FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 4 March 1914, Page 5

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

<From the Herald of Feb. 27, 1864.) Under the above heading the New -Zealand Herald of 27th February reported the following relating to an incident in 1864:

By the Stormbird, which arrived .yesterday, we have received Wellington news to the 23rd inst., and Taranaki journals to the 20th. The latter contain an account of the occupation •of Sentry Hill on the 15th inst, by <a- detachment of the 57th, under Captain Shortt, and a detachment of No. 1 Militia, under Captains Atkinson *nd Webster, the whole under the command of Major Butler, 57th Regiment. One hundred and fifty of the Melbourne volunteers had been sent out ix> build redoubts, and occupy the position. On the 20th inst Sentry Hill wasj permanently occupied—(*the very fx^ryißiirs. agOj," says the Herald, "that W. Kingi committed the first open act of hostility, in turning off the surveyors from Teira's block." <Mr R. W. Foreman was in the, No. 1 llilitia.)

The only important news from Wellington is the tone assumed by the "West Coast natives. Dr Featherston lately paid a visit to the natives at Otaki, •as we heard by last advices. "We now learn the answer to his arguments made .by the principal chief, Heremia: "Listen to me; I wilj give you all my thoughts; I will hide and1 secrete nothing. I am the man who put up the'king's flag at Otaki. I am the man who made the king's laws here, who appointed the- magistrates, police, soldiers, and who wrote letters to the king. I am the man who repudiates and defies the Queen's magistrates ; who prevents the king's people from going or listening to the Queen's magistrates. I -will continue this work. I will never surrender my guns, powder, ammunition, etc., nor those of my people (king's) to the Governor's authority, _o_d will continue to send nay people to assist the king. I will iwt^smow gay. of my people to be taken into custody. I will not have any long threatening discussion, but let it be short."