NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume IV, Issue 854, 12 May 1870, Page 2

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

. (From the -JT. Z. Herald} ' WHAKATANE; We have received the ioYLonmg rather interesting intelligence from Whakatane:— ' The natives here were in a great state of excitement on Monday morning last Some natives had just returned from Ohiwa where an attempt had been made by the Government to capture a Uriwera chief named Tamai Kowha. This person is a well known character, and is said to have been concerned in many savage acts against Europeans, culminating, it would appear, in being accessory, if not the actual murderer to the death of Bennett White. It is said that Major Kemp, made a peace with Tamai Kowha some weeks ago and that Tamai had gone to Ohiwa, in accordance with Kemp's promise to give him land there. This is the native account, as may be understood from the alleged promise of land, for' no European could believe that Kemp has any such power. Of course the land does not belong to Kemp at all. When Tamai Kowha, however, arrived at Ohiwa, he "settled" at a place called Whakarai, and sent messengers to inform the' native chiefs that he had come. The messengers were, it is said, at first hospitably entertained, but they were afterwards made prisoners. Marsh, who occupies a post with his people nt Ohiwa, endeavored to surround the place. They were successful so far. When, the pa was en tered j however, it was found to be deserted, although there was a good deal of loot. Only one old man remained j his name was Ti Pene, ond he was killed. There appears to be a good deal of exasperation at what has occurred. The natives ask why Tamai was sent there, aud afterwards treacherously surrounded. They say this circumstance will prolong and intensify the war. No doubt, the explanation of these things will be intelligible when it comes, but these excitements do a great deal of harm by unsettling the districts where they occur. Long Life.—Tho Pall Jfg& Gazette, says, the ex-ChiefßaroWF earlier life gava many proofs of his interest in physical science, and he must be happy now in contributing to knowledge of the art of longevity. At the age of eighty-six he is still hale and hearty, and he attributes this to his adoption of ether-inhala-tion as a stimulant sedative. " A few whiffs are," he says, "sufficient at once to quiet spasm and pain and to induce a general tranquility of the nervous system." As nervous irritability is a common, complaint in these days, and by no means confined to octogenarians, it might be well if Sir Frederick Pollock's example would induce "fashionable dram-drinkers" to substitute inhalation for imbibition.-