HAWERA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3106, 2 May 1879, Page 2

HA WE RA.

[PROM OUR OWN CORRK3PONDEXT.] Arm L 29. — Mr.. Mackay and Captain Blake were here last "v^eek, for a couple of clays, interviewing natives about " the confiscation question this side of the Waingongora River, as well as the other, and enquiring into native matters generally. Mr. Mackay was interviewed by some settlers re the native question, amVin course of conversation told them that he had made a fall report on the affairs of the coast to the Government, and that he had made certain suggestions to them which, if carried out, he had no doubt would lead to a settlement on a firm basis. I balieve his report contains the following proposals : — That the West Coast be. divided i into three sections — Ist From Stony River to White Cliffs ; 2nd from Waingongora to Waitotara ; 3rd from Waingongora to Stony River. He would then have a commission appointed, I presume with a mixture of Maoris on it, to enquire into all the grievances of the natives with regard to the first and second parts, and settle them, by which means we would have all the Maoris in those two districts on our side, which would considerably clip the wings of the Plains natives. After this was satisfactorily settled, then tackle Te Whiti and the Plains people, and enquire into their complaints and grievances ; and he thinks that after the two wings have been taken from them, that it will not be a difficult matter to bring them to their senses, notwithstanding Te Whiti's fanaticism. In proportioning reserves he would at once individualise the titles, and form three classes of recipients ; Ist. Those who never fought against us ; 2nd. Those who fought only in the first war ; 3rd. Those who have always been rebellious. To the first he would give ample reserves, to the second stnnller oiies, and to the third still less. In this way justice would be dealt out according to their deserts. If this proposal could be carried out, it would be a grand success, for it has always been a complaint that while those natives who have been and are still friendly, are entirely ignored in regard to the loaves and fishes, those who have been rebellious all along have Government money heaped upon them. The friendly natives naturally enough complain about this treatment," 'and question whether it would not have been -more to their advantage to have sided against the Government in the late wars. Whether the Plains Natives, headed by Te Whiti, will ever consent to a commission being appointed is very doubtful. So long as he can hold out I am sure the prophet will; for so soon as he consents his influence is gone, and there will be nothing left to bind the natives to hini. He has gained his iuflueuce by getting the different tribos together that they might discuss the land question with each other, but so soon as this topic of discussion is gone, gone is his influence. There is no doubt but that he is a remarkably clever man— far beyond the most intelligent of the Maoris, and I have very little doubt but that he foresaw this result if he consented to the commission when Mr. Mackay proposed it, notwithstanding a great many natives' approval of the scheme, and at once made a strong protest against. There is no doubt bat the unfortunate affair of Hiroki killing McLean and not baing capture!, complicated matters very much, for the Maoris said if you are not able to take this man whom you call a murderer, you are not able to take our laud, and, therefore, we will resist to the utmost. I am glad to see you contradicted in your paper the report about the surveyors being turned off the Mountain Road, as these things get telegraphed all over the Colony, much to the disadvantage of this district, and verifies the old saying, that one has to go from home to hear the news. In this matter we have heard nothing about it. Hawera prides itself, or rather the inhabittants do, on being a very religious place. They attend kirk regularly, and do an immense amount of psalm-singing, but I was rather surprised the other day when I had an occasion for a bible. I visited first a draper, then a saddler, then a lawyer, a banker, a storekeeper, but no bible was to ho had ; at last in sheer desperation I went to a public house and enquired for one, and the landlady, after somo searching in divers drawers, pulled out the much needed article.