AUCKLAND.

Wananga, Volume 3, Issue 21, 6 July 1876, Page 261

AUCKLAND.

[From UNKNOWN own Correspondent .] Your readers will form an idea of the heavy amounts which have been expended by the Native Department during the late wanderings of the Governor and Sir Donald JpLean in \nmting the districts north and sotith of Auckland,-when I gire you the catalogue of supplies ordered for one place alone—Waitangi. Of course, the overtaxed people"Ot;the Colony must pay for nil these libera! ■applies bestowed by a "kind and indulgent" Native Minister. Here it is: I ton flour. ton biscuits, $ ton rice,} ton sugar, 2 ton# potatoes ami kumaras, 5 bullock% 20 pigs. 4?lbs. tobacco, it large supply o£:tins .containing powder, and a liberal supply, of wnipiro. The Lana expenses, and:the cost of the staff of both grsat men, when Whangaroa, Mongonui, VVhansrarei, Waikato, and other places Visited will put up to a tidy sum, in fact, the information would prove very acceptable if. laid: on the table of the ; Hoose upon a motion made by some honorable member representing a\section of the Province of Auckland. Thesef nncy expenses of SirDuaatd M'Leiio Ls simply getting so heavy, tb&t it will be absolutely necessary to pot a stopper .on it. The visit of Sir Donald M'Lean to the Waikato has:been pronounced a farce and failure, got up to throw dost in the eyes of Southern members of Parliament. King wa3 too canny for our Scotch Native Government ad riser. Sir Georg* Grey has got the consent of the Governor to take legal prbceedings against Grown Grants being issued to Mr. Thomas Russell,.and other European purchasers of large blocks: of Native lands in. the Waikato. The price got was. small. -The Government winked at the law b'.-ing broken, but£if*£foorge G*ey has iueoed up a. u±\v which will not "bo over until the. Queen hears of it, and that the Maoris are allowed to settle"the diwposftl-of titeir own lands without outside interference. It is well<blint your readers should know that this Mr. Russell And .his-friends, are the men which Ministers desire to particularly plo:»sr\ owing to the dread of their power being turned against tiiuin in hurling them from their positions as advisers of the Governor. "The Natives may however rest assured that Kawana Grey- will look after the interests and welfare ot the Maori race of New Zealand. The Native Minister left for Wellington with the Governor aud one or two followers yesterday. The northern Maori member (George Clarke) was amongst those expected to £o. with Sir Donald. Hf has been feeling Clarke's political pulse, and it is rumored negotiations ar-j going on to:-make him a responsible Native adviser to the Governor. The Government, it is believed, is tryiug t<> sweet one or two other Native members, notably Hone ~N*Ue, of the Thames. We shall see with what results. The Queen has approved of the Opposition members in Parlianieut objecting to, and fighting the Abolition Bill, until the elections then mentioned <lecided the matter. The Government has stopped purchasing any more Native lands in the Province of Auckland at present. There whs a strong feeling .of opposition shown by the Natives lately assembled at Coromandel to selling any ttore lands to the General Government, and owing to allegations made in connection with some recent purchases Hany of the Natives refused to sign the deed. Mr. James Mackay had a wire iu at them, arid possibly : mattcrs will be shortly arranged.