NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 971, 30 March 1870, Page 5 (Supplement)

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Mr. Booth has forwarded the following letter to the Native Office :—: —

v Wanganui, March 4, 1870.

" Sir, — I have the honor herewith to forward pi-oceedings of a native meeting held at Tuvakina on the Ist and 2nd of this month. I was present at the meeting, having been invited by the natives. I went with the knowledge and consent of Mr. Buller, Tnrakina being in his district. I consider the meeting to have been most satisfactory. Hapi did not hesitate to state frequently that Kingisni and Hauhauisni had been the cause of all our troubles. In reply to a speech by Heremiha, as to the desirability of all parties laying down their arms, and of making a permanent peace, I repeated to him and the others there assembled, the words of the Hon. Mr. Fox, at Ranana, on the Wanganui river, ' that theie was no cause whatever for fighting if the murderers were given up ; that the land in this country was quite sufficient for all, and that now there was no pretence of a quarrel on account of land, and that instead of taking up arms in any quarrel it would be so much better to let all matters of dispute be settled by the law.' They agreed to follow this course, and reminded me that one of their men — a murderer — had already been given up. They promised, moreover, that no evil-doer should for the future find shelter in their district.

" I have mucb pleasure in calling the attention of the Government to the prominent part takeu by Mete Kingi in these peace proceedings. " About fifty men of the Ngatiraukawa attended the meeting, and thirty Wan-g-anuis. Aperahama Tipae entertained his guests in European style, and on the second day of the meeting nine or ten of the principal chiefs sat down to dinner in Kawana Hunia's new house. We had roast turkeys, and roast fowls, and plum pndding, the cookery performed byHoani Mete's wife, and Kawana Himia's daughter. Sherry was placed on the table in decanters, and healths drunk with great enthusiasm. "As -."ill be seen by my report, the natives are desirous that a deputation of both Government/ and Hauhau natives should go to Tokangarnutn, and there make such arrangements as will as far as possible secure a permanent peace, but this step will not be taken unless with the knowledge and full consent of the Government. — I have, &c,

" James Booth, R.M."