Local and General News.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 790, 21 September 1867, Page 3

Local and General News.

NiWAiTARA Township. — We are glad to be able to state that all difficulty with regard to the Waitara township, aa far at least as the natives are concerned, is now at an end. It will be remembered that in May last there was a good deal of grumbling excited by certain arbitrary proceedings in Wellington, with regard to the loyal native owners of thi3 township, the fact being that the Government had set aside certain sections, for the satisfaction^bf these claims, aud as compensation for their confiscated rights in the land, without consulting the natives themselves, or referring the matter to the Civil Commissioner of the district, who was, of conrse, the proper person to deal with it. The Moris disapproved of the sections reserved for them, and loudly expressed their discontent. His Honor the Superintendent and Mr. Parris were in consequence empowered by the Government to take such measures as would allay this feeling, and the result was, that on Monday last the natives were allowed to reselect their allotments, those sections which have been chosen by the holders of tho Now Zealand Company's land orders being the only ones reserved. On the afternoon of Tuesday we met Ihaia Kirikumera in town, and he expressed himself as satisfied with the arrangement. Kxrira, *(Creed,) a native policeman well known to many of our readers, as one^of the Town police during the last fourteen or fifteen years, died od Saturday last at his residence, at the Henui. Creed was taken ill about a week prior to his decease, with an attack of tho measles, and although every effort was majio to save his life he finally succumbed on Sunday night. The measles are almost always fatal when they attack adult Maoris ; yet, we are told, that Creed (true to tbe superstitious notions of his countrymen), attributed hi 3 approaching death to his having inadvertently lighted his pipe a week or two ago from a fire with which he was burning some old tones belonging to his ancestors, which were fonnd on Mount Eliot, on the site of the new Native Office. A ngnra/ra, or devil in the shape of a reptile, had ft sfce ted on his throat, lie said, in consequence of tl at ast, and it would J:ill him. Strange to say a sioppigein his throat was the ultimate cause of death, and his surviving relations, of course, fully believe that the ngarara's firm grip on poor Creed's throat was iieyond human skill to unfasten, and therefore he died. Creed, from the time we first knexv him in 1852, has been an honest, con,cientious, and loyal native, and many here, and elsewhere, will hear with regret of his sudden end. Agricultural Society. — A special general jneeting of this Bociety will be held at 4 o'clock this afternoon, to consider whether it will not be desirable to alter the time of the monthly meetings. Resident Magistrate's Court.— On Thursday last several small debt cases were disposed of. The only one jof any interest was that .of Sampson ju. Savage, our report of which we aro compelled p bold over until nest weok,

Price of Brsad. — We are glad to notice that Mr. Lawrence has determined to reduce hiaprico for a 4 lb. loaf to Sd. over tho counter, and 9d. delivered. It is high time that this should be done as although we have no dostro to diminish the legitimate profits of the trade, it is not right that the public should snft'or and be compelled to pay exorbitant prices nrterely because there are more bakers in Taranaki thau aro required. That lOd. for tho 4 lb. loaf is an exorbitant price, is easily seen by comparing it with the rates whioh obtain elsewhere. Freemasons' Hall Companl'. — At the annual general meeting of the shareholders of this company, held yesterday at Keeling & Co.'s Offices, a resolution was carried unanimously " that the company bo wonnd up voluntarily." We hear a new company will be formed. Tut: Wellington Independent.— 'We have for some time past missed our file of tho Wellington Independent. Files for that newspaper hare been sent regularly from our office, and wo think our contemporary somewhat wanting in courtesy in accepting onr files, without returning so much aB a single copy of the Independent.