POLITICAL.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 21, 13 April 1872, Page 5

POLITICAL.

Peotincialj Council. — The Provincial ouncil will assemble on the 30fch of April next. The meeting is something later than usual, but the sitting of the Supreme Court rendered the delay necessary. Consistency.— Mr. G. Todd, of Christchurch, writes as follows to the Wellington livening Post : — " Since the excitement of Kereopa, I have waited patiently to see if there would be any steps taken by the Government to avenge a much more recent murder than that of Mr. Volkner, viz., that of my late brother, Mr. Richard Todd. The murderer is, lam credibly informed, to be seen at any time in the Upper Waikato, going about w\th the greatest sang fro id ; indeed, so much so as to make one imagine that his guilt had been condoned by the Government, or that he felt assured they were afraid to meddle with him. As I am very anxious to know what the intentions of the Government may be in the matter before representing it at a higher tribunal, I would feel deeply indebted if you would give mo your opinion on the subject. PoCiii'iCAii Cakicatuee. — We have seen, says the Post, a cartoon representing the present Ministry as driving in a barouche ; Mr. Vogel acting as postilion on the near leader, M'Lean on the near wheeler, Fox asleep on the box, Gisborne doing servant in the rumble, Ormond and Reeves endeavouring to get into the carriage at the same time, and Haughton and Bunny fitting on the spikes behind. Release of Maoki Prisoxebs feom Pctnedin G-aol. — The Olago Daily Times of March, 12, says : — " The formal release of the Maori prisoners confined in the Dunedin gaol took place yesterday at noon, when the lion Mr. M'Lean (the Defence Minister), his Honour the Superintendent, and Lieutenant-Colonel St. ' John, accompanied by Waireniu Tamihana Te

