NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2910, 27 May 1873, Page 3

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

OHINEMURI. EEirBX OF illi. SIMPSON —HIS LIFE THREATEN EI) BT lIOHEPA. —HE IS WAKNED NOT TO EETCKN". —THREATENING ATTITUDE OF THE NATIVES. [THOU TIIE THAMES " EVENING STAE."] We mentioned in Saturday's issue that Mr. D. Simpson had been obstructed in his work by the Ohinemuri natives, and the statement made was perfectly correct, as we find thut the opposition of the natives was accompanied bv very aggravated circumstances, showing u state of feeling the reverse of that we had been led to believe wa9 evinced towards Mr. Puckey, and more in accordance with the

temper and disposition described by Mr. C. F. Mitchell. Mr. Simpson, it iB pretty well known, has been engaged in making a Dreliminary survey of the country through" which the proposed railway from the Thames to Waibato would pass, and from the beginning has experienced opposition from the muri natives. On several occasions, his party have been followed by aix or seven armed natives, but they have managed to elude them. On Saturday, as Mr. Simpson hud completed the work, he was about in the district, Hohepa and another native came to him armed with Ion*; spears (bayonetii fixed on ends of poles) and behaved in a threatening manner. Hohepa was spokesman, and he said — as interpreted by the person who acted as interpreter — to Mr. Simpson, " If you come here again, I'll kill you ; I would have done it once, only you had a double-barrelled gun. Mr. Simpson has accordingly come down to G-rahamstown. ' He considers it very dangerous to bo up there, i and believes himself and party have been in ' great danger for some time. He informs us 1 that from an experience of twenty years he ' can safely say he never saw natives so un- . friendly as they are now. They are sullen and " T dogged, and ready for any desperate acts. i Even the Government representative was 1 received with tokens of unfriendliness. The 1 stute of society is one of constant intrigue, 1 little.private meetings for plotting, and recept tion of messengers and messages from the ' \Vail:ato people. They are now", Mr. Simpson believes, kept well informed of everything

that transpires, and have assumed an attitude decidedly hostile to Europeans. On Friday night tho people at the Paeroa (Austin's Hotel) were in a state of great alarm. Sometime towards midnight the report of a gun was heard, and it was found that the shot had been fired near the hotel. The inmates got up and armed themselves, but no one was to bo found about. Meetings are being constantly held at Moananui's. Te Hira, and the chiefs acting with him will take no part; thoy are friendly to us. Moananui says if he is allowed to be tnkon by the bailiffs for the late lawsuit, he will bo the first'to spill blood in Ohinemuri. Mr. C. P. Mitchell's house is taken care of by Te Hira. All safe.