NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4375, 20 November 1875, Page 2

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

A correspondent of the Waikato Times gives an account of the late visit of Tawhiao, the Maori King, to Ruapuke, a European settlement near Kaglan. We make the following extracts: —"On Sunday, Tawhiao, the Maori lung, attended by Hone Te One and two or three followers, made his appearance unexpectedly in this place. He had started in the early morning from Kawhia, and returned there again in the evening, spending only a few hours in this settlement. He first visited Motakotako, where Hone Te One used to reside previous to his recent removal to Kawhia, and where our storekeeper, Mr. Ellis, has his store. He then proceeded to the settlement, calling first at the house of Mr. T. B. Hill, where His Majesty had dinner. After looking over this gentleman's place, and expressing his pleasure at the various improvements going on, he went to Captain Swann's, whore the royal party had tea, and whore some of the neighbours wore introduced to the Kin" IMore his departure, lie stated that he had enjoyed his trip very much, and that he would pay us another visit at Christmas. A native, named Takaurawa, recently murdered another native at a settlement called Otiwa, some thirty miles up the W'aipa, for alleged intimacy with his wife. The King has not taken any steps to punish him, according to native law, and the Government does not appear inclined to interfere also. Takaurawa, the murderer, was formerly a pupil at Archdeacon Maunsell's Mission School, Port AVaikato. A Maori woman named Iliria Tametame, was brought up on the 14th Nov., from Poverty Jiay by the steamer Pretty Jane, as committed for trial on a charge of childmurder ._ The prisoner, who is young and of interesting appearance, seems to have given birth to a child at Owhita on the 2Sth ult. She avers that the child was born dead, and that she buried it in the bush, but she refuses to give any clue as to its whereabouts. Two natives, however, stated that they heard the child cry, and an inquiry being instituted, the woman was brought «K2 n J committed by Dr. NesHtt and Mr. Graham for trial at the next Ees-

sions. Mr.: Rogan appeared\for the prosecution. The witnesses-are nearly alpnatives. Careful search for the body of': the 'child has been instituted, butit has as yet been fruitless. The unhappy > prisoner is^notwithout friends, for it is stated that the sum.of £15.has been forwarded to Auckland, to be employed in securing legal talent for her defence./ On her ;landing : she_was atonce- cpnveyedjo Mount Eden Gaolf In the Court"* of Appeal, now sitting at Wellington, one of the cases which "was 'expected to-"dc'cupy r.tfie' Court for a considerable time, and which was regarded as having a good deal of political significance, has broken down. The case was that of Kewi Haokore versus Sutton, and it involved, we believe, the legality of tome of the titles to land in Hawke's Bay. It has been alleged that there have been malpractices connected with the purchases of laud in Hawke's Bay to such an extent *3 to vitiate the titles. We have little doubt that the means occasionally adopted in Hawke's Bay to obtain land were of a questionable character, and every attempt that has been made by " the repudiation party" has failed. The commission appointed to report upon these ■ purchases, and upon which Judge Richmond and Judge Manning sat, reported against the natives, and the fact that Mr. Travers threw up his brief at an early stage in this case in the Court of Appeal, is a proof that the claim made by the natives is, to say the least of it, not a strong one. From Gisborne we learn that the Hon. _J. Morgan, a native member cf the Legislative Council, got as "drunk as a lord" on the 30th October, in that thriving settlement, and was "run in" in consequence by the Armed Constabulary. At a late hour the same night, the Hon. Donald McLean, Defence and Native Minister, telegraphed instructions from Wellington to have the hon. gentleman bailed out. Our Alexandra's correspondent says : — Tu Tawhiao (the King's son) will next week, or shortly, take a ride through all the Waikato townships. From Alexandra to Cambridge, thence to Hamilton and Ngaruawahia, then back. After that trip he will start for Auckland, when he will invito Sir George Grey to come up and see his (Tu Tawhiao's) father at his present village, or some other convenient place. It is also intended that after Tu Tawhiao has been to Auckland and back, and so opened the way by formally visiting or travelling through the Waikato townships, that Tawhiao, the King himself, will, as in the old Hebrew fashion, take up his staff and make a pilgrimage to Ngaruawahia, where he Bays he will again live as in the old days. Now, when that event takes place, what will it be a sign .of ? Will it be a practical indication of Kingism coming in ? That undoubtedly it is; but remember for the present, and for a time to come, it will be of Tawhiao himself only. For coming, is of himself alone, and not of the bulk of Hauhaus, who have for so long a time disregarded their head, and have wanted to frame their way themselves, seeing that so little substance or wisdom of judgment existed in their King.