SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume X, Issue 2711, 27 August 1877, Page 2

SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

(PEB FBESS AGENOSf,) Alexandra, Saturday, Tbe Hikuraugi meeting was concluded yesterday. There were about fifteen hundred natives present. It was a failure, for tbe ling party's object was to endeavour to get the hill tribes to come in under Tawhiao's authority at Hikuraugi. The 'J'auranga tribe and Ngakui were the principal speakers for the Kingites. Te Whenua.of Ngatiunga, a good orator, quite upset Ngakui's speech by a speech on the advantages lie gained by living in a pakeha district compared with living on a black hill liko JJikurangi. Te Ngakui evidently was quite unable to refute the arguments of ',I'e Whenua's statement of the actual benefit the othors derived by living adjacent to Europeans. Te JNgakui (wlio is married to a' half caste), in the name of the King, said tho Maoris living at Eopua in future 'would never accompany or allow' any/-Wo-peans, especially policemen, at :ais native settlement. ! Tamiti closed tho Meeting by declaring the heavens would 'deß.ceud.on Tawhiao's side; and advising •'therri'to. como in at oiibe.< dip would givo. ■tlibm'uutil .JaduaQr nex|'to consider,. Which would be the last meoting. Tawbiao himself did not speak or show himself to those present, except to his immediate foUoffors. About five tons of flour, half a ton of bacon, and about a ton' of Hauhau beef and pork presented were, coilsumed, with immonso quantities of potatoes. 'J he tribes present were tho Tauranga, Taupo, Thames) Kawhia, and Ngatiraukawa. Haubaura was tho only chief of the Ngatiinaniapoti present. Eewi Whenui and Taonui ' refused to attend. The split between the two tribes is evidently daily inoreasing. ' ~,

Taujo, Saturday. A good Templar Lodge was opened here by 'Henry Brown, of Napier. About thirty natives were initiated, a; chief namod ilewiti te lame, being the head until Pohipi's, return from Wanganui. ■ (There is very little food amongst the natives, who are complaining,

... Westpoiit, Saturday. ' An outbreak of fire 10-day was promptly suppressed,. . ■ V'<\ An influential meeting of patnolics passed resolutions condemning, the,religious and compulsory clauses of the. iiducation Bill, and asserting the opinion that the only fair and cquitablo settlement of the difficulty is in giving Catholic schools payment by results and on' numorical at« tendance.

Geexmooth, Saturday, I There were four pjn injured by the gas explosion at tbe Grey Company's pit. They were all taken to the', hospital; whore ono of them, John JCenydied this morning. The others aro in a very dangerous state. The explosion l waSf caused by a slight flame from the ''fuse on which aragged edge had been loft • while, being lighted with a hot iron. 'J he shot which was fired at the time also esplpdedi'.; :