END OF THE MAORI OBSTRUCTION CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7403, 11 August 1885, Page 5

END OF THE MAORI OBSTRUCTION CASE.

BANQUET TO THE NATIVES

Jby telegraph.—own correspondent.J Hamilton, Monday. The six Maori obstructives appeared in answer to their bail this morning at the Police Court, Hare Penetito, Hare Kereamea, and Namohare Keneama were charged with maliciously destroying a bridge, the property of the Kotorua Railway Company, at or near Matamata, on the 6th instant, and Tuoha Tawhenua, Tapawa Rereama, and a second Penetito with aiding and abetting them. Mr. Northcroft, who occupied the Bench, asked if some arrangement for settling the case might not b* arrived at. Mr. Hay, who appoared for Mr. FalloD, objected, unless substantial recompense for the serious loss sustained by his client was made, and asked for a remand till Friday, as it was impossible for him to get the witnesses by to-day. The name even of one, a most important, he did not yet know, neither was he in a position to produce the proof of the company's incorporation. He also stated that Mr. Batger, the secretary of the company, would have to be subpoenaed. The reason of his asking for the immediate arrest of the prisoners was lest the longer they were at large the more damage would be done to the bridge, which was actually the case, as tho top of the bridge was taken away during Mr. Fallon's absence to lay the information. The case was then adjourned until Friday, the 14th, at eleven a.m. The bail (£IOO for eaoh prisoner) was then enlarged, Major Jackson, Mr. Fraser, and Hori Keri being the bondsmen. An instance of the falling oil of the natives in civilisation was shown in the execution of the bond deed. The three old men (Kereama, Penetito, and l'awhenua) signed their names, but the three young men had to make their cross. Our correspondent telegraphing at a later hour says : " The' Maori obstruction case has been settled to the satisfaction of all parties. The natives give Mr. Fallon £50 for the injury done and loss, and withdraw the charge of assault laid against him of throwing a native over the bridge. The Maoris will make a claim for £500 against the Rotorua Railway Company, for 22 acres of land taken for gravel, and four miles of land for the line, which they say is not paid for, and was the reason for their action on Thursday."

Monday Eveniug,

At two o'clock the natives now in Hamilton over the bridge case, some 40 in number, sat down to a dinner at Barton's Commercial Hotel as the guest of Mr. James Stewart. Mr. Stewart occupied the chair, and Mr. Fallow the vice- chair. Several speeches of a conciliatory character were made, both by the natives and Mr. Fallon. The natives said that had they understood each other properly at first the affair of Thursday would never have occurred. They had made representations to the company about the compensation they were to receive, but these representations |had been altogether ignored. They hoped to live in peace and friendship with the Europeans, and that no such misunderstanding would ever occnr again. Mr. Stewart addressed the natives at Borne length with reference to the matter of compensation re the gravel pit, etc. He said they were treating the Maoris exactly as they were treating the Europeans. If tho Maoris objected to the gravel being taken from their land, and the contractors could get a gravel pit somewhere else, they would do so. The natives then said that they could take about 20 chains further on. Mr. Stewart reminded them that he had never said anything about the amount of compensation they were to receive. No doubt when the matter came before the proper authorities, if the amount was fixed at £500, they would get that sum. or any other sum agreed upon. Mr. Fallow also made some congratulatory remarks on the fact that a peaceful solution to the difficulty had been arrived at.

Sergeant-Major McGovern has received a muoh deserved expression of approbation from the Government in Waikato for the admirable tact displayed by him in his dealing with the natives on Saturday, and securing their attendance at Court without a scene.