DETENTION OF ONE OF THE NELSON MAILS BY THE NATIVES.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1773, 30 September 1862, Page 3

DETENTION OF ONE OF THE NELSON MAILS BY THE NATIVES.

[From the Correspondent of the ' Nelson Examiner.'!

September 25.

I find that I was in error in several particulars connected with the wreck of the Lord Worsley, which I reported to you by the first vessel to Nelson. The fact was that our thankfulness for ' the escape of the passengers and crew from the fate we had pictured as not improbable, led to , a superficial consideration of smaller matters (as compared with life), connected with the wreck. As, for instance, it was stated that the remainder of the passengers' luggage would be forwarded to town by the return drays, and that the mails had been received at the Post Office. But it was subsequently ascertained that one of your Nelson mail boxes for England, believed to be the Marseilles portion, was not brought in, and that it is still at the Nauru, with a good deal of passengers' luggage. The natives are divided by jealousy. Matekatea's native* desired to have the credit, as well as profit, of housing the people thrown on their coast, and conveying them to New Plymoutli, but neighboring natives, in the name of the king, claimed a share in this, and interfered with the strong arm. As Kingi Matakatea is not allowed to bring anything to town by land, he will not allow the king's natives to do so. So, between the two stools, John Lull is sadly inconvenienced, if not absolutely plundered;. Several attempts have been made to communicate with Kingi by letter, but the correspondence is seized at the gate and destroyed. The wreck aud cargo, as they lay at Namu, were sold in town for the benefit of the underwriters. T her£ was a disposition to bid, with the chance of recovering some portions from the natives, but it transpired during the biddