OPUNAKE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume 5, Issue 765, 4 April 1884, Page 2

OPUNAKE.

«. (FROM OUS OWN CORRESPONDENT.) -- It seems to have been industriously circulated that it is the in Lent ion of the townspeople of Opuuake to give a feast to the natives of P_mha_a in return for the recent entertainment at Parihaka to which all Europeans were-invited. It is exceedingly doubtful whether anything further will be done in the matter ; the promises of food, &c, which have already been made public, would . not satisfy a few Maoris, much less the swarm which would doubtless find their way here if an entertainment of the kind was being held; and the natives would now expect to be feasted after the European fashion, and not in the rough manner as of old. It seems a pity that the rumor should have been calculated without ascertaining whether it was likely to be accomplished, for I hear on good authority that the natives of Parihaka are expecting the invitation, and will be greatly disappointed, and no doubt annoyed when no invitation is forthcoming. There has been quite an agitation lately about allowing the natives to proceed to Parihaka how and when they please. Judging from what occurred a few days ago, when a large number of natives went to Parihaka without re-

striction, the same difficulty as formally would arise, viz., the disinclination of the natives to leave Parihaka wjien once there ; the natural consequence - would • then no doubt be, the demolition of more \ whares. The Government ' seem, to consider it a ■ casus belli, in , a mild way ou the part of the natives to congregate at Parihaka, and advocates of the theory that the natives should be allowed to proceed at their will should bear in mind that 5000 acres, or thereabouts, were confiscated from tbe Parihaka block not long since, and the same thing may occur again. The natives are quite sore enough still on these "matterß. The. policy of stopping and dispersing the natives is thought to be by some, to say the least, very arbitrary, and would not be tolerated in a civilised community. Fortunately the same rule obtains in most towns, where the representatives of law and order with their perpetual " move on," infringe, some might consider, on the liberty of the subject. April 3.