RANLAN. (FROM A CORRESPONDBNT.) May 10.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3057, 14 May 1867, Page 6

RANLAN. (FROM A CORRESPONDBNT.) May 10.

J. Mjlckat, Esq, C.0., arrived on the evening of the 7th instant, in time to meet the principal Maori chiefs of the district. The second meeting of the Maoris was held on the Bth instant, when all the most influential chiefs were present. , , Honk te Okb commenced the meeting by saying the Hanhaus had expelled him from Kawhia ; they had turned him from his cultivations, and had destroyed his wheat and crops because he would not join them, but remained faithful to the Queen. He reminded Mr. Mackay that the Government , had promised, that if the Hauhaus turned him out of Kawhia, and he left without resistance, the Government would support him ; twice he had obeyed, and now he was at Ote~a,"whefe fie" would diet He had lost his home and land. The Hauhaus were like drunken men, and were determined to quarrel ; they had threatened to follow him to Otea. He had been ordered to go to the north side of the Kaglan harbour. They said the Government had made that the line between the' King's and Queen's country, and they 1 Would follow him to that boundary. He concluded ' bis speech by repeating a portion of a Maori song — the sense of which was, he was in trouble, and wanted help. , Several other chiefs addressed the meeting. They ■aid. they were under the Queen, and would obey the laws. One stated the Hauhaus had been at him the last three weeks to join them and throw the Queen 1 over, telling him they had a new God, named Ruri ;, i knd, if 1 they joined, they could go at once to the' ■Idea. ' ' ,' Mr! Mackay next addressed them, and said they did right in leaving Kawhia without fighting — if they had commenced the Government might not h,*ve supported them.' Nevermind the loss of their property^ the tide was ebbing, it would return. He was waiting for 'instructions from the Government, and then he would direct them what to do. The Maoris appear to have great confidence in Mr. Mackay : he has an open, manly, address, and, though decided, he is straightforward in his movements, and being a good Maori scholar and linguist he soon r wins their confidence. The fresh claims of the Hauhaus have placed the eettlers in a most dangerous position. Most of your readers will remember the issue of the proclamations defining the boundaries of the confiscated lands. One of these described the line as commencing on the north side of the Whangaroa harbour, by the Waifcatuna river, andirom thence to the Waipa. On the strength of this proclamation the rebels now claim all the land south of the harbour ; this will include the township and all the country district, with its numerous farms and homesteads. If the case was only to be tried in a Court of Law we might enjoy the fun, but they have a quicker and more summary way of enforcing their claims. The troops being withdrawn they might attempt to try it ; having been successful at Kawhia, where they enjoyed their plunder unmolested, it may have sharpened their appetite for mor«. I expect the Court will be open to-day to allow the Europeans from Kawhia to make their statements before the Commissioner. We had a very heavy gale of wind, accompanied with rain, this morning-; it levelled to the ground an unfinished house belonging to Mr. David Graham, of Auckland.