AUCKLAND. IMPORTANT NATIVE MEETING IN THE THAM'S DISTRICT.

Otago Witness, Issue 694, 18 March 1865, Page 5

AUCKLAND. IMPORTANT NATIVE MEETING IN THE THAM' S DISTRICT .

DJSC n VK«V i.F ii • D AT R&GLAN.

(FR-'H THE DAILY XjMHS ORIWfiPTJDEirr.) Friday, 3rd March.. A very important nitive meeting has rerently take n place in the Thames district, to fli-cit-s the question of war or peace, and was attmded by about 1200 natives from the Thames and Coromandel, with a few Ngatiporou fugitives from the East Coast, and about fifty of the Pai Marire fanatics. The most influential chiefs in attendance were — Taraia (the last of the cannibals) : Kitahi te Tanewhq, Patene Puha'.a, Moauanui, Rawiri te Ua, Ngakapa Whanaunga, Haira Tifa, Pita Tankaka, Tamati te Octatu, and several others. Mr J. Mackay, jun., civil commissioner for the district, was also present. The meeting commenced on the Bth ultimo, at Kanaeranga, on the mouth of the Thames, the former mission station of the Rev. Mr Lafear, and lasted until the 15th. There was of course, as is usual at such gatherings, a great amount of feasting during the meeting— many of the natives who had come from a distance having brought large supplies of food with them; and the fines and fees, and other legal spoil of the native courts of judicature, were expended by the sanction of the assessors in flour, sugar, and other necessaries. The entire proceedings were conducted in the most orderly manner, and when the question of peace or war came on tor discussion, a line was drawn on the ground dividing the assembly, and the natives were requested to declare on whicfe side they would choose to appear. The whole of the natives, with the exception of four, chose the peace side, and the four for war nnj' al?o be said to be peacefully inclined, as they said that so long as ! William Thompson remained at peace they would remain quiet, but that as soon as he left for war they would follow him. The resolution of the natives appeared to be, that on no account would they leave their own district to join in any war against the Europeans, but if the troops ventured into the Thames district to attack them, then they would fight — not otherwise. The correspondent of the Cross, speaking of the meeting, says: — One point of some importance gained, was the abject submission 'of the old chief Taraia, who has given more trouble and anxiety to the authorities during this crisis than any other chief in the Thames district. Taraia laid himself at full length on the ground before the Civil Commissioner, in token of submission. The influential chief Ngakapa Whanaunga, who led the rebellious portion of the Thames natives, expressed his determination to abide by the law in future. lie handed over to Mr Mackay the dogskin mat sent by Wi Tako to William Thompson, as a robe for the Maori king. This dogskin mat played a very important part in the election of Potatau the First ; and it is said, and I believe with truth, that it was fringed with foreign fur, supplied by a gentleman who has held the highest Executive office in the province of Wellington for years past. The mat is now without the fur, having passed through several hands beTore being laid at the feet of the Civil Commissioner, in token of its possessor's submission to the Queen, Wm. Thompson presented the mat from Wi Tako to the King elect, who gave it to Wetini Taiporutu, who was killed during the first Taranaki war, I believe in the assault on No. 4 redoubt, Wetini leading the Waikatos on that occasion. On the death of Wetini, the mat reverted to Ngakapa Whanaunga, who, on the breaking out of the war in Waikato, joined the rebels to avenge his kinsman's death. Ngakapa was some time ago a decided war advocate, and openly expressed himself that, as soon as war began an the country, he would join in the fighting. He now says that he has had quite enough of it ; that lie has lost his land in Waikato, and is content that this should be so ; but that he will not bring war into his own district. Ngakapa is for peace, therefore, because he finds war a losing game, and this is, perhaps, the best guarantee one could have of his loyalty. The Pai Marire fanatics were told plainly by Mr Mackay that if any transgressed the law the offender would be arrested, tried, and punished. They expressed their intention of remaining in their own district in preference to departing for Wanganui. The meeting passed resolutions restricting the sale of spirits, and also with regard to cattle trespass and branding. They also consented to permit a prospecting party to go over the Thames district, and should a payable gold field be found, will make terms with Government for working it. There is little additional native news from Tauranga. The chief Hori KiDgi Tupaea having been relieved from further custody in Auckland, has taken his departure for Tauranga ; and there can be no doubt the Pai Marire natives taken prisoners at the same time with him, will be released. A fight is stated to be immediately pending between the rebel Ngati-

porous and the Arawas, at Maketu and Rotorua ; 150 armed Ngatiporous have already put in an appearance near Maketu, and are to be reinforced by 300 more.

Intelligence was received in town on Wednesday, from Air xandra on the Waipa, tl af Rewi, Win Thompson, and King Matii I acre were about to recommence hostilities in the Waikato, and that the necessary preparations had been made by the military authorities to rec ive threatened attack at any of the outp *sts.

