OHINEMURI.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3164, 9 April 1879, Page 2

OHINEMURI.

! t■ ■ ■.- (OOBBBBPONDENT.), . Paeboa, April 7th. Mr J. L. Byers and Miss Julia Hudson gave two entertainments in the Public i Hall on Friday and Saturday They had announced to open on Thursday night, but, unfortunately, the rain Game down in torrents towards sundown, and'it was not considered advisable to do so. There was a pretty fair attendance on both occasions,, although the muddy roads prevented many from coming;! and: all were well pleased with the entertainment. A horse belonging to Mr Quinlivan was killed at Owharoa through falling over a steep bank where the width of the roadway has been considerably reduced by the contractors who are cutting a lower '' /level. ■■■ r . ; ,. „, „, : v „, , „ E. W. Puckey, Native Agent, accompanied by the County Chairman and Mr Aitken, visited the native settlement of the Ngatihaku,; the, peppla.wbfO, interfered with the snagging operations. Mr Puckey spoke strongly to the men, and told them that,tthei r auction would probably lead to some unpleasantness, and result in loss and injury to themselves. Mr Brodie and old Epiha and Pakara had a long conversation, principally chaffing each other, t the natives evidently wishing to make as great a fuss as possible over (heir doings, Mr Brodie did the high" and mighty, pointing out how wrong-.and uncalled for, v was their interference, and ending with threatening to put the law into force. The fashion of interviewing and treating with consideration every few natives who chose to take the law in their hands and pull up road fascines, surveyors' pegs; and stop snagging operations, should be discontinued, and is the very worst way such actions can be stopped fqr -ther; future. It is. ju^lifting intojmportancel a few insignificant slaves and discontented individuals, and playing exactly into their hands. The County Chairman is good at taking the high moral stand and holding -, forth in Te Whiti style; but if he were to treat them to a taste of the operation of the law there would be few natives found to interfere with County works' in the" future. The Hon. Mr Sheehan sent a very * Strongly-worded telegram to TukujcinQ '. with reference to the action that frouM.; be taken in the event of further obstruct' tions to road-making, and it is to be hopeilL that the County authorities will stand nononsense. Tukukino and Co. may' crow i for a little while longer on their own dunghill at Te Komata. but they should be taught to abstain from resisting the advance of civilisation in other parti of' the district.