TARANAKI.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1092, 11 August 1880, Page 2

TARANAKI.

(From a Correspondent.) J Maori matters are now the most exciting topic of conversation, as these interesting beings have again commenced the*fr favorite policy of obstruction..,! Qolonel Roberts seems to have acted with great patience. and tact, for, their proceedings have been T most irritating, 'it \£as fortunate -that he at last succeeded m arresting Te'Whetu, who was the ringfeader in -the fenoing>operations, and a-/ man who posaesses considerable influence amongst his fellows. He has always been a turbulent individual, arid ;wasconcerned in tha matter of Brady, who .wag oruelly killed by the natives at Warea'some years ago. The question arises what to do with the prisoners, nearly twenty iof ,whom have been brought in at different times. It must be a difficult one for those in authority, who have the unenviable task of settling " the Native difficulty;" however, we hope the vigorous probihgs of the present Native Minister . :will be the means of initiating an entirely new system of management, which is sorely needed. Only this week, when two Maori women were fined for drunkenness, they coolly

asserted that the Native Office would pay the fine, as had been frequently .} done before.. But to their surprise they were committed to prison, the " powers that be" apparently having come to the conclusion that one form of Government pauper.ing at any rate is to be . discontinued. The Maoris who attended Te Whiti's usual monthly meeting are unusually reticent as to the great man's sayings, though some of them- deolare they intend to continue the fencing operations, and have no fear of the Government.. All these. doings have anything but a tendency to promote' cheerfulness amongst us, as ittte^plough- : ing matches which they commenced Wrnie fourteen months ago certainly had do with bringing about the commercial disasters from which we have suffered so heavily. This makes the report of the Native Commission as to the huge amounts of, money .worse than wasted during Mr. Sheehan's reign peculiarly irrigating to our feelings, and does not make the burden of increased taxation less irksome. However, some of our business men seem to be making ! hay in spite of the limited amount of ! sunshine, as new- sale yards and business ' houses are still being erected.