LATE NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1300, 11 March 1870, Page 4

LATE NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

The JBflwVi1 Bay Herald of March Ist, gives the followinr : — There i* very little indeed to record. Konafa and 300 Ngatipoiv"us hud arrived at Poverty Biy, and more were to follow. This contingent wjuld march fVoiu Poverty B-v to act in concert with the force from Wairoa under Mr. Hsmlin, and that from Mohaka under Henaro and others, accompanied by Mr. Witty—the d-filiation of all being the Unwera country. "The natives in this expedition, it i« understood, are to receive a liberal bonus if coming up to and crushing Te Evr-ti and Kereopa ; if they fail, nothing. The Arawa, Jvgafiporou, aud Wanganui tribes have all agreed to this. The system of daily pay is at an end. The "Wanganui Herald states : — The Waitotara natives have made a bold attempt to violate Mr. Fox's order and return to their old reserves on the Waitotara block. Aperhama, who formally resided at lupuku, on the Waitotara, accompanied by a native called HaXa, Rio, who is well known •■" have anted as a go-between with the rebels during former wars on this coast, arrived on Thursday on the Waitotara block, with bullocks and drays loaded with potatoes, which they said wa3 a present for Major Durie. They had also three months' provisions fc themselves. Upon approaching the icrry they spied out a'whare, the property of the ferrymen, which they at once claimed the right to possess. The ferryman told them in a very positive manner, with more force than elegance, that they should not have it even temporarily, whereupon they claimed tho right to it, as they said the land there and about that, part of the country belonged to them. When they saw the ferryman would not yield, the korero ceased. In the meantime the settlers were on ihe alert. They had seen the dray pass along the road, and suspected the design. One of the settler* siting a rifle aver his shoulder, and followed Vy several of his fellow-settlers, made fov where the natives lmd halle I. The dray had been unyoked anl (he hillock* were grazing. The natives w.Tfi discussing wii-h the f-rrymin about the right of cutting timber on the lar.d-lh.y insisted that it. could only ho. cut in a ceitiin pla;<*. They roundly abusd Aiiijor No ike, mid praise.l MajiK ljiui.-, who \v>- all pe'rf'ei-ti'.ni in th'ii1 eyes. A? diptain K-1U had gone into town, the Veterans could i:ot interfere, and the settlers saw that the r.spjii-iHility ol the situation devolved upon them. A promise having been given that the natives should not b^ allowed to leturn, the i=elt!ors considered they had a right to resist vi el armis :uiy attempt in that direction. The natives we;e pi-rempt.oriiy oroired to return, lut they only received tie order with bounce, and when they smv that thiit wout I not do, they heeanie sulky mnl l.y il.iwn on the ground. Tlib s. ttl^rs were l.ecoiniii" exasperated, an.l when ihe native* snw that iei*t ance was in vain, tiiey re yoked the bullocks in the rhav ami commenced the return journey in the worst possible humor.