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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 4, Issue 191, 18 May 1861, Page 5

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To the Editor of the Hawhe's Bay Herald. oiß>— The grass question is now assuming rather serious features, judging from what you say in your issue of the *tn . mst., coupled with the statements of bullock drivers just up from the Port. A few days since some natives threatened to burn the drays and loads of persons in this district, while on their way from the Port, as utu for the grass eaten by the bullocks, and followed the drays for several miles between Havelock and Te Aute to prevent them camping on native land ;— at the same time there are numerous instances of the horses of the very same natives constantly feeding on the land of Europeans. Now, Sir, if our councillors spent some of their valuable time in devising some method of stopping the present unpleasant state of things, or if, instead of trying to screen our law-breaking Land Purchase Commissioners, they represented to the General Government the true state of affairs, it would be more to their credit, and they would be more likely to gain the confidence of the electors; for say what they may, it is well-known in this district that Mr. G. S. Cooper does occupy native land — not the small patches talked about, but a large grassy block of fine land. The natives say that Mr. Cooper does pay them for the grass, and we are at a loss to know where Mr. Ormond & Co. got their information from to the contrary. The present state of things cannot go on much longer, especially as they are getting worse and worse. Depend on it, \mless something is done to check the unwarrantable demands from travellers and drivers, it will not be long ere we hear of some unpleasant encounter between natives and drivers, if not between natives and those settlers to whom you refer. In fact, unless some check is put upon the natives, we shall not be able to travel, so overbearing are they becoming. I know of two cases in which natives have gone upon the freeholds of settlers, and by force stolen horses and sent them out of the way. The first was a horse belonging to a half-caste girl ; the second a stray, unbranded colt, to which they made no claim; beyond that it did not belong to the settler, as he had advertised it as a stray horse, and did not know to whom it belonged. I am, &c, OBSERVER. "Waipukurau, May 8, 1861. To tJie Editor of the Hawhe's Bay Herald. Sib, — As I find Mr. "Worgan has taken exception at certain remarks attributed to me at the late election, I beg to represent that what I said has been somewhat misreported. I would have corrected the error before now had I considered the matter of sufficient importance. My words were " because I was not satisfied as to Mr. "Worgan's ulterior views," meaning that he had given no pledge to the electors that he would not accept a government appointment. I am &c, T. K. NEWTON.