THE UAPPER THAMES.—NATIVE MEETING.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3509, 14 October 1868, Page 3

THE UAPPER THAMES.— NATIVE MEETING.

Otm iepoifc of proceedings at the Upper Thames brought affaiis up to last Monday week, when the meeting of natives, at which Mr. Mack ay was present, terminated. By the testimony of those who were at the meeting, natives and Europeans, nothing that Mr. Mackay could do to persuade the Kingitei? to open their land was omitted. We are therefore surprised to hear that there are at Shorbland some persons who pe.sistently allege that Mr. Mackay is nob hparby! in Jthe work. The persons making such ass rtions ought to hear how the natives apeak of his determined efforts: and we have no doubt they would be speedily couviuced of their mistake. *,At the meeting on Tuesday nothing was done, bub on the Wednesday thero was a "pooti" or assembly, and it was said that the Kingirea intended to drive off thost who had agreed to give up their land for the purpose of gold- mining. The leaders of the Queenites were Te Uira, Wi Hopiliona, aud, on the other .-ide, Bapata, The meutiug was opened by a speech from Te Hira, in which he represented that the Ngatitaroatera had always be^n a united triba, and what a misfortune it would be if anything should nowhippen by winch its uieral era ah >u'.d be divided. He concluded by saying th«b their lauds wonl-l never be given up — never, ncv.r. Aftu- the spd-ch, there w«s '.ho Uauhau chant and prayer', in the usiul form -except that in the prayer Tawhiao, the King, w«i3 called 11 the Lamb of God." Othei s,>eeche3 wete made, to the same effect a-3 Te Uiras, the reasoning being short and simple— Mr. Mackay wants this land, and we do not wish to give ib up, and ifc is ours. Several of the Queenites spoke. Te rlira slid they must let the matter drop, and to this Rapata answered thab the giving up the land by Periuiki and Te Wikeriwl.i was not a mere form, but had been done by them as representing a laige section of the tube, ana they were determined to cirry ib out. A native ariivt-d iv town yesterday, who had come oveiUnd !r>m Taurang.i by Uikutaia He states that, when le was at> the latter place, he was informed by a native who came down from Ohinemuri that a man named Waata had been t.hob in. a fight betweeu the two sections. There were varioui ofcuer other sta'.einents made, such as that Tawhiao hal ordered that Er.rupe«ns should nob be allowed to visit (Jhinemuri, and that some men were coming over from Waikato to strengthen the Kiugite patty. Our u«ws from Shortland, however, v]) to last evening, cays nothing about this uewa, so thafc we conclude that t'lo part about the man being killed is not true. __________________