UPPER WAIKATO.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIi, Issue 1714, 8 April 1862, Page 3

UPPER WAIKATO.

(From the " New Zeahinder. 1 ' Rumour has been busy, as usual, relative to some recent occurrences at Olawhao, and, as usual, at Auckland, has been at least somewhat prematuro in the announcement that the European Magistrate, Mr. Gurst, had been forcibly deported, with we know not what extent of violent outrage. The facts of the oase will be found iv the following narrative, the authenticity of which may be relied on : — - On Friday the 31st Tariuary, a vague rumour reached Mr. Gorst, that three bands of the Ngatimaniapoto had set out from the neighbourhood of Haugatikei — one, to drive away the Rev. Mr. Snackenburg from Kawhia; a second, to expel Mr. Reid from Waipa ; and the third, to remove Mr. Morgan and Mr. Gorst from Otawhao. Mr. Gorst wont over with Mr. M, Clarke the gams day to Kihikihi to see if any tidings could be obtained of the hostile force. They found a party of Ngatiawas from the Waitara there, who were very sulky and would not talk; they professed to know nothing about the arrangements made lor the laud at Waitara. This was false, as they were returning from a visit to Ngaruuwahia. Mr. Gorst asked for Rewi, he was not forthcoming; and as for the men from liangatikei who had come down, they knew nothing about them. Finding them hopelessly uncommunicative, Mr. Gorst wished them good bye and went home, fully convinced that the Hangatikei story was a fabrication. Next day, however, news came that the hostile ormy was actually at Rangiaowha, and on Sunday a chief of Taati'a party named Waterhpuse came to say that the intelligence was too true ; the Ngatitna-

