Ahuriri

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XVII, Issue 1724, 8 February 1862, Page 6

Ahuriri

(From the Hawke's Bap Herald, Jan. -1.)

The Elections.—The nomination for the Porangahau district took place on Monday, the 30th tilt. Mr. J. D. Ormond was proposed by Mr. J. D. Canning, and seconded by Mr. D. S. Hunter. There being no other candidate, Mr. Ormond was declared to be duly elected.—We learn that Col. Russell has been induced to say that, if returned for Waimarama, he will sit during the next session. So that, although several candidates are said to be now in the field, there is little doubt but that the Colonel will be the man. Goi.d Exploration.-—A meetingof tho Committee was held on Thursday evening. The attendance was not very numerous. It was resolved that his Honor the Superintendent should be memorialised to grant £lOO out of the Provincial Treasury in aid of the projected exploring expedition. Leasing Land from the Natives —On Thursday evening a public meeting was held in the school-room, “ for the purpose of considering the leasing of farms from the Natives through the General Government.” There was a fair attendance, and Mr. S Fittal was voted into the chair. A series of resolutions were then moved, seconded, and carried—expressive, first, of the opinion of the meeting that the plains, if to be leased, should bo leased in farms only, not to exceed 100 acres in extent ; and, second, of the regulations under which such leasing should be conducted. We expected that the resolutions would have been sent for publication, and consequently took no note of them. There was little or no speaking—the programme of the proceedings having been previously arranged at a preliminary meeting.

Wairoa.—Christmas Day has been a very gay one among the Natives of this place. On the 25th large numbeis of Maories assembled at Ilikowai, tho residence of Rangi Mataio, (a chief of considerable influence). Preparations for feasting on a large scale were in progress a fortnight before the event, and the spread was profusion itself—4s bags of flour, 14 of sugar, 12 large pigs, with calabashes of pigeons and pork almost innumerable. Natives were present from most of the settlements, North and South, as far as Tauranga and Mohaka. A large booth was erected° which answered the purpose of a dining-room; broad planks elevated about two feet from the ground made excellent substitutes for tables. The greatest order and propriety prevailed; marshalled in bodies of about 150 each, the Na tives entered the place of entertainment, grace was said, and the kai disappeared with a celerity truly astonishing ; this was kept up dining the day, and was hardly concluded at 8 p.m. There were altogether about 1000 Natives piesent, and many Europeans; all seemed much to enjoy themselves. The Europeans were invited to a snug little repast at the Chief’s bouse, and .were treated with great civility and attention throughout the day. Little or nothing was done (as many expected would be) with regard , to. politics; the Natives seemed too much bent on enjoyment to let anything mar the harmony of their proceedings. One thin", however (from the little that, was said) is certain—that they are decidedly averse to sell ing land, but greatly in favour of the leasing system ; hence it may be supposed that Sir George Grey’s new policy will find many Maori supporters at Wairoa. Mr. J. Morrel, Maota fishery,. Mahia, has captured two scamperdown whales, The Te Aute Election.—The nominator this district took place on Monday, the Oth inst. Mr. IT. S. Tiffen was proposed by Mr. T. Tanner, seconded by Mr. E. Tuke, and, no other candidate offering, declared to bo duly elected.— lbid. Jan. 11. (From the Hawke's Bay Times, January IG.) The Provincial Council.—We believe that Monday the third of February next has been fixed upon for the meeting of the Provincial Council. The Elections.—Mr. H. S. Tiffen has been returned unopposed for the Te Auie Districtand Mr. M. Fitzgerald for the Waimara,na’. Webelieve the latter gentleman was unopposed at the hustings. 1

. ? lle Wartl re,nlr ‘ e(l his inland vts.t on Inday evening last. This gentleman who, we believe has formed a very high opinion of our imaud districts, had an interview with the native chief le Hapuku, who, althoimh having no dwect interest in the native land over which Mr. Mason’s sheep had been depasturin" had, notwithstanding, supported by his in’ x.uence ihe cause of the native claimants for g l. ass , mo _ n =y- 11113 meeting bad a favourable „ Ct ' I le nat| ves who had possession of Mr Mason s sheep were making preparations for shearing them,—Had this been effected, it would, doubtless, have entailed great loss and disappointment upon the owner. The result of the interview was that the sheep were permitted to find their way back to their original shop, herds, and the fairness of the native claim was agreed to be submitted, with others of a B i rni hw kmd. to a runanga to be held at no distant

