THAMES. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) April 17.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3038, 22 April 1867, Page 4

THAMES. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) April 17.

Mb. Mackat arrived the other day at Opukeke, -with Te Moananui, Te Taniwha, and several other influential chiefs, and waited several days for the natives to state their grievances j but only Rapata, Taraia, and a few other natives came to meet him. Te Hira was over on the East Coast, at a crying match at Waihi, Mr. Mackay told the natives that the wars at Taranaki and Tauranga were commenced by natives who did not belong to those places, and that the WaikatosandNgatiporous woulddo the same in this district if these natives allowed them todowhat they liked, by ordering the natives of this district to do this and that, as if Te Hira and Taraia were nobody in the matter. He' also told them that they had better be careful in what they were doing, for should any number of natives leave this district and join the rebels in the war, then he (Mr. Mackay) would be forced to bring up troops ; or if they ordered off the European settlers from their lands and allowed the Tekau-marua (Twelve Apostles),to come into this district, and would not assist to catch them, that he should send a force ap to capture them (the Tekau-ma-rua). Mr. Mackay told the friendly natives that if matters got very bad they had better leave the district, as it would then be blockaded. Te Hira arrived before Mr. Mackay left, but he did not come to see him, alleging, as his reason, that Mr. Mackay had exhumed Paura te Waitau against their wish. Te Moananui was very much vexed with Te Hira for not coming to see them, to have matters explained. He says Te Hira is a fool to assent to what the Waikatos tell him. A boat, with a party of rebels on board, same from the Piako, to try and stir up these natives to active rebellion. They wanted the Ngatimarus to go up to|Ohinemuri or Piako, and all the natives from down the coast were to go up to Te Hiras place j after which they would establish an aukati at Te Paru or Tararu, and the Europeans were to be ordered off ; but if they re* mained they could take the risk and get no clothing. The Ngatimarus would not listen to their nice plans, nor would Te Hira consent to have the aukati established ; and Rahana, one of the Ngatimarus, spoke against it. He said it was not right that Hauraki should get wronged by anyone but a Hauraki man, and Te Papata was told to return to his work of fighting, as these natives did not wish to have the Tekau-ma-rua with their bad work. To the firm stand taken by Mr. Mackay with these natives may be attributed the quieting down of Te Hira and the other chiefs. Te Hira says he will wait for the pakehas to first commence fighting, and that he has told Tekau-ma-rua not to return to this district. The King has sent for all the Waikatos to return to Waikato, andjleave Hauraki to commence their own wrongs. A large number of the Waikatos have left thier river for the Piako. Some of the natives say the Waikatos are going to be concentrated near Waikato, to he ready to commence war at a moment's notice. They have got enough clothing for three or fou/years' campaign, the proceeds of money and goods swindled and stolen from the unfortunate traders on this river. Frederick McCaskill (half-caste), who has joined the Tekau-ma-rua, was down at Te Hiras, with some of the Twelve Apostles, dressed in their fighting costume and armed with a sword and gun. Anyone would have supposed he would have more sense than join these murderers. The natives at Ohinemuri are disposing of their crops as fast as they can find sale for them, as they expect a disturbance from some quarter. Most of the Ngatiporous have returned to Matahaura to secure their crops, after which they will return to Ohinemuri. The natives at the Kerepehi, Piako, are getting very insolent; a native just returned from that river says; they have threatened to rob the Europeans there, and have ordered them to leave. That river has always, since the war began, been a hotbed of rebellion, and will always be so till the natives there are subdued by a good thrashing. Some of the chiefs of the Ohinemuri are going up to Tokongamutu to be at the general gathering of the different tribes, and to 'decide what is to be the next move. A sharp look-out ought to be kept on them by the Europeans in the Waikato, as they have a design on some place. I am pleased to reporb that the Sev. Mr. and Mrs. Grace and family haveVeturned to this district, to reside in the Mission-house at Hauraki.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT. ) There is very little excitement here now in comparison with that existing a few days ago. In fact, I think Mr. Mackays plain talking has given some of the most bounceable natives a tough nut to crack. Nearly all the Wjukato gum diggers fromTe Puriri and Hikutaia have left for Piako en route for Waikato; and some of them, according to a native report current here, have already commenced operations on Mr. Maunsell's station. This I do not think to be a true tale, but I give it to you as I have it. There is to be another large meeting at Te Hiras place on the Ohinemuri, but I don't think the Hauhaus will gain much, as I think a reaction is taking place in Te Hiras mind, and that he is now inclined to lay a good deal of the blame on the shoulders of other natives, whose names will soon be well known. Soon after Mr. Mackay had left, he (Te Hira) was honoured (?) by a visit from some of the Pirirakau, who had with them a half-cute called Frederick Thompson. This ii an'alias. The youth is a sort of priest amongst them, if not one of the I notorious "Tekau-ma-rua," and is a decided acquisition to their side. He is very handy in repairing the nipples and locks of guns, &o. I think the late visit of the Chief Commissioner has had a decidedly good effect on the native mind. The natives know full well how easy it would be for Government to do all Mr. Mackay promised them in caie of an outbreak, and they have & decided antipathy to losing any of the Thames valley. * The exodus of the gum-diggers from Hikutaia will be a loss to oue trader, who has for some time past been , doing a good trade in blankets, shawls, &c, with the natives. I have not seen any mention in your paper of a native up one of the creeks on the river, who was one of the murderers of Fahey. Ought any -European to harbour him ?— and if he does so harbour him, is he not an accomplice after the fact ?

The great tunnel excavated under Lake Michigan, for supplying Chicago with water, has been completed It is nearly two miles long : is dug 80 feet under the bed of the lake, beneath a stratum of clay, and was excavated without a single accident, the ground being first broken on Vjth March, 1864. Iti capacity is 57,000, 000 gallons of water daily. The oost of the excavation was about £40,000. The necessary machinery for distributing the water through the oity will be put in operation by next spring.