THE INVASION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3694, 13 February 1880, Page 3

THE INVASION.

[Br Tblbgbaph.] , fPBOM OITB SIPBOIAIi OOBBESPOKDENT.] NORMANBY, Feb. 12. At a late hour yesterday I received infor« matitn that by proceeding to a certain spot I would probably obtain an interview with Kimblo Bent. After riding some distanco in a direction that, for obvious roasons, it would bo injudicious to indicate, I and myguido reaohod a pah whore wo mot an old Maori, tho father of Bent's wife. Aftor considerable palaver, another Maori was called, and piloted us for a distanoo of about half a mile through a" >dense bush. The track was excessively narrow and wound about in a perfect maze, whioh could not possibly be followed oxoopt by ono intimately acquainted with it. Finally wo reached a palisade, outside of wbioh wo had to leave our horses, and then made our way to where v, numbor of Natives, including ono of the most influential chiefs on the ooast, wero lying round a firo in a grovo of Karaku, treos. We woro welcomed and hospitably ontertained, but there was no sign of Bent,! andj; it was not until a long conversation had taken placo and the Natives ovidontly became satisfied that no treaohery was intnndod, that thoy admittod ho was within about five miles of tho spot, and agreed to make definite arrangements for a meeting between us in the course of a fow days. Returning through tho maze a Nativo wont beforo each of us carrying a glowing brand and exhibiting just sufficient light to enablo us carefully to lead our horaot along the narrow path. As may bo gathered, the placo to whioh I allude is within a fow hours' ride of tho European sottlemonts, aud yot is practically inaccessible. It could bo held for hours against a superior forco, and then evacuated safely, and retreat mado by similar woll chosen spots f urthor inland. Tho more I see of tho Maoris tho moro I am convinced what a fatal mistake it would be to undcr-e&timato their strength or fchoir resources. My visit of last night was mado undor oiroumstanoes whioh debar mo from being explicit, but I may go so far as to say that the Defence Minister and Colonel Roberts aro acting with wise disorotion in proparirg for any contingency. Possibly I may se.o Bent to-night, and almost certainly to-morrow night. Yostorday it was confidentially stated that tho constabulary would bo moved from ICaipipi to the bank of the Kaupokomti. .Thero is as yet, howovor,,no sign of a move, and it is whispered that tho noxt advanoo will bo neither in tho direction nor of tho description hitherto anticipated. Im fact, porsons who ought to be well informed, hint that tlio successive steps in tho occupation of the plains will bo moro and moro of a dooisivo, if not actually agresaive, charactor, thus gradually testing tho limits up to whioh tho Natives will remain quiescent. Ido not wish it to be understood that I stato this on authority, but thero aro very oloar indications that somothing of tho kind is in oontomplation. . Nothing furthor is known as to tho movoraonts of Titokowaru, but his visit to Pari* haka is exciting muoh attontion amongst both Europoans and Maoris. I havo been at somo trouble to ascortain whether the Nativos ascribo any significance to tho unexpected appoaranco of tho oomofc, or woro likely to bo influenced in any way by tho event. _ Looked at from lioro it appears to bo descending right on tho Wuimato Plains. On tho wholo I don't think th'o Natives would havo utlachod any significance to tho phonomona but for tho fact tlml Europeans havo beon assiduously spreading tho silly *uporntition that a comot is tho invariublo propago of war. Tho Maoris havo caught; up tlio cry, but whether they ropcat it in ridiculo of the Bupoi'Blition of tho ignorant Europeans, or really think thoro ia somothing in it, is imposisiblo to say. Tho Commission eat for a short timo yos-

torday, but only for tho purposo of iho proclamutlon. Ko timo is as yot fixed for tho transaction of bueiucsg. iJono Pihama and sovqral other influential chiofs nro anxiously wailing. Tlio Commissioners, accompanied by Mr Purris, viaited tho Wuimato Plains to-day. Mr Bryeo loft for Wollington by soaoh yostorday.