MR. MCDONALD'S MEETING AT SANDON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4123, 8 June 1874, Page 3

MR. MCDONALD'S MEETING AT SANDON.

A correspondent, who resides at Bull's, sends the following account of Mr. McDonald's meeting, held at Sandon on. Monday eveninglast, to give Mr. McDonald an opportunity of explaining his grievance in connection with the land disputes, in which he and his tribe are concerned. It will be observed that the results arrived at are somewhat at variance with those announced in the telegraphic report of the meeting. The meeting was hold in the schoolroom, and there were a large number of persons prosent, one-third of whom were Maoris. Mr. Fagan took the chair, and introduced Mr. Alex. McDonald, who gave a history of the Rangitikei-Manawatu purchase, the delivery or which occupied two hours. It consisted principally of extracts from blue books, lawyer's opinions and other documents. In the course of his remarks he reviewed the conduct of Mr. Eeatherston and Mr. Buller, and made strong comments adverse to those gentlemen. He complimented the Native Minister, though the compliment was qualified in a dubious manner. He said Mr. McLean was either unable or unwilling to settle the dispute, and impressed upon the meeting the fact that his section of the Natives (the non-sellers) had been very badly treated up to the present time. Ratana, a Ngatiapa chief, made a speech, in which he announced his intention to stop all surveys until he got " what ho wanted." Other Natives spoke in the same strain, but the evident sense of the meeting was opposed to Ratana's views. Mr. McDonald spoke very dispassionately, and made no allusions to the horse-shooting affair. At the conclusion of Mr. McDonald's speech, Mr. Bull proposed, and Mr. Lees seconded the following resolution : —That this meeting thanks Mr. M'Donald for his attendance this evening; and that a committee should be formed to draw up a petition to the Hon. Mr. M'Lean requesting hirn to interfere and endeavor to settle all matters connected with the Manawatu dispute. Mr. Sanson proposed as an amendment and Mr. McKenzie seconded, That this meeting thanks Mr. M'Donald for his attendance this evening. The original motion was carried. Our correspondent adds that the l'esolution carries no meaning except this: —That the crown grants issued under the Manawatu Crown Grants Act are not at all satisfactory to those who have for a number of years maintained strife in the distiiet simply with the object of sustaining their own claims to a greater share of land than they are justly entitled to.