A SURVEYOR IN TROUBLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6501, 13 December 1882, Page 2

A SURVEYOR IN TROUBLE

(Peb United Pkess Association.)

Auckland, December 12th,

Tho police authorities have just brought to a satisfactory issue certain delicate negotiations in respect oE a matter up North that threatened at one time to cause a rupture of the peaceful relations which have existed so long between the two racas in the Kaipara distrijt. It senms that about a fortnight ago a Government surveyor, named Ross, was engaged upon some operations near the bridge, and gave information to Constable. M'Lcotl that a yacht belonging to him, which had been moored in the river, had been seized by the Natives, with nil iiis surveying instruments. The total value of the abstracted property amounted to several huncfred pounds. Tho constable saw the caso was one beset with difficulty, and lie therefore informed Superintendent Thompson. By dint of searching inquiry tho superintendent discovered that the Maoris hat] had considerable provocation, and they had simply put into practice their ancient law of retaliation. He found out that one of lioss' chaiumen was a Maori possessed of a rathor comely wife, who had' been accustomed to pay frequent visits to the surveyors' camp for the ostensible purpose of seeing her husband. It 'occurred to her Maori fronds, however, that she was becoming far' more 'intimate than was proper with the chief of the party. Steps were about to be taken to prevent a scandat, when the dusky beauty mysteriously disappeared. Her friends, however, traced her to Warkworth, and thence' to Auckland. Tljpn they discovered she had been shipped off to some secure haven on ■ the .East Coast. The result of their investigations wrs the seizure of Koss" boat and implements for the alleged seduction imd clbpdnient. Superintendent Thompson at once perceived the importance of acting with the utmost circumspection, lest the .Government should be placed m an awkward positiop, and he therefore" Brought the whole matter under tho notice of the Native Minister. Mr Bryco at once- wired to Mr CJendon, R,M. for Wnngarci, requesting him

to do what he could in the direction of securing the restitution of the appropriated property. Mr Cleudon was. engaged at .the time with tho Maori iroad squabble, Wangarci, but ho managed to see the Natives on Wednesday near Kokoromiki, where they had carried the vessel. They- showed themselves to bo tractable and orderly, and when ho informed them they had broken the law, they promised to return the yacht and other confiscated goods, although they were greatly incensed at Ross' alleged dishonourable conduct. On Thursday evening last the-vessel was taken to Helonsviilo and handed over to Constable Haugiiton, and the owner found nothing had been tampered with or injured. Not even spirits on board had been touched. , - An inquiry into charges made against Ross ia now being parried .on by the Chief Surveyor. The accused individual is said to bo in town at present, and it is reported, though with what amount of truth is not known, that ho has been dismissed from the Government service. Later.

Mr Ross, surveyor, has come to town to take legal proceedings against the Kaipara Natives for taking forcible and unlawful possession of his yacht. He. says after .the Native woman's disappearance'tbey suspected lie was the cause, but they seized the yacht first and accused him afterwards. He got a warrant for their arrest, but being only signed by a J.P., it was not operative. Hs denies that the Chief Surveyor is making an inquiry into his conduct, or that he was ilimnisied from the Government-service, but states lie resigned previous.to this.occurruncn. , '.. ....