed before us, to which we all did ample justice." We learn from Wanganui that on the Ist of August Major MacDonnelL at the bead of a force of friendly natives and colonial troops, surprised and attacked a Maori village named Pokaikai, at which at least 10 rebels were killed. It is stated that the whole of the rebels between Otapawa and the Patea have offered to surrender. Te Moananui, of CoromandeL and Taraia, of the Thames, are to receive £1,100 between them for their claim to a block of land at Tauranga purchased by the Provincial Government. The Ngatimaru are to receive £500, and several other tribes have ■till to be settled with.