AUCKLAND.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1729, 30 May 1862, Page 5

AUCKLAND.

By the White Swan, we have received Auckland papers up to the 24th inst. We extract the following from the New Zealander of the 24th May : — The Natives of Kaipaka. — We have to announce, with regret, that a long standing feud between Native tribes in the North has burst into actual hostilities. A fight took place in the neighbourhood of the Wairoa river last week between the party of Tirarau and that of Matiu in which five of the latter were killed and several wounded, the former havirgfour wounded only. W r itiiin the last six years, we believe, the government have endeavoured unceasingly to bring about an adjustment of the land question in dispute between the contending parties, but without success. Not long since, we learn, Matiu expressed his determination to come down in force and survey his land ; Tirarun. thereupon, imirke<l a boundary and declared that he would shoot the other if that line were crossed, and thus the fight was directly brought about. Happily, amongst the killed, there is no man of importance, but the feud may, nevertheless, if unchecked, assume dimensions of very serious character. Jn our next issue, we propose to give full particulars of the circumstances which have led to a collision so much to be deplored. Coromandbl — The Natives expected from the Thames not baring yet arrived, nothing further has been done in regard to the throwing open of Paul's land. We reyret to see that a disposition is displayed in certain quarters recklessly to get up a " rush" to Coromandel. Nothing we think, could be more unfortunate for the diggers themselves or for the Province than such an occurence at this moment. There is, as we have before said, great probability that, in a very few days, a satisfactory arrangement may be made with the native owners, when the resomces of the coveted block may be opened to the enterprise of the diggeis. But if it should happen tuat the owners of the land obstinately refuse to permit it to be explored or worked iv any way, it is plain that the goven ment must respect that determination, and if necessary protect them in their right. The presence of an impatient and teazing population will but complicate any diihculiies which may chance to arise in the negocialion now bSing carried on, anl if the negociations should fail or be suspeufur a time, the reasonable disappointment of those who may be induced by over coloured representations of things to come U this place will serve to retard the final succuss which we hope, will crown the Coromandel district, and add to the population aud wealth of theProviuce. (from our ows correspondent.) The great question of interest at present is, when will Paul's land be thrown open, and many of the miners throw out dark hints" as to the propriety of working it with or without the consent of. the natives. Last Sunday, a person taking a walk over the forbidden land, picked up a very rich specimen on the surface, weighing six ounces and a half; but this is nothing to the reports tuat are circulating among the miners, though 1 should not like to vouch for their truth, for if all couid be believed this would be the richest gold field ever discovered. Everyone is looking forward to the return of the Honorable the Colonial Secretary, expecting that on his arrival, they will be permitted to work on Paul's lan. l. Yesterday, Watson made up his party to fifteen rae» ; they will work day and niglit, five men iv a shift, so that you may expect to hear soon that they have bottomed their shaft, and it is to be hoped that they will find something to pay the v for their time and labour ; they all seem very sanguine of success. The company's works on the Pokawhau are getting on, they have driven fuity feet into the hill, they are now driving nearly due south, in which direction they will then strike east and west, and so form a T, as by this mes,ns they cannot fail to find the reef. Several parties working in the creeks iv the neighbourhood are doing well. Murphy's party havejust finished a very comfortable house aud have nuvv ciMiuneuceeil to work in shaft No. 3; they are Making' and getting on fumiousJy ; by tbe Thames cutler they received a very necessary present of boots and other clolhi»g in Jjeu of those destroyed by fire at the lime their house was burnt down ; money cannot be belter spent tuau iv assisting .such men as these. Mr. Von Tempsky is working just below Murphy's claim and is getting gold, he is washing the surface of the hill and getting some very pretty specimens and clean gold 5 Mr. Robinson his partner, has been sick fur some days, but is now rapidly recovering. Mr. Turtou, our Resident Magistrate, has I

