NATIVE OBSTRUCTION AT KAWHIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7539, 19 January 1886, Page 5

NATIVE OBSTRUCTION AT KAWHIA.

THREE ROAD PARTIES TURNED OFF. [from OCR OWN correspondent.] Hamilton, Monday. _ Intelligence has just come from Kawhia that the local natives, acting under the influence of Tawhiao, have foroibly stopped three road parties of contractors working for the Government on the road between Aotea and Kawhia, beyond the Raglan County boundary. On Friday last the obstructing natives took the whole of the camp equipage, canoe, and working tools belonging to the men, and ordered the men away, but promised that they would send the eanoe and . effects by land into Kawhia next day. This had not been done at the time of my informant's leaving Kawhia on Saturday. A meeting of the natives, at whioh more than 200 were present, was held at the Mill Creek, on the Aotea harbour, on Friday, when it was resolved to obstruct all road formations about the harbour. Of the three road parties, two were headed by Europeans, the third by a Maori. The canoe belonged to Quinn'a party. The names of the other European and the Maori contractor I did not hear. Most of the men working in the road parties were Maoris. The Armed Constabulary force at Kawhia has for some little time been reduced to twenty men under Major Tuke. It may be that the act is the result of Tawhiao's policy, which is one still of obstruction to progress, and that the short garrison at Kawhia has | emboldened tho natives to the act, or perhaps, which is quite as likely, that the local natives, anxious for a larger expenditure amongst them, have got up a " scare," hoping to have a larger number of the A.C. force stationed at Kawhia. , ■>; [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Kraimni, Monday. On the road'party reporting to Major Tuke their being sent back by the natives, that officer determined to proceed with the work, and he gave the natives to understand that he would not submit to be interfered with. Another road party was to be sent out to-day, and it remains to be seen what will be the result. That the natives imagine they can really obstruct the work is not believed. They know well that the time has gone by for that sort of thing. Some suppose that it is done merely to induce the Government to station a larger force at Kawhia, by which they may indirectly gain; while others, and with mere reason, suppose the object arises from tribal jealousy. The works are being carried out principally by the natives of One Te One's tribe, and as the land must sooner or later go through the Land Court, the obstructing natives, who belong to three or four other tribes, are afraid that Te One's people will acquire a stronger and larger olaim by carrying this work through. Our Kawhia correspondent writing on Saturday says:—As I anticipated, the men working on the Aotea - Kawhia Road have again been turned off by the natives. It appears that Mr. Charles Quinn, who had undertaken the repairs at which the party of natives had been employed previous to the interference of the Ngatirereaho, was told to quit, and his tools and food were confiscated, together with a canoe he had brought over from Kawhia. The Ngatirereaho have since come in and talked the matter over with Major Tuke, but are still determined to prevent any more work being done. The Road Inspector, J. Cowell, has given instructions to the men to resume work, and it remains to be seen what will now be done.