NATIVE MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 214, 17 July 1879, Page 2

NATIVE MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE.

(rfflt PKESS AGENCY,

Cambridge, Monday. At Saturday's native meeting, after petitions had been distributed, Bobort Graham tried to obtained hearing amid clamor and and interruptions. Several natives tried in vain to got him a hearing when Keti said :—" That meeting was called by Graham and his Maori friends, but through drink there is a disturbance, Let us adjourn," The meeting closed, After an hours delay it recommenced, a guard being placed at the door to prevent the disturber from entering. Tun Tanmhana then read the petition, and a discussion followed, The moeting adjourned till to-night, Robert Graham is regarded as the promoter of the petition, In the present disturbed state of native affairs, Europeans should avoid action calculated to unsettle the native mind, and should not promulgate' wild schemes of an impractcable nature, rnd hostile to the Government, Graham professes to be trying to allay the extreme discontent pervading the native mind, but there are other causes of dissatisfaction here than the present form of Government. Natives from Wellington and all all parts of the colony are claiming a share in the land. Manyaro unable to sustain their fnll claims; hence the discontent. The Land Act is regarded as oppressive. The natives are easily excited to demonstrations offensive to the Government. Hence, at Saturday's meeting, Ransfield (a half-caste, of Otaki) said; —" Let the Maoris appoint a Minister; but let not the Government be allowed to pay the salary, or our Minister will be a Government employee," Thus the meeting went further than the promoters could have wished, and Keperemutu, un old Hauhau chief, reasonably asked why, if they were not satisfied with thc-present Government, they did not go over to Tawhiao at once—then all would be well, To-night's meeting will decide the petition. Auckland, Tuesday.

At Cambridge the adjourned natives meeting convened by llobert Graham, who is chief promoter, and Maihi, was held after 4 oclock last night, when tho discussion on the petition to the Governor was continued, Most of the speakers expressed an opinion in favor of having a Maori Parliament in Waikato and leasing land only subject to the approval of a mixed commission, Tliey said the Maori members have failed to] do them good, through their hearts being alienated from the Maori people by Government money. A petition to tho Governor was unanimously adopted. The meeting is not regarded as of the slightest importance. The trouble has arisen over the award of the Court in reference to tho Okanue Block. The Ngatihaua hapu, who expected to get the " lion's share," were only awarded 1400 acres out of 24,000, the balance being given to the Ngatihauerangi, The Ngatihaua are dissatisfied, and GO of them, armed with all kinds of weapons, occupied the land and defied their successful rivals to take posssssion. The latter, however, sold to Europeans immediately after the decision of the Court, and will probably leave the purchasers to settle the difficulty. The natives are building pahs on the land, but not fighting pahs, and will probably demand a re-hearing of tiie case.