THE PAEROA NATIVE DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9498, 30 April 1894, Page 5

THE PAEROA NATIVE DISPUTE.

[FROM ooe OWN correspondent.) Thames, Saturday. The natives now assembled at Parawai in connection with the native tribal dispute at Paeroa have occupied the , greater pare of the day in talking matters over amongst themselves, and also in deciding what time they shall leavo here on Monday morning for Paeroa. The latter point has been settled by fixing upon the hour of six o'clock for the start from here, and a telegram to this effect was this morning despatched to the Ngatitawhaki tribe by Rewi Ford. It is expected that another contingent of Maoris from Coromandel and Kuaotunu will reach here some time to-morrow to further augment the party. The natives do not intend to allow this opportunity to pas<i without making an effort to show off their skill as warriors, for to-day numbers of them have been running all over the town endeavouring to purchase old volunteer uniforms and a supply of blank ammunition for their guns, besides which a contingent of them were to-day occupied in practising cavalry drill, their intention is to make a great military display on entering Paeroa on Monday, and also to fire a volley with blank ammunition. The gathering of Maoris at Paeroa is expected to be the largest that has assembled there for years-, but it is not anticipated Chat any trouble will ensue, although information was received here to-day that the Ngatikoo tribe haS erected a fence across the road leading into the quarry in dispute. DESPATCH OF AN ARMED FORCE. On Saturday afternoon Inspector Hickson received instructions from Wellington to make arrangements for taking a combined force of Artillery and Police to Paeroa, owing to the turn affairs had taken there in the dispute between two contending parties of natives. Inspector Hickson immediately made arrangements for getting the Permanent Force (20 men), under Lieutenant Hume, to reinforce his own detachment, which consisted principally of men from the suburban stations, at the same tiute chartering the Northern Steamship Company's steamer Paeroa to take tho force to Paeroa. The party was thoroughly equipped and armed. The Auckland police force, ucder Inspector Hickson, who commanded the combined force, consisted of Sergeants Clarke, and Mackay, Acting-Detectives McMahon and Bailey, Constables McDonald (Water Police), Kelly, Jones, Quirk, Pardy, Hutchison, Walker, Rowles, and MountedConstable Ready. In order to suit the tide at Paeroa, it was necessary to leave Auckland at six o'clock yesterday evening. At half-past five the Permanent Force came across from the North Shore by ferry steamer, and marched •to the police-station, High-street, where after a halt the combined detachment marched down to the steamer Paeroa, and embarked. The citizens who had not heard of the turn affairs had taken at Paeroa in native matters, and the probability of a collision between two armed bodies of natives, were greatly surprised to sea the armed force marching through the streets. Inspector Hickson expected to reach Paeroa, if there was no fog on the Thames River, at two o'clock this morning.