NOTICES AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Waka Maori, Volume 10, Issue 20, 6 October 1874, Page 245

NOTICES AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received a very long letter from Hoani Maka, of Wangaehu, reporting a meeting at that place on the 14th of September and subsequent days, of the Ngatiapa, Muaupoko, Whanganui, and other tribes, to discuss general matters affecting the well-being of the tribes. The feeling of the meeting was in favour of peace and union with the Pakeha, the encouragement of industries and obedience to the law. Considerable irritation, however, appeared to exist in relation to a practice which it was said the sheep farmers pursued, of placing poison on Maori lands; and the meeting decided, in the event of any case of the kind again occurring, to try the legality of the practice by law. The impounding and selling of horses and sheep and cattle, without notice being given to tlio Maoris by the poundkeepcr, was strongly condemned by the meeting, and it was unanimously resolved that " this meeting is of opinion that this practice in connection with public pounds should be discontinued." Excavating on Maori land for road metal, was another matter of which tho meeting did not approve. It thought the excavations should be kept within the chain of land retained by the sides of public roads. Another cause of complaint was the draining, by lessees, of swamps and lakes on Maori lands for farming purposes, thereby destroying the eels. The meeting proposed to appoint a Committee to inquire into the right and title of any man wishing to sell or lease land before allowing the sale or lease to proceed, and this it considered would be beneficial to all parties. Hoani - Maka sends us a list of the provisions consumed at the meeting, namely : 25 pigs, 4 packages of preserved birds, 20 baskets of taros, 340 eels, 520 lampreys, 2,640 loaves, 23 bags of biscuit, 40 pats of butter, 18 bags sugar, 12 sheep, and 45 gallons of rum ! Tho total cost of the meeting amounted to £654 18s. ! How is it that our Maori friends cannot follow the example of their Pakeha brethren when they call a meeting to discuss any questions affecting the public interest ? The presence of intelligent thinking men is required at such meetings, not gourmandizers, who have scarcely an idea iu their heads beyond the gratification of their appetites. Here is a meeting called to discuss certain, comparatively speaking, unimportant matters, at which the large sum of £651 is foolishly squandered ! No wonder you

have "difficulties" and "grievances" to complain of; and so it will ever be until you are more frugal and economical in the management of your affairs. Hutana Taru, of Waipiro Bay, East Coast, informs us that several Natives have died on the East Coast from the effects of drinking. He condemns the practice of supplying the company with spirits at funeral parties ; very many, he says, only attend such parties to " wail for drink, not to wail for the dead." He himself is in the habit of attending these wailing death parties, but not for the purpose of obtaining drink; he is a " teetotaler," and never touches wine excepting only at the sacrament of our Lord s supper. • He, however, admits that he has a weakness j r r. s J kumaras," which are generally plentiful afc the death feasts, ' but then, he says, " they do not cost money as spirits do." J Hone Rua, of the Native Contingent, asks when he shall send in his subscription. He can send £1 at once, being 10s. for the year ended July, 1874, and 10s. for the current year, ending July, 1875. Subscriptions to the Walca are payable in advance. We have received a very large number of letters which we cannot now notice. They will be acknowledged in due time.

Subscriptions received :— £ s. d. 1874.—Robert Ward, Esq., Marton, Eangitikci 0 10 0 1874-75.—Taimona Pita Te Ahuru, of Tutaenui, Rangitikei; up to July, 1875 1 0 0 1874.—Kgawira Henare, care of Robt. Ward Esq., Marton, Rangitikei (No. 19.) 0 10 0 ,, Ropoama, of Waikawa, Picton ... 0 10 0 » Paramana, care of A. J. Birch, Esq., Patea, Napier 0 10 0 £3 0 0