WANGANUI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 350, 26 December 1864, Page 5

WANGANUI.

We have Wangaui papers to tho 21st, from the Chronicle, of tho 17th, wo oxtract the following :— The Natives. —On Sunday a man named Dunn, working on the Waitotara road, strolled on to the Nukuniaru reserve, and was thereupon seized and kept prisoner two or threo hours, after which he was carried beforo a chief, probably Hare Tipeno, whodismissedliimwith a caution not tocome that way againlest he should lose his head. Tho chief, we understand, had had breakfast at Dunn's tent a day or two before, which may account for his lenient treatment of the prisoner. We understand that all tho road party's tents have been shifted to this sido of Kai Iwi, as a precautionary meabure. There has been a rumour lor several days, to tho effect that tho friendly natives at Taranaki had been attacked by tho insurgents and eight of them killed. This is no doubt a version of tho following affair mentioned in tho Tttranaki Herald of the 3id instant: —"Tho following aro tho particulars of the occurenco at the Waitara yesterday. It appears that a party of Nikorima's young men and women were 011 the beach beyond tho Tuniwera yesterday, gathering shell-fish, when they were surprised by a party of Wi Kingi's natives and fired upon. The}' succeeded in making their escape, ono boy only being wounded in tho arm. Nikorima's natives turned out from tho pa and gave the enemy chase, but did not come up with them. They, however, burned down Tirikohua, a village near Urenui, belonging to the rebel natives." Mr. White in company with some of tho nativo police rode yesterday to the top of the hill on this side Nukumaru, in order to judge if there were any preparations for tho threatened attack. We understand tliat no natives at all were seen on tho ride out, nor any appearance of unusual numbers at Nukuniaru, but that in returning, a Maori, armed with a spear, was found on guard at the end of tho xoad, and lour Waitara natives at llio'a pa, whero it is said they haTC been for several days. Native Modesty. —Wo have been Bomowhat amused to learn, from somo of tho pooplo who have been working on the Waikato road, that Rio insists on their touching their hats to him. The following is from the Chronicle of tho 21st:— Mil. whitakeb's opinio** ox the sigxatubes TO THE SEPARATION" PETITION. The deputation sent to Auckland with the Separation Petition asked the opinion of Mr. Whitaker, late Attorney General, regarding tho point on which tho Petition was thrown out by the Ministry. This opinion is writing has been handed to us to-day by Mr. Harper, and is as follows: — " As regards the number of signatures I think tho Act has been complied with in tho present caso. " EIIEDEItICK WIIITAKER. " December 9, 18G4."