>y niapoto soldiers, anxious to kill two bird! "" with one'stone, had gone round by Ran ie giaowhia to arrest a v aikato malefactor s- but as Hie Waikatos were not willing t< to give him up, the two parties were id i lair way of coming to blows. Monday ]x however, was a drenching wet day, aud i d was hoped that either the rain or the int. testiue quarrel might prevent furthei \\ But on Tuesday, just after breakfust, ii ,s I being a fine sunny day, there was a report that the enemy was at hand. The party at Mr. Gorst's all ran out into the road and seeing a short white line bobbing up and down amongst the distant fern, at once perceived it to be the white caps of one of the royal regiments. In a few minutes the army came up, — first Rangiaowhia men ou horseback, who had come down to see the fun, then Patene, the hostile leader, a Ngatiamaniapoto chief of equal rauk with Rewi, aud his friends, and last, after a long halt on the bridge out of sight, — whether to arrange their programme, prime their guns, or put on iheir breeches is uncertain, — a regiment of 30 men in blue with a red officer, who- marched past, countermarched, halted, faced about, rehearsed a few military exercises, and finally <( stood at ease" exactly opposite to where Mr. Clarke aud Mr. Gorst were leaning against the fence. It was a ludicrous scene. All Mr. Morgans school was perched upon the fence; there were many ladies and most of the Europeans from the neighbourhood as spectators; children and babies, horses, and Maories, and the 30 soldiers standing grave and solemu in the midst, the only still object in the picture. After shaking hands with the enemy and loitering about for five or ten miuutes, as nobody seemed disposed to begin, Mr. Gorst weut away into bis house. One of Mr. Morgan's teachers was soon sent in to ask Mr. Gorst to come out and talk to them ; they also invited Mr. Morgan to come out and listen, though they disclaimed all intention of meddling wilh him ; it was Mr. Gorst, not he, that was to be driven away. When Mr. Gorst got out, a man in the road was reading a written declaration of loyalty to the King purporting to be signed by 2079 persons, The only phrase that was distinctly heard, for he read very badly, was " the Bishop and Morgan and other fulse prophets." Au adjournment was then proposed to the J shade in the churoh field, so they sat down on the church steps ; the army was reformed, reprimanded by the red officer for allowing the boys to poke fun at it, mancevured through a gap iv the hedge into the field, and drawn up, with guns and bayonets, a couple of yards before the party. Patene came forth in front and made an oration. He dwelt on the wrong committed by the Governor in sending up a Magistrate when they had passed a resolution that none should be allowed to come : it was of no use Mr. Gorst saying that be had never judged any Maori, Patene had seen in the newspaper that the Governor had sent him up to be a Magistrate. Mr. Gorst said he was on bis own " piece," and Patene had no right to meddle with him. Patene said he would not let Mr. Gorst stay unless he would consent to become a trader, and sell blankets and tobacco, and give up being a Magistrate. Mr. Gorst said that he could pay no attention to the wojds of one man; he must hear what Matutaera, what all Waikato, said to this. Patene replied that he himself was King Matutaera, and that all the Runangas had agreed that M. Gorst and M. Clarke should be driven away ; they were worms, baits, that Sir George Grey was fishing with, and if they were suffered to remain, some of the tribes in Waikato would inevitably be caught. He repeatedly otdered Mr. Gorst to go, Mr. Gorst positively refused. Patene then said that this time he had told Mr. Gorst quietly to go, but if he persisted in remaining he should soon c.ome back and send him away; he should take Mr. Clarke and Mr. Gorst, he said, with their goods (he would not hurt either them or their goods), and put them into a canoe and send them away. Mr. Clarke said that he and Mr. Gorst would have to be carried down the river, and would not help to paddle. Patene replied that was just. A tnaori in a striped red flannel shirt, said to be Ihaia, an influential Rangiawhia chief, with a merry good-hu-moured face, also addressed Mr. Gorst, and pointed out his errors ; but he used no threats of, removal, and seemed only half in earnest. The great and uulooked for obstinacy of the magistrate terminated the proceedings ; the soldiers were manoevured into the road again and marched away; there was a general rush of the public into the road to see the army march through a puddle that extended across the road, but the red officer deployed into single file m a uiftsterly manner, and the men crept by the hedge side, so the hopes of the public were disappointed. In the afternoon Taati paid Mr. Gorst a visit, and said that his Runanga would not agree to appoint him to be Assessor. He said they were afraid lest they should lose their ' mana,' aud that it was owing to fear that no one ventured to accept the Governor's plaus. All the Rnnangas had agreed that no aditional schoolmaster should be admitted into the district, but he said the violent proceedings of Ngatimaniapoto were not sanctioned by the rest. Mr. Gorst pointed oul to him that they had come, with arms and threats, upon the Queen's laud, which on their own principles, was wrong. Three or four Waikatos from Kihi-kihi were also down in the afternoon, they expressed disapproval of Patene's conduct.

s On the sth February, Mr. Gorst sec - 'Mr. Clark with a letter to Matutaera, a ', Ngaruawahia, to ask whether he hai 3 sanctionod .or approved of his men beini i employed to drive Mr. Gorst off his owi , land, and to point out that such an ac t was a violation of the peace, and a per ■ sonal insult to Sir George Grey who hac r placed him there. Mr. Clarke got as far as the Rapa, anc t there met with Tumubuia aud Hoera whc • are two leading men from Ngaruawahia i They told him there was no use iv his » going any further, for Matutaera had • gone to the Waipa, and all his business ; was transacted by two councillors, (a byi stander whispered, by the speakers. Air. j Clark then produced Mr. Goi-st's letter, ■ and gave them au account of what had happened. They said that Matutaera had not sent Patene, aud that his conduct was wrong; Mr. Gorst ought to go and tell Wi Taoaehana about it. Mr. Clarke said that in Ngapuhi such behavour would be called a " kohuru," and that Malautaera should be held responsible for the acts of his soldiers : he also fully explained what Mr. Gorst had come up for, and how he would proceed. They said they would themselves come up an<J enquire into the circumstances, and that Mr. Gorst's letter (which they read) should be answered by the next Mail. After Mr. Clarke had had some food, they called him back and asked him to take a letter for Patene and Rewi which Tumuhuia wrote, ordering them not to molest Mr. Gorst.