NATIVE MATTERS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3123, 20 July 1867, Page 4

NATIVE MATTERS.

jNTiLjiiGEjfCE reached town yesterday from the Upper Waikato which is of considerable importance. It appears that the fanatics under JJakaraia qnd ]£ereopa hare drawn an ankati close by Cambridge, and imist upon removing all Europeans outside that boundary, and prohibiting the leasing of land. These men are going about through the interior, between our confiscated boundary and Hawke's Bay and Wellington, keeping the country in a state of anarchy. The Bang and Bewi are against any orert acts being committed ; but the fanatics pay no attention to the orders of the Xing. Matters had arrived at this stage, that a great meeting is to be held at Maungatautari in the ensuing week, to decide what is to be done. The question to be discussed is whether the natives who own land, and are willing to lease it, and have leased portions of it,' to Europeans, will submit to the dictation of Kereopa and Hakaraia, and drive off the Europeans and their stock, or whether they will put down these disturbers of the public peace by force. The feeling amongst the natives generally is said to be very strong in the direction of settling the affair by an ap- , peal to arms ; and it would require very little indeed to induce them to commence at once. Everything will depend upon the decision arrived at next week at Maungatautari, unless something precipitates a struggle in the meantime. "We regret that Te Oriori is dangerously ill. His loss at this crisis would be serious. He has great influence amongst the natives, and it has hitherto been exerted on the side of progress and settlement.