NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6149, 24 October 1881, Page 2

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

[By Telegraph.] (fhom ouh own connESPOixiJ^Ni'.) WF.i.L.a-OTW', October 22nd. Tho Goveniiuont have received a telegram to-day atating some Parihaka Natives have cojnmonced fencing on somu ltuul in tho new township of RahotH, which was voluntarily exchanged by its former Native owners for another section, and was set apart as a school reserve. The fencors have not the remotest claim to the ownership of tho land, or any interest in it, but are evidently acting in sheer bravado. .Inquiries are being made into the circumstances, but it is not] probable- Government will take any particular action in the matter^ until the 14 days specified in tho proclamation have expired. The Hon. Mr Bryco goes on to Pungarehu to-day, and his private secretary, Mr Butler, who went up in the Hinemoa last evening, will probably distribute copies of tho proclamation i.t m ~'> takillg bl locial care to v,er,-e one each on J c Whiti and Tolui, ii" possible. The last time, however, tl.rvt -such a course was attempted, Tchu ranged his Natives in line in franc of' 10. AVhiti's house, and mado them Uirow back the documents at the Government officers who had delivered thorn. | Nothing further has been heard about the w i '""f ,pc EP nont wliich occurred on Wednesday, when tlio Natives entered on the Jand of a Jinropean settler named Fleming, and forcibly stopped work, destroying fencing, &c. ■ and threatening the workmen. It is supposed ■ that I' lo.mmg was alarmed at the menaces of ' tho IN awes, as he has not attempted to resume work ■ i . ¥\' RoUeston was to have- sjtavted yesterday-! to join Air i,ryce auc\ 00,-pporata with him,, but i owing to co%)uocciuToncesinAVellin"tonhQ ' was ctwi^eUvd to! postpone his departure as ■ ai»o was-Major Atkinson, who intended to ' wave at the same thi'.e tv address his Esmiont ) constituents, However, both hope to get away early next week. c. As imaginative and exaggerated reports are i sure to get about regarding dissensions which " ire understood to exist between his Excellency c the Governor and tho Ministers, I may as wel.'. j say plainly that nobody has officially raised.1 c ;ne question as to Sir Arthur Gordon's status'1 y ra regvunipg tho Governorship. He has done! i

bo, and has been allowed to do it unquestioned. Sir .Tamos Prendergast haa retired from office, and that point does not enter at all as a factor into the present situation. Some stress has been laid upon the absence of any proclamation announcing tho resumption of authority, but precedents have been searched for, and it is ascertained that the 68 issue of such proclamation is entirely optional n . on the part of the Governor. It has been dono c ] occasionally, but just as often dispensed with. It is rumoured that Sir Arthur Gordon has y> challenged tho validity of the proclamation on ■ c" the ground that at the time it was issued ho B. was within a league of the coast, and consej\. quently was in Now Zealand waters, and therefore in lull exercise of gubernatorial authority, so that Sir James Prendorgast's act was ultra F vires ; but this view is stoutly disputed by tho Ministry. Of course official reticence proia eludes any authoritative information on the subEt. ject being available, but lam convinced that this {] issue has been raised, and that tho Ministry will ' carry their point in tho matter. I believe then that should Te Whiti and tho Natives refuse to cc give in submission within 14 days, as it is n almost certain they will, orders will be given in to the Constabulary to remove fencing and to JD occupy Parihaka; that a road will be made to that place, that any Natives resisting or interfering eitherwith Constabulary or settlers will be summarily arrested, and that should they offer it. violence they will be treated with prompt n, severity. Every care, however, will be taken to avoid precipitating any resort to force, but i should this become necessary it will not be .shrunk from. The Ministry are quite resolute, a > and are satisfied that the whole Colony is with to them in their Nativepolicy. Itisundorstoodthat or a. copious " memorandummiad " is still proceeding between the Governor and his advisers ; but those who are best informed on the matter fully believe that the difficulty will blow over in )3> a few days; if so, however, it will not bo through anyfaltering onthepartof the Governto ment, who are convinced that they are in the right, and will remain firm in carrying out their plans. A telegram was received this afternoon >w which stated that the Hincmoa was successful >n in landing at Opunako to-day tho CO A.C.'s she re took up yesterday, just before a southerly gale set in, which would have rendered landing an impracticable operation ; as it was, , the landing was somewhat impedod by 'E heavy and continuous rain and rising id SC a,. Anothor batch will bo sent up in a few he days. The strength of Constabulary on tho coast ; n is now much the same as it was before the reduction took place, and the force is said to be , in thoroughly efficient order.

*° (Per United Press Association.) Qe New Plymouth, October 22nd. to A large number of Natives from Parihaka he aro in town to-day. They purchased nine- tons jjl of flour and some sugar. They were questioned as to whether the news of the proclamation had reached Parihaka. They said "No," and purchased a copy of tho Herald with it in. : One who could road English perused it, and said lie would take it to Te Whiti, who, ho was sure, would not care, as ho knew all that would happen to the Maoris, and could turn the Pakehas away at his will. Patea, October 22nd. Ed The Chairman of the County. Council has [j e telegraphed to Major Atkinson that tho action c taken by Government re Native affairs on the 0 West Coast meets with the unanimous approval "1 of the settlers, and tho settlers trust that Goo- vemment will be firm and bring tho matter to er a speedy and.successful issue. Mr Bryce was !],, heartily cheered on passing through here to-