WAIROA AND PAPAKURA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 66, 29 January 1864, Page 4

WAIROA AND PAPAKURA.

TkiIOM Of 11 OWN COHKDSroXIiICXT.] .launary -7. the several rumours that wore bruited as to an immense number of natives having crept in between the frontier and hero, and of their having pursued their way and arrived at the Wairoa ranges, as _\ot nothing has b en heard concerning their whereabouts. We have rea-ou to believe that the report was erroneous that appeared in the .V' «■ 'A.uldiiJtr of Saturday, and u e are therefore remaining in a Mate of triinijiiility hcro.iol. If we mav relv on the statement that the pri.-oiiors gave there mav still be a i\'\v vaunmls roaming about, as they asserted they had left two men and two women Report.-.' were current not long since that ino.-t of the military posts about here wore going to lie removed, as i't was thought there would be no necessity for liioiii. and with this idea and encouragement, .-ouie s. tilers broii-ht their v.ivc.-and familie- thither wilh a view of re-eitling on their farms. I acknowledge that I consider that this wasiindortaken too prematurely. It would have been a more prudent -l,'p l<l haw postponed this matter until a further utliaisce of the troops, at which time they could be fully able to conjecture their future safeno.-s. It is to be' borne in mind ihat there aro numerous L'aps and concealed bye-ways throiinh which many of iho-e hostile tribes could intervene unobserved and wreak their revenge on any outlying settlor bovoml the reach of assistance, especially in a IL'htiy garrisoned di.-trict, and make sorioii- liavoe throughout the locality It has boon the habitual custom.'for (lie last throe months, v\' a low natives who reside at Taiipo. and who go under the name id' friendly, to come to tl,is locality time after lime for the purpo.-e ..f disposing of horses; and coil.-idei-m;.' the thill p0,,u1a!,0,, of Taiipo they nevertheless seem to ho plentifully stocked with the same. I would have thought their Mock would have boon exhausted civ now, but it only seems to bo augmenting. It is the opinion of scleral liartie-about here that the greater portion of these animals belong to the rebels at pre.-ent in arms, and it is quite evident that >-vvry horse that is sold by these miscreants is an addition to the rebel exchequer ; unit as horses are. not so easily curried out .-wamps and throimh hu.-h. the of the same i,. to be considered inferior in weight. These hypocrites, if it is not grotesque to term them so. come under the patronage of liritish colours, which lln-y receive from the chief Jonathan, who gives it U\v disposal among them. This he has no authority whatever to do unle>s he be present liim.-eif: and ibis piece of imposition on his part shoul.l be an object of special attention. It is tr.ie certainly that we would at once put an cud to such importunity were it not for the dread of certain Maori doctors. Vesterdav, a tall robust Maori named Watson, and wiiu lives at Taupo. came up to see Olau settlement. lie was accompanied by a settler to the place; on un-iv-iii" in the settlement, and looking around him. owing to the gloomy editiees, the tall grass, and ladened peach Irces. ho gave the Maoris a hearty anathema. 1 suppose ho was melancholy, rcllecting on their folly In leaving their peace-able paradise for an exchange of hostile pursuits. This man is saiil to have been peaceable all along, since the war broke out. lie disclosed to the settlor, who had accompanied him. a great deal concerning Maori politics, and showed him the grave, whore the chief was buried who had fallen during the skirmish with this AuckKilli- Volunteers at the Wairoa in September la.-l. Ho also pointed out the grave of another rebel killed on that occasion. 1 am at a loss to conjecture how this Hum could «o and point out the graves of others unless he himself bad taken part in the nl'air against our men at that time. On Monday afternoon Mr. Crawford's bush was sol on lire bv some malicious or ill-disposed persons. The. lire spread with such velocity that the ilamos almost set on (ire an old domicile'on the roadside. Some oats that wore growing alongside in a licld hud a narrow escape from destruction.