ITeke, of Waikanae, in Wellington, and Aperahamn, Tamitaporea Waitotara (influential chiefs of the Ngatiawa Ngaraura tribes),! visited the gaol. After the customavy tangi had been indulged in, the Defence Minister addressed the prisoners, telling thorn that tho Government had resolved to restore their liberty, hoping that they ■would for the future abandon the evil courses that had, in the first instance, got them into trouble. They would be conveyed to the North Island, in course of a few days, and the Government would provide a suitable dwelling-place for them away from their old haunts. The chief Taurua, addressing Mr. M'Lean, promised that ■when he reached tho North Island, he would avoid having any intercourse with native chiefs ; and that they would all submit themselves to the guidance of the Government, and settle down wherever they were directed to. The prisoners had received intelligence from the North of the meeting between Mr. M'Lean and Wiremu Kingi at Taranaki, and they seemed to regard that event, which they alluded to several times, as a guarantee of peace for the future. Released Maobi Pbisoners.-^ The Independent of the 23rd ultimo has the following : — " The released treason Maoris arrived yesterday forenoon in the Luna. On the wharf crowds of anxious friends, affected by the dolorous and lachrymose, greeted the returned captives with shrieks and lamentations intended, it was presumed, to express their feelings of joy and welcome. The prisoners, one and all, looked much better in health than any of their compatriots tvho were in waiting to receive them ; the discipline of their recent life and their enforced regularity of habits may, therefore, be said to have effected more than one beneficial change in them. The old chief Tauroa was conspicuous among the rest, and looked well and hearty. The number brought up in the Luna is fifty-five, one of the confinees having decided on remaining at Dunedin where he will follow an occupation in which he was a proficient previous to his being taken in arms — that of watchmaking. In this capacity he was found extremely useful during hiß incarceration. Eighteen of those originally forwurded to Dunedin have been carried off by death, a circumstance which accounts for the general use of crape observable yesterday. Remarks about the clothing worn by the prisoners being too good for them were very freely made on the wharf, but we are in a position to state that nearly the whole of it was contributed by private persons in Dunedin, where these Maoris ■were so much liked that some persons exerted themselves specially with the object of getting up a supply of clothing. The Government furnished only one plain suit to each man. At Lyttelton tho prisoners were landed, and sent through by roil to Christchurch. Their astonishment at being drawn by aii iron horse through the dark hole in the hill knew no bounds. After inspecting the business places of Christchurch, a trip which they enjoyed very much, they returned to Lyttelton and embarked in tho Luna. The opinions of the authorities in the Dunedin gaol is very flattering on the conduct of the prisoners, •who evinced no desire to be released when the intention of the Government with regard to them "was made known. The exact locality to which they will be despatched is not yet known." The Pabiaka Meeting. — The Taranaki Herald, of the 23rd ultimo, says : — " The Pariaka meeting came to a close on Wednesday last. Te Whiti was the principal speaker, and his subject was chielly of himself. With regard to the telegraph passing over the land, he did not decidedly object to it, but wishes the matter delayed. Wi Parata, M.H.R., spoke at the meeting, and advocated the road being opened. He seemed to have some influence, and was listened to attentively. Mr. Parris returned in Cobb's coach on Thursday evening, and the natives who attended the meeting were passing through the town the whole of Thursday and yesterday." Tiie Colonial Teeasukee. — Mr. Vogel, instead of returning to New Zealand by the Albion, as expected, proceeded from Melbourne to Sydney on business relating to the mail service. A scheme of establishing a branch mail between New Zealand, Sydney, and Queensland, is spoken of, but we cannot see the drift of this, if the terms of a contract is agreed upon for the San ]?rancisco service with Victoria. Great Meeting at Ohinemuei. — About 500 natives and Europeans attended the meeting at Ohinemuri on March 27. Chiefs from all the Waikato, Thames, and Tauranga tribes were present. His Honour epoke twice, but made no allusion to the opening of the country for golddigging. The natives also avoided the subject. His Honour and Mr. Mackay improved the occasion to negotiate for the purchase of blocks of land from Ohinemuri to Cape Colville for goldfields. A number of landowners were present. A letter lias been received in Auckland from the Maori King, forbidding the progress of the telegraph and roads, Mr. Conolly has been re-elected to represent the town of Picton in the Marlborough Provincial Council. His opponent was Dr. Tripe, who he beat only by two votes. The P.iti>a correspondent of a Wanganui paper writes: — When Mr M'Lean was here a few gentlemen waited upon him to ascertain his views with regard to tho confiscated land, and asked Lim when it was to bo sold. Mr M'Lean, in reply, tfnU-il flint lie had been led to suppose the Government were possessed of a large (confiscated) eslate on the West Coast, but upon visiting the district he was surprised to find that the amount of land really available for settlement was comparatively speaking very small ; in fact the mngnißcent estate of 180,000 acres had dwindled down to 36,000 or possibly 40,000 acres ! It had been found necessary to give the natives back something like 141-.000 acres, because mr M'Lean said they had as good a right to it as any European who had obtained his grant from the crown. The majority of the natives alluded to were engaged in the last rebellion under Tito Kowaru. What would people have said if such a proposition had been made in 1868. i

The Southern Cross, of the 23rd ultimo, says :—: — "The members of the Ngatiwhatua and Ngatipoa tribes, who recently visited, the King in compliance with a Bpecial invitation, returned to town from Waikato yesterday. They confirm in the main points the information contained in a telegram sent by our Alexandra correspondent a few days ago. They were most cordially received by the Kingites, and throughout the whole of the negotiations a conciliatory spirit was manifested by the Waikato natives, and the greatest cordiality was displayed. The land question was first discussed, and Manuhiri, as expected, demanded that the confiscated lands should be given back, stating that if that were done the Waikato tribes would at once come to settle in their old quarters, and throw off their exclusiveness. In reply, Paul, of Orakei, who was the chief speaker on behalf of the visitors, pointed out that the Government had disposed of a large section of those lands, and had now no control over them, so that they could not restore the ground even if they were disposed to do so. The King admitted the force of this remark, but upon Paul further urging the Waikato nativeß to come down into the Waikato if the Government would set apart a block for them to settle upon, no reply was returned either in acquiescence or refusal. No doubt the suggestion is one which they will ponder over and intimate their decision on at a future time. The Ngatiwhatuas are firmly convinced, however, from their observations, that the King party has for ever abandoned the idea of renewing active hostility, and the meeting is regarded as altogether a success, auguring well for the future peace of the country. They state that there is no scarcity of food at Te Kuiti, as was some time ago reported."