TAURANGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1313, 31 January 1868, Page 4

TAURANGA.

(VBOH OCR. O-WS COEBESroSDEXT.) January 27. Cn Thureday last, slr. Commissioner Ciark paid the natives another instalment on the Katikati block. On the following day u. largo number of Maoris, upwards of two hundred, congregated cn the beacjh, for the purpose, it ecetr.s, of having a '• epree." The various settlements at Tauranga were duly represented, viz.: .MungKtapu, Matapihi, Kaerini, Oponui, Bangawhia, ilfttakanH,; Knima:, and ctliers whose names I cannot now remember. 3n the afternoon, with the excepMou of about n dozen,' the whole of the Maoris were more or lees intoxicated, and soon commenced fighting, wh«-nascenefoliow'ed which beggnra description, men' with their fieta pummelling one another, while.; the women conwnted themselves with pullinpr each other's hair, and using tbeir tongues and eyes to some purpose. There , was no respect shown to person?, and the vorioua chiefs, of whom-the.re were many iiresent,fell in fo a fair share of hammerine. , . Yet no bl"od wue spilt, as no weapon,was , resorted t" but the fists, nnd those anything but in the John Bull fashion. By about duek eveiything: became quiet, nearly all-of the natives, with a sniaU excepLion, having left in their canoes for the opposite ehor;. Thecnuseof thie quarrel was, as usual, a lady, a daughter of one of tb6 chiefs, which becime isixeii-up w:rii the tiivis;->h of ;he money ceiveJ from thf> Cominis'i'.iier, with regard to which greit lieartburuiriKS must continue to exist. • The rerivo- I iiave KpokV-n to appear heartily ashamed of the oxhibuion they mode of themselves in the pr'eEenceofthe nakeba.- ■■!)■.. ■ Messrs. SUect and Gundry: proceeded to the Kati Kati on to cat up th'a Kotka into «uch J ortions .as «re requisite for the occupation of the military settlors. ..;■!. 1 ast week sojn.u- raiscre-'.nfc shofc a fine bullock, Ihs property of Colonel Harrington, who has offered a reward of jElOyfor tuoh rinformation as n-.ay lead to the conviction of the olTienden. ■ The offir-ara an i men at Pye'e'-Piiii are to be relieved on tbo Ist proximo. '■ .