takeu up bis residence at the Kupanga lauding place, and is doing all he can to preserve law and order amongst us, between natives and diggers. He has no sinecure. May 23rd, 1862. The Weather. — Throughout the greater part of last week the weather was mild and genial, Thursday and Friday, iu particular, being j bright and balmy na mid-summer. On Sattitday. however, a change took place, the wind veering to the southward ami breezing up. On Sunday it continued to fresheu with heavy aud Irequeut showers; and during Monday, though the occasional sunshine was warm and pleasant, it was both chilly and cheerless in the wintry, drenching, squalis. Yesterday was a bitter day throughout ; and about four in the afternoon we were visited with' a fierce hail-storm, such as, we believe, has nevei before been witnessed in Auck 1 land. The cold was intense, and for about ten minutes the hail-stones fell thick and fast, clothing the ground in a maiitie of white. We have not heard of any damage done, though it is quite possible that a few squares of glass may here a/id there have come to grief. Towards evening the weather moderated, and the three days' blasthaving blown out, we may reasonably anticipate another to "set fair." — New Zealander. (From the Southern Cross, May 24.) New Zealand is in a state of profound tranquility. There is not » breath to ruffle the calm repose into which the perturbed sea of native politics has at length subsided. Sir George Grey has waved his magic wand, and j all is still. No longer is heard the notes of war; no more is seen the flaunting symbol of Maori sovereignty fluttering in the breeze from a score of flagstnffs on the territory of Potatau the Second. The "Maori gentlemen" who constituted the first " native parliament" iv the north, have long since retired to their manorial halls, attended by their mounted retainers, and discharge the duties incident to the possession of princely estates with a dignity and munificence unknown among the more cultivated, but less distinguished aristocrats of England. There is no opposition to English law ; the Queen's sovereignty is a glorious reality and not a fiction in the nine-tenths of this island. The Queen's writs run from end to end of the colony ; and native assessors admiuister justice with impartiality and firmness. The Runangas are loyal assemblies. There is ho hindrance to the passage of the mail through the native territory ; no "black mail" is levied off defenceless settlers; and, above all, the murderers of our fellow subjects and fellow countrymen at Taranaki have been voluntarily surrendered by their tribes, prosecuted to conviction, and executed, iv the due course of law, as a terror to evil doers. Verily, this is the golden age of New Zta and : and with just pride may his Excellency the Governor make triumphal entries into the capitals of the Provinces he has saved by his policy, from the scourge of war, with all its accompanying evils. With such facts before us we can well afford to smile at the little failures of Mr; Fox, the Colonial Secretary, in his efforts to induce the wretched remnant of a once powerful Coromaudel hapu to cede one inch of tlieir ancestral possessions, although his failures have the effect of keeping the goldfields of Auckland pemunently locked-up, and turning from our shoies hundreds of intelligent and industrious men. The lesser evil is swallowed up in the greater good. Such, in effect, is the language of the men who hold the destinies of this colony in their hands ; and such are the sentiments echoed in the Press subservient to their policy. But we owe no allegiance to time servers. Our mission is that of truth ; and however cruel it may be to dispel a pleasant day-dream we are compelled to state that in sober truth, they only cry " peace, peace, when there is no peace." This is no subject on which to romance. We must meet the stern realities of oar position as men who mean to act the right and to maintain it. The interests of the colony demmd plain dealing, and there can be little harm in plain speaking. We will speak plain, then. There is not any ciuse to congratulate this colony on the absolute success of Sir George Grey's policy: nay, its partial success is even que^tioni ahie. And why do we say so ? War is now raging in the north of this Provioce, among two rival sections of the Ngapuhi tribe, one cause of quarrel being Hie old land sales in the district. The scene of conflict is at Waitomotomo, within eighteen miles of Wang.irei ; and so far as we can learn the facts, they are these . — The chief Matiu having set up a claim of ownership to certain lands iv Tirarau's block, in 1856, a dispute arose between them, which has continued up to this present time, but did not assume any very serious aspect until about three weeks ago, when Matiu went down on the laud for the purpose of surveying it. He at once commenced to build a pah on the