In pursuance of commands received from General Cameron, that every available soldier should be sent down to Wanganui as speedily a3 possible, a number of soldiers of various regiments have already been despatched thither. On Wednesday 315 rank and file of the 14th Regiment, 4 subalterns, 2 captains, 2 staff officers, and 9 sergeants, embarked on board the Brisk, man-of-ivar, and left the harbor the same day. The following are the officers' names :— Staff : Lieutenant and Adjutant Butter, Dr Carte, Colonel Trevor, 14th, and Captains Vivian and Bryce, Lieut. Keogh, Lieut. Svvanson, Ensigus Churchward and Boyes. The Alexandra also took her departure from the Manakau the same day, having on board as passengers Lieut. St Hill, A.D.C. ; D.A.C.G. Newland and family ; Captain Ruck, C.T.C ; and 13 men of the 68th Regiment. There were also on board 10 officers' horses aud 79 belonging to the Comt. T. C. Rumors have been in circulation pretty freely during the past few days that owing to the drain of soldiers from this place to Wanganui, the Auckland Militia and Volunteers would again have to be called out to •do duty at the front. So far as can be gathered at present, however, there appear no grounds for the belief that any steps have up to the present been taken to have our local forces again called out Tor active service, and it is sincerely to be hoped that, after the losses already sustained from this cause, the occasion may not arise. One thousand of the Waikato Militia are reported to have been struck off pay on the 28th ult., their two years' service having expired at that time. It is understood this measure has become "necessary from the extreme lowness of funds in [ the treasury chest; and it, therefore, bei comes a nice question to solve as to how far Government would be prepared to meet the expenses of calling out the Auckland Militia and Volunteers, should there l;e really any shadow of truth in the rumor above stated. The Forest Rangers, connected with the Waikato Militia, have deserted their old camp at Cambridge, and are now located on their land at Harapipi, which is spoken of as being really firstclass land.

I have mentioned elsewhere that the Thames natives had consented to permit a prospecting party to travel through the Thames District in search of gold. It is understood that, a party have already left Coromandel with that object in view, and sanguine expectations appear to be entertained that success will attend their efforts. A discovery of gold is said to have been made at Raglan hy a native, and the Government reward has been claimed through Mr Todd, Government Surveyor, who has recently been employed surveying a new line of road between Raglan and the Waipa river. The sum of money voted as a reward for the discovery of a payable gold field has fallen again into the Exchequer, owing to the time having expired within which a claim was to be made ; but his Honor the Superintendent has promised that if, upon a further report to him, the discovery is found to be a genuine one, he will endeavor to secure a portion of the reward.

The results of the census taken in Auckland on the 2nd December last, have been communicated to the Auckland press by Mr R. B Lusk, the enumerator of the Province, and from which it' appears that, exclusive of the military, both Imperial and Colonial, and their families, the total population of the Province on the above date was 37,008 souls, of whom 15,357 were females. The number of acres fenced was 128,705. There were under cultivation 87,147 acres, of which there were in wheat 856, oats 3394, barley 154, maize 754, potatoes 3459, in garden or orchard 1855, in sown grasses 75,680, and in other crops 995. Of live stock the Province contained — 7233 horses, 111 mules and asses, 42,120 cattle, 73,145 sheep, 3273 goats, 12,936 pigs, and 104,564 poultry. The numbers of military settlers and their families were, males, 4035 ; females, 1039; total, 5124, making the total population of the Province when the census was taken — males, 25,686 ; females, 16,446,— t0ta1, • 42,132. These figures, it will be admitted, present a far more respectable figure than those of the Empire Province, which I believe were 14,000 for the entire province ; less, in fact, than the population of the city of Auckland, which is between 16,000 and 18,000, exclusive of military. The proceedings in the Provincial Council may almost be said to have come to a stand still, not a meeting having occurred this week without a count out taking place about Bix o'clock. Mr Hugh

Carleton, the Provincial Secretary, has for sometime alone represented the Executive in Council ; but like poor Atlas of old, has not done it without liawng to stoop considerably in su-tainiu-? his burden — harassed as he has been by the Opposition. On Tuesday, however, he was in some measure relieved of a portion of his difficulties by t'-e acceptance of a se.-it on the Executive bench a liy Mr Cheesermn, Chairman of the Hail way Board of Commissioners. Mr Carleton made his financial statement on the s.ime day, and which was supplementary to that delivered in the early part of the session by his predecessor in office, Mr Newmau. There was nothing particularly new or striking in the statement, and I don't think the readers of the Times would be at all interested in poring over a series of figures understood to represent revenue arising from multifarious sources, and which was on the other hand expend©! on works about which they would know little or nothing, and perhaps would care less. The estimates came on for discussion last night, but after passing the first item — the salary of the Speaker — it was found a quorum was not present, and as usual a count out took place.

The March Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court commenced on Wednesday, before his Honor the Chief Justice, Sir George A. Arney, Kt. There were 33 prisoners for trial on the calendar, and several committals for trial have since taken place from the Resident Magistrate's Court, Of the 33 prisoners 11 are soldiers, and the most serious crime upon the calendar is that of treason by a native. In his charge to the Grand Jury, his Honor again commented strongly on the condition of the Auckland gaols, and their present overcrowded state. The convict Dumfrey, a soldier who has four times escaped from the Stockade, &c, has just been recaptured in time to take his trial at this sessions. He was to have been brought up for trial at the December Sessions, but made his escape from gaol a few da}"s prior to their being held, and was not recaptured until the sessions had terminated. A few weeks afterwards he again managed to get away, although in irons, and was not retaken until last week.

The settlers who suffered losses during the late war in Auckland, are to have an opportunity afforded them shortly of proving their claims for compensation. Thomas Beckham, Esq., R.M., has been appointed a commissioner to investigate the claims put in ; and, doubtless, from his experience gained in a similar capacity at Taramki, he will be found ably to fulfil the onerous duties.