REPORTED NATIVE RESISTANCE TO ROAD-MAKING.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 143, 21 June 1881, Page 2

REPORTED NATIVE RESISTANCE TO ROAD-MAKING.

I A telegram was received yesterday to the I effect that the nativea living near Te Parapara, about a mile from the Pun?arehu camp, obstructed the men engaged in metalling the road recently constructed by the constabulary. The gravel pit was opened on one of the wheat fields, and tho natives collected together in the pit and refused to move, so that the men had to desist working. Ihe locality of the dispute being only two miles from Parihaka, and the time being coincident with a monthly Parihaka meeting, seomed to point to the possibility of some resistance having been inspired by Te Whiti to the progress of the road-making. The explanation, however, turn 3 out to bo a very simple and reassuring one The contractor for metalling the road had, through inadvertness, opened a gravel pit on a piece of land expressly constituted a native reserve by tho .Royal Commission. The natives had been distinctly put in possession of the land, and assured that it would be continued as a reserve for them, consequently they were quite well aware that the contractor had no right to enter on it and disturb tbe soil, which, moreover, was under cultivation. They accordingly resisted his attempted trespass, but to their great credit, be it said, used no violence, and did not even remove him and his men They simply collected in the gravel pit which had been dug, and quietly prevented its being used. Tho matter was reported to the Government, who caused prompt enquiry to be made, and on its being asoertained, beyond a doubt, that the Maoris had clear right on their side, the contractor has been ordered to refrain from any further trespass on the reserve. This has settled the matter without any trouble.