Publ c Meeting.—Pursuant to advertisement a Public Meeting was held in the Coutucil Chambers last evening.—The object in view , was to discuss a system to be proposed, for leasmg the Agncnlturul Lands of this P.ovince from the Nattve owners.—The meeting WUS one of the largest we ever ..remember, to have seen, tn Napier, andt the discussion.,was prolonged until lieaily midnight. Ilia Honor the Su’erinten-

dent occupied the Chair. The following gentle, inen addressed the ineetinir. v‘z.: Messrs. T H. Fitzgerald. Colensn. Triphook, Hon. C. Ward, P. B. Harding’, Buchanan, J. Be«i«», and several others. The following resolutions were passed:— , . 1. That at the present very important crisis of native affairs, in which the right of the Maoris to sell or lease the lands still held by them has been formally recognized by the Government' of bis Excellency Sir G Grey, it is the opinion of this meeting that, for the protection of the land interests of this Province, and the rapid development of its agricultural capabilities; no time should be lost by those inhabitaots of Hawke’s Bay interested in the pursuit of farming in communi: eating with the Provincial Government and the uativo chiefs of the Province with a view to the establishment in suitable places under the .auspices of the Govern! ment. of agriculturab settlements on the native lands iu which the interests rtf small farmers and workin'* settlers would be especially cared for. 2. Tha*" a Committes be appointed to communicate with the Provincial Government and native Chiefs on the foregoing subject and to draw up schemes for settlements to be laid before an adjourned meeting for approval ; also to prepare a memorial to his Excellency Sir G Grey embodying the views of this meeting, and praying for his best offices and the cordial assistance and'co-operation of his Excellency’s officers in' bringing the proposed negociations with the natives to a successful issue. Such committee to consist nf Messrs. Ki Mier, Newton, Searles. Lind ey Donaldson, J. Begg, Fittal, Allen, Rhodes, Rose.T. 11. Fitz<r** r ald, Fereuson, M’Nalty, J. Wood, Dolbel, W. W. Yates, A. Kennedy, Buchanan, and Kelly, with power to ad f to their number, five members to form a quorum, and Mr. W. Miller to act as convener of the Committee. Amendment on No. 2.—That th‘s meeting in accordance with former resolutions passed on the evening at the 2nd January, do agree to memorialize his Excellency Sir George Grey on the subject of leasing native’ lands, and with a view to carry out the sjrrit of the memorial addressed to the hob. Crosbie Ward,' they further resolveto communicate with thj runanga of this district, (as soon as the same shall be legally con'stiluted) for the leasing of a block of land for immediate occupation on the banks of the Ngaruroro, con-' taining ten thousand acres more or less, for small farms not to exceed one hundred acres each.

3. That the committee just named do wait on the hon. Crosbie Ward previous to his departure from the Province to explain in detail to him lhe way in which ther proposed arrangements with the natives are to be work-' ed out, and solicit his kind mediation and assistant e in promoting objects of such vital importance to all, but especially to the working classes. 4. That the meeting do stand adjourned till Wednesday, sth February, at 7 o’clock p.m., to receive the report of the Committee, and that at such adjourned meeting the formation of an association for promotingthe formation of agricultural settlements, and the protection of agricultural interests generally, should be considered.

A vote of thanks having been passed to the Chairman the meeting separated.

District CotniT, Jan. 13.— Hunter and another v. Hughes.— The plaintiffs are sheepfarmers at Porangahau : defendant had b-cn their neighbour, and was formerly a surveyor.Mr. Wilson,' for the defendant, applied for an adjournment of the case on the ground that since the commencement of the action the defendant had been prosecuted by the plaintiffs for maiming their cattle, and was now undergo.ng a sentence of six months* imprisonment in Wellington—thus he (the learned counsel) was unable to go to-trial without him, and' could not bring him up by habeas corpus. Fur the plaintiffs Mr. Allen opposed the motion on the ground that defendant had had ample time to appear and defend before his trial ; that the cause had already been adjourned to suit his convenience, and that there was no averment inthe affidavit of a defence on-the merits. The court refused the application. The action was brought to recover the sum of £lOO for damages occasioned by certain dogs belonging to the defendant having broken into the plaintiffs* paddock at Porangahau,. in which there were 116 rams—l 7 of which they killed, and the rest grievously worried nnd mangled. This occurred on the afternoon cf the 30th August last, and the plaintiffs, rc-f cognising the dogs applied to the- defendant and sent him an estimate of the damage. Defendant at first admitted thd the dogs were his, killed one of them which had returned home, and wished the plaintiffs to kill the-other,-which they had secured.• This thev declined to do, and kept' the dog for the purpose of identification. Afterwards, defendantdenied that the dogs were his.- The rams destroyed were valued at £3 10s. each, and each-ram worried was depreciated to £l. • lhe foregoing facts having been clear)v proved by the evidence of the Messrs. Hunter and Mr. John Macnab, and the defendant’s ownership of the dogs having been satisfactorily established by the evidence of Thomas* Lamb and J. Atkinson, judgment was given for the amount claimed and costs.