NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 4154, 6 December 1870, Page 7

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

(Tuom NovKMiiru 5 to Dkcembkp. 6V Oru Raglan correspondent reports -.— " Tho event of" the past week was a wedding which took place on November 5, and was a very creditable affair to the Maoris. Two bullocks, sundry sheep, and auy quantity of pi_;s were killed to provide the staple of the feed ; a European female was employed to do the needful as to the cake and the pudding (and very well it was done too), and the table fnrnitnro was lout by the various storekeepers and others. All the pakehas were invited, and about sixty put in an appearance. Along tent had been erected, aud in this tho visitors wore entertained — the Europeans at th..* crockery end, the Maoris at the end v.Ohm-j pannikins supplied the , place of tc.i-c'i|i.s. At the division of the spare fool, a pig was given to Mr. Vause for dismemberment among the Europeans, and that gentleman allotted the portions out in tr -.c Maori style. During the speechifying, Mr. Vause addressed the Maoris, congratulating them on th.! good feeling which has all along subsisted batw- en thorn and the settlers of the district, and hoping that nothing would occur to disturb tho harmony of the intercourse. The Itftv. Mr. Schnackenberg also addressed the assembled natives. The llaglan Maoris used to have an unenviable notoriety in reference to drunkenness, but on this occasion, at all _v.j;its, not a drop of liquor was to lv s -'iii. 1 should mention, by-the-by. that the hride'x relatives tried all the stores in tho place for a white silk dress, or tho materials for making one, without success. Failing the silk she was reduced to white muslin. As a means of passing away the day, various athletic sports, such as running, leaping, &c, were resorted to by the youngsters of both races, a European being almost; always the victor. Possibly the Maoris had gorged themselves too much to be capable of the necessary exertion. Tho whole affair was gratifying in the extreme, showing, as it does, that we are here, at any rate, an united people."

Our Alexandia correspondent reports : — "There is nothing exciting in tho native news. The Taranaki natives have visited at the Kuiti, aud proposed that Tawhiao should be deposed, and Te Whiti reign king in his stead. The Waikatos were, of course, indignant at this, and the Taranaki deputation left, I am informed, for Hauraki. About 80 King natives passed through the settlement from Tamahere, and were on their way to Rangiaohia and Hangatiki. I believe their visit caused some alarm at Cambridge, but their presence was rather- of an assuring nature than otherwise — as by visiting the places where so many of their friends have been killed, they take the tapu off tho land, and we may look for more to come in and trade with us. lam just informed that another meeting is to be held at the Kuiti, as another party of natives from the vicinity of Napier are on their way up. Tawhiao and the Waikatos arc now highly unpopular with all the tribes, and, like the nephew of his uncle, he is likely to lose his throne. There is now every probability of his rival being elected."

On November 3, an unusually large number of natives, belonging mostly to the JNgatihaua and Ngatikoroke, visited Cambridge, somewhat to the surprise of the inhabitants. It transpired that these natives had been requested to meet Mr. Commissioner Clarke, for the purpose of receiving a present from the Government of a block of land within the confiscated boundary, supposed to contain from 11,000 to 20,000 acres. Mr. Clarke did not make his appearance at the appointed time ; but, with proper forethought, sent an interpreter, duly authorised to provide food for the crowd, which, had increased to considerably more than a hundred. Flour and sugar was accordingly issued in such almndunt^quantities that, we are informed, bags of the former commodity were sold by tho natives at the low rate of 4s. Gd. per 501 b. Mr. Clarke arrived on November G, and, on the following day, proceeded to take the names of those persons who were considered to have a title to receiving a grant of land, which business he finished. On the liquor traffic, on the Permissive Bill, the King's Prime Minister joins issue with the ladies of Auckland, whose singularly interestingpetitions are now before the Auckland Provincial .Council. Manuwhiri says : — " Do you hearken. It will be well to utterly dry up the source of the liquor traffic. This evil is of ancient date." Another writer from the same place says : — "If the main-spring of the machinery be out of order the wheels cannot make their evolutions rightly : so with this liquor traffic ; if you want the remedy to be effectual you must dry up the fountain springs" [i.e., abolish the liquor traffic]. The railing round Naylor's monument on the Government reserve at Raglan is in process of completion.