block. Tairarau, on being iufonned of ihis proceeding, went up to the block, and tuuk up a position iv front of Matiu's encampment. They continued fronting each other for some time, while endeavours were being made by the Resident Magistrate, Mr. A uhery, Mauihere, the native assessor, and the Missionaries, t) iuduce them to retire to their respective settlements, and leave the fiual arrangement to the Governor. This proposal was acceded 10 by Tirarau and his party, but peremptorily refused by the j other party ; and what made the matter worse was that Arama Kreke, one of the newly appointed native assessors, joined Matin, and who, on being asked why he, a Queen's Magistrate, embroiled himself in this quarrel, replied " I don't come exactly to fight about the land ; I come to fight about old quarrels." From tbe , remarks of Matiu and party it was seen that a pacific solution could not be come to, and a line was drawn betvveeu the two encampments, it being agreed that neither party should cross it except as a declaration of war. Ou Friday last some uatives of Matiu's party, crossed the line, were seen, and immediately fired oa by Tirarau's people. This commenced the actual hostilities, and a battle ensued in which five men were killed a number wounded of'Maiiu's people, and three of Tirarau's were wounded. Since then, up to the date of our latest accounts, there has been no more fighting, but they are posted fronting each other aud ready at a moment's notice to reuevr the conflict. At present the parties are pretty equally balanced. Tiraruu has 200 mcv iv his pahs, and Matiu 180, but was receiving reinforcements. A number of the Holrianga aud Bay natives have gone to the Kaipara bhttlufield, and takeu sides, and larger rein forcemeu is are expected. We should further meutiou that Maliu before taking up his position, went to the settlemeut of Hamiora, aud tjok away nis entire property of horses, pigs, cattle, aud household effects. Hamiora was a inau noted as being an ally of Kuwili in Heke's war. On hearing of this robbery, heat once; started to Tirarau's pah, and on his arrival there took to his bed and died as the natives say, " through grief of the outruge." This, we understand, has greatly incensed Tairaiau's people and others.

The statement of the dispute at Kaipara shows the fallacy of the peace policy, now being carried out in Neiv Zealand. Non-in-tervention may be a very wholesome doctrine for civilized nations to hold ; but it would be ridiculous to maintain that, because the foreign policy of England is based on non-intervention, the crown should not interpose beiween belligerent subjects within British territory. Yet such is the practice in this instance The Resident Magistrate, Missionaries, and a native assessor talked U hostile chieftains ranged iv order of b.utle, including, as a leader in tbe strife, a native .assessor, who is the key-stone of the new policy in the north ; but these pacific agents are powerless to prevent the effusion of blood. Mere words will not i\o. Matiu and bis people do not merely claim the land presently in dispute: their claim extends to all the land Tiararau and his people have been selling to the Europeans for the last 20 years, and which is now thickly settled, and on which above £ 100,000 has been expended by the Colonists. Are our settlers to pay for this land and improvements over again ; and having done so, by virtue of the new policy, what security will they have that they shall not be called upon to repeat the purchase a dozen years hence bj some other marauding chief and paid Government official? So the newpolicy works in the Noith ; and does it succeed better in tbe South ? There is no fighting ; but there is little or no respect paid "to British law, and the authority of the Queen is a dead fetter over a wide tract of country. The news in another olutnn speaks volumes. What about Coromandei ? Wbo'is the Government to trust to negjciate the purchase of that territory, after the statement made in our paper to-day, on tiustw^oithy authority? Let them repent of their folly in time and act with firmness, as becomes the representatives of a great nation iv its most distant dependency. There are worse evils than war ; but war is not necessary. There is at our doors a guarantee for the peaceful solution of the native difficulty, and the assurance also of a splendid future for the Province and Colony. That guarantee is Coromandei." Half measures will not do. There is justice, and truth, and morality on the side of the Government. If Coromandei was proclaimed a gold field, its untold wealth would attract to our shores such a population of Europeans as would render the peace policy of the Government a decided triumph, and associate the names of our Responsible Ministers with tbe progress of the Colony in all time to come.