NATIVE AFFAIRS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6503, 15 December 1882, Page 2

NATIVE AFFAIRS.

(Per United Press Association.)

Wellington, December 14th,

With regard to the destruction of the bridge and tramway by the Natives at Takapau (Hawke's .Bay district) the following further particulars have been ascertained: —At daybreak on the 11th, about 15 Natives from Waipawa Pah, armed with guns and axes, proceeded to the land known as Takapau and destroyed the bridge and portion of the tramway constructed by Messrs Wilding and Bull, who were cutting timber on the land. Tlie damage was done before the Takapau Natives knew what was going on, and the Waipawas had returned to their pah. A threat was given that they would return, and it was feared that if they did there would be a serious conflict. It appears that the Waipawa and Porangahau Natives have lately objected to timber-cutting on this land, and they held several meetings on the subject, and in the end determined to destroy the bridge and train. On the Government being informed of this they advised that the Natives should be warned that, whatever their rights were, they could not be permitted to take the law into their own hands, as they were now doing. The land in dispute has not been passed through the Native Land Court, and the Natives liave been urged to allow everything to stand over until the title is decided. They are also informed that if further violence be resorted to the Government will interfere. When this was being urged on the Natives, Messrs Wilding and Bull were sent for, and it was arranged that a, week is to be allowed them to remove the logs they had cut, after which neither party is to go on the ground for six weeks. In the meantime application is to be made to tho Land Court to hear the case and have the whole matter decided by law. The Takapau Natives, who gavt Wildiug and Bull permission to cut timber, have been in occupation for a number of years.