On November 9, Hoterene and Tana te Waharoa, sons of the late William Thompson, arrived iv Cambridge. Tho distinguished visitors were entertained at supper by Mr. Commissioner Clarke and Mr. Searancke, R. M. On the following day Hoterene was brought before Mr.Searancke,R.M.,and Capt. J. Wilson, J. P., charged with having stolen a saddle, the property of Mr. J. Runciman. The prisoner pleaded guilty; and was sentenced to pay three times the value of the saddle, which the Court fixed at £2 10s. The fine was immediately paid. Respecting native matters the Clyde correspondent of the HawkJs Bay Herald, writing ou .November 10, says: — "Under the head of native intelligence, I think there is little doubt that Hauhauism, under Te Kooti's auspices, ii on its last legs, Te Kooti is supposed, and with justice by the natives, to be at Waikaremoana, a letter having been received, enclosing a£l note, from his wife, Horowia Tipoke, by the friendly chief Paora te Apatu, in which she inquires about the truth of peace proposed by the Government,— 'rongi pai te Kawanatanga,' aud requests the presence at the "Lake of some loyal natives ; the pound enclosed being a sort of goodwill offering." We take the following from the Taranaki Herald of the 26th November :— " Ihaia, who has recently been on a visit to Tokangamutu, returned to his home early in the week. He states that he was well received by Rewi and the natives assembled, but that Tawhiao was away at Kawhia. Everything is reported by this chief to be very peaceable, and the natives are willing to concede almost everything, with regard to road-making, &c., to the wishes of the Native Minister. On his way Ihaia passed through the Mokau, and saw tho natives there. He says that very few arc at the heads, most of the hapu being far inland. He stopped some time with them, and, from conversation with this chief, it appears that they are anxious to see Mr. Parris. They intend holding a meeting shortly, when the Civil Commissioner will be invited to attend. The murderers of the Rev. Mr. Whiteley and others are not i allowed to dwell with the hapu : the natives look upon them as outcasts. Rewi is very anxious that this part of the King's territory should be recognised by the Government, if arrangements can be made satisfactorily with the natives there. Ihaia says that, for miles up the Mokau River, coal may be seen cropping out of the bank. " Our Raglan correspondent sends us some interesting intelligence as to the progress of that district. The natives there have adopted a petition to the General Government praying for- employment upon the roads, and our correapondeut is of opinion that many of the King natives would he glad to accept such employment. The Maori King has expressed his disapproval of the intiraidatiou used towards the Ruapaki settlers,, and has promised that when the atmosphere is clear he will personally reinstate Mrs. Charleton upon her property at Kawhia, ; We have received an interesting letter from a native, in which he desires us to send him regularly copies of the Maori Gazette, in order that he may learn all about " the great war that is raging in Europe, by which the great tribes are' being killed." . We give the Following portion ' of the letter :--" Oh, friend, the printer of the newspaper,—Salutations. Salutations to you in the great dwelling-places of the multitudes of people. Our hearts and our ears are inclining to the great events of the whole world. I have

- seen In IV ncw.-papor of Mr. McLean, which has arrived line, that two great nations are iif'htiii'i and slaying each other without stopping to take breath. Oh, friend, what is v. become of these two peoples if they continue at this evil work ? Enough of this. Send me the Maori newspaper that I may read all these things. Oh, friend, salutations, under the shadow of our Sovereign the Queen." . We learn that Tamai Kowha, an influential chief whose surrender wo noticed some time ago, has informed the authorities at Opotiki that he was very recently visited by Kereopa, who desired an asylum to be afforded him. To this, however, Tamai Kowha states he refused to consent and drove Kereopa away, after having learned from him thatTe Kooti was behind Turanga, which place was getting to hot for him. Te Kooti therefore contemplated removing into the Waioeka Gorge again. The Hawke's Bay Herald ot November 29, says .__" Whenuauui, Paerau, and some I followers arrived at the Wairoa on Friday last from Waikaremoana. They have asked permission to come into Napier, to arrange with the Government the terms for the future, and are to be brought in here by an early opportunity. These chiefs— who are the leading chiefs of the Urewera— ■ are evidently desirous to be for the future in friendly relations with the Europeans. They report Te Warn as at Ruatahuna, with only five or six followers, all the rest being dead. He is reported to be about to give himself up at the Bay of Plenty rather than at Wairoa, being afraid of the Ngatikahungunu tribe. Te Kooti is said still to be at Waioeka, at the head of the Opotiki Valley. The Ureweras have not had auy communication with him lately. The story of his being at Waikaremoana Lake is therefore incorrect.— The Hon. the Native and Defence Minister left Wellington on the 28th for Whanganui."