THE NATIVE OUTRAGE AT KAWHIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6822, 28 September 1883, Page 5

THE NATIVE OUTRAGE AT KAWHIA.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— OWK CORRESPOSIjENT.] Wellington, Thursday. I am now in a position to give some further information relative to the Kuwhia affair, in addition to the simple record of facte as furnished by Government to the Press Association. It has been clearly ascertained that tho whole thing is what is commoniy termed as a' "try-on" on the part of Tawhiao, to see how far he could go with impunity, and that the idea waa suggested to him by certain persons whose names are also known to the authorities. Tawhiao is already alarmed at what ho has done, and is exceedingly uneasy as to the possible consequences. Distinct intimation has been given to him and his accomplices that Government cannot pass over so gross and direct an act of defiance and disregard of law, and the natives have been warned how grave an offence it is against the law. to, desiroy beacons in a harbour, and that the case is quite different from a mere dispute about boundaries ashore. The native who was one of the perpetrators has been plainly warned of the penalties he Ins incurred, and is said to be intensely uneasy as to what may be done to..bins. There is no doubt that the natives have been emboldened to try on this escapade owing to the unavoidable delay , in pissing., , legislation anthoriaing the sale. of. Kawhis.,' The best judges are of opinion that it would have been better to sell first and get the sale ratified afterwards, but this course -was repugnant to the, lawyers!*: ideas,.' and so was not carried out. ..The result lias been that the Maoris i have got a notion that ..the.Government are. afraid to or that there .is some doubt as to title...Thereforetheyhavetakensteps which' Jf not promptly resented by the Government and : ihe implied claim firmly repudiated, I would, according, to native usage, convey an | equitable, claim to. the, place or .to the mana over it.: Consequently it becomes necssary to proceed ,vith great .circumspection. The Government, will not-decide definitely on tho course of action until after the Hinemoa arrives to-morrow, and after , hearing a fall verbal account from Mr; Butler (Mr. Bryce's secretary), fslt is known that the principal local chiefs, Hone te One : and .Wetere (the latter not'the same man as Wetere of Mokau), are cordially with "the Government in the matter, and that sthe Ngatimaniapoto are exceedingly jealous.of ;; the. action:.of- Tawhiao and his VVaikatos in interfering as has been done. There is no doubt that the affair is awkward, and proves to have much more political significance than'' was at first ini-' agined, but the reports as to settlers being, driven away rare ;.mere,- creations of '. lively imaginations. The beacons were pulled up and towed ! ashore; and; the natives refuse to assist in replacing ;them-witbont "Tawhiao's sanction, :but: this.'is- the-; whole extent of what'has;actually been,done or threatened.-

[by .telegraph.—-feess; association.]

. .. _ Wellington, Thursday. . Government hare received respecting .the destruction of beacons at Kawhia by the natives. Mr.; Butler, lot the Native, Oiiiae, who; was sent to make inquiries, found that the beacons - placed by , Captain Fairchild recently are removed; arid iso-... irmch; broken that it would . take some considerable time, to repair - and.. Ire.-; .erect tbem. One ot the two chiefs who were Jcohcerned.in the. destruction'; of the.beacons: had soce to'Whatiwhatihoe with Tawhiao. The ■ other, was still at Kawhia, and wheD Mr. Butler ealled.on himito. assist at once in; repairing, and re-erecting .the. 'beacon;, answered that he- could not do so without instructions' from 1 , Tawhiao. ~.:TheEe , twochiefs are the : same-as . are- concerned in pulling . .up- the , pegs' on" the ' :road 'from"' Kawhia to: Aotea* harbour. It is believed; that in. both , instances the chiefs . acted'at the'instance of Tawhiao" .and some of his; advisers belonging sto-the Waikats tribes. . :

, The;Waikato Times gives, the: following ac-, count of the meeting ofvMr. Butler;with'the natives at Kawhia " On ! the morning of - the 25th instant;.ih'e" s.s;-;Hinem'oa; with Air Butler, who came to-represent Mr. Bryce, and 'Major Campbell "on board, arrived. . About'..ten,a.m ; -Tihirahi and, several other chicfs waited on Mr. Butler. Tihirahi, who appeared to; be ,anything but .ashamed or afraid of the consequences which follow' the conduct ho had pursued, explained to Mr. Butler that ..he .did not wish to hide-the fact that he was one of: the principal aggressors in ■ the late outrages, arid would ■ wish., it ■to be ■understood that, as an.emissary of Tawhiao,' he had a perfect right to do what he had done. He may have been wrong, and if the cither chiefs-thought so he would .be /willing! to submit to their decision. That was all he had to say. None of the other chiefs, or Maoris' present spoke .once,, either for or against him. Mr. Butler waited - a con? sideralile. time to allow them an opportunity of doing so. Not one of them, how-ever;-appeared, to ; have any such intention. Mr. Butler., then explained to them- that they had done very -wrong- in destroying, the. bcacons, ancl t'iiat, . chey .had rendered themselves liable to be- arrested and imprisoned. He mignt tsll them that he" camo , there ..as the agent' .of the Native : Minister,'who .was.very angry atwhatthey had; done; .He would expect-that they.-would, : re-ect the btacons at once, otherwise they wpi'.ld.'. be put up oy the Government, and:: th'e Native .Minister.-. .would take- such means as would prevent them .from; being: able/to pull them down. again. That was ' all h.: had to nay in- regard>to. the beacons; He .Saw .'that they . had the good sense t.O abstain from, following out their determination to sink the buoys, and he trusted they. would not, do such 5 foolish, things, as. Mr. Bryce would riot allow of- their . continuance. That is all he had to say to them. Tihirahi said ; he quite understood him. He still, maintained that, the beacons, had., no. ..right to .be erected, and he would not consent that.he or any other Maori should assist in their re-erection. . However, he would see. what Tawhiao had to. say in theimatter ;for: his own part he would not at present consent to do so. Mr. Butler said he would give him a few days to think oyer: the. matter, :.afld in the meantiim" ho would see Mr. Bryce, and. tell him what had been said,on . the mat- ; ter that day. Nothing more iernaiiiing to be done, the Hinemoa le!fc the same evening for Wellington.'' ■■ ;■ ■