NOTES ON NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 220, 10 March 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

NOTES ON NATIVE AFFAIRS.

(from our travelling correspondent.)

As "was reported in the Star of Monday evening, Mr. Parris met the natives of the Plains to inform them of the decision of Mr. Bryce with regard to the allocation of land under the new confiscation as a punishment of the native owners who fostered the asserted sedition of Te Whiti at Parihaka. The natives who attended the meeting are what are called by the tribes Government natives, that is natives who side with the Government when their inclination and interests prompt them to do so, and as they have now a chance of influencing the decision of the Commissioners in the division of the land the present movement may be said to be a case in point. These men can be counted on one's fingers are not of any particular influence among their tribe as a rule and are not trusted by the majority of the natives on account of their blow-hot blow-cold attachment to the Government. It is men Aich as these who have always been paraded as chiefs of the people who have consented to the alienation of land which they only hold in common with their tribe and who consequently have caused such a wide-spread dissatisfaction as finally culminated in tho Parihaka so-called sedition. With the exception of Manaia there was probable not a representative man present ; but these important natives do exist, knew of the meeting, and refused to attend. Mr. Parris pointed outrthe portion of land to be taken from the Continuous Reserve. There are five separate pieces but these are npt all of equal size. Three of these poHions adjoin the Te Ngutu o te manu timber reserve, viz., a block on each side of it fronting on the Skeetroad and running the whole depth of the timber reserve and a block to the south of this fronting on the Nor-manby-Manaia road and bounded by the Ahipaipa road on the east. This latter is immediately contiguous to Okaiawa village settlement. Going further west another piece is taken on the Otakeho stream, which forms one of its boundaries, the Skeet-road being another, and a road intersecting the Eeserve the third, whilst the Normanby roads forms the fourth. The last portion west is near Omuturangi and between that place and the Oeo Eeserve of Hone Pihama, The area of these portions in the aggregate will not be accurately known until after the survey, which will, however, be commenced at once. Looking at them as they are roughly marked on the map they would appear to amount to more than 5000 acres, nearer perhaps 8000. It will probably be said that the natives have still their full quantity left, for this is a most elastic continuous reserve. When first mentioned by the Commission it was said to be 25000 acres in extent, three timber reserves of 1012, 988, and 512 acres respectively were then taken from it and still it was said 25000 acre 3 remained. Subsequently 3395 acres were taken and sold from the very centre of the reserve on each side of the Manaia road and yet it is said that 2sooo acres remain for the natives. Surely the substantial longevity of the scriptural cruse of oil fades into obscurity when compared to the ever wasting yet ever intact Waimate native reserve, jocularly called continuous. The continuity lies in the perpetuation of a pleasing fiction, not in the actual unbroken extent of the reserve. The reconfiscation of the portions of the reserve mentioned is an act of the Ministry alone and has not yet feceived the sanction of the Houses of Assembly. The previous confiscations made by virtue of the New Zealand Settlement Act and New Zealand Settlement Act Amendment Act are by many well-informed persons and most lawyers thought to be illegal. These had the sanction of the House and the Governor and the assent of the Queen, asked for at least. The present confiscation is the work of the Native Minister and his colleagues, and as the Government can say that in consequence of the seizure of the native guns no opposition need be feared, no native war apprehended, it is likely that the sanction of the House will be obtained on the ensuing meeting of Parliament. It has been said that the natives are satisfied, it should have been said that they hare expressed no dissatisfaction because they know it is useless. As they have never acknowledged that they were wrong in going to Parihaka they are not likely to express themselves pleased with the punishment meted out to them. It can well be understood that they would evince satisfaction were the land occupied under the West Coast Reserves Settlement Act, but to be pleased with confiscation is a different thing. The natives are not given just now to making unavailing complaints, but they do not lick the hand which chastises them nor welcome with a kiss the rod with which they are beaten. They are prepared to accept the inevitable, but not with sentiments of satisfaction. Of course there are exceptions to this. It can easily be understood that Manaia and Hone Pihama are much pleased because they are now possessed of greater territorial wealth by the generosity of the Government than they were had no confiscation been made. This new confiscation too does not bear with equal burden upon the whole of the hapus inhabiting the Plains, O£ these there are four, all of wham wer.e adherents of Te Whiti,

viz. : Mangaporua, Te Kupangaj Okahu, and Kanihi. According to the subdivision made on Saturday the Kupanga lose the three pieces adjoin* ing Te Ngutu o te Manu, and the piece near Omuturangi which are about two-thirds of the whole of the land taken. The remaining piece is taken from Mangaporua hapu, who live at Kaupokonui. Okahu escapes entirely, and the same may be said of Kanihi, as regards the re-confiscation, but the latter complains that part of 'its tribal land has been included in the award marked out for the Okahu hapu. On the secession of Kanihi from Okahu, some generations back their boundaries were well-defined, and the tribe has occupied its lands ever since. Now, portions and important positions have been given to Okahu hapu, and Kanihi complains, which complaints are of course unavailing. In your correspondent's letter last week", it was said that probably Katene was persuing the course he was doing for the purpose of enlarging the Okahu boundaries, to which tribe he belongs. It will now be seen that he has succeeded in escaping re-confiscation, and preserved his tribal boundaries intact and enlarged them, and also cribbed a slice of his neighbors of Kanihi. As Okahu hapu now stands, it has more open land that ever it had, even before the confiscation: it has enlarged its boundaries at the expense of its neighbors. It is the only hapu of the Plains which has reserves south of Waingongoro, and it bids fair to be the principal participator in the lands to be apportioned north of that river. So much for gaining the ear of the Commissioner, when none are present to contradict. In conclusion, it* may be said that the boundaries proposed are not yet substantiated, Mr. Parris alone being present at the meeting, and the consent of Sir Wm. Fox and Mr. Bryce having yet to be obtained. The want of unanimity existing among the natives is to be deplored ; the majority yet keep aloof, and great care should be exercised in listening to the advice of on interested minority.

[It is to be understood that the Editor does not necessarily identify himself with the opinions expressed by correspondents. — Ed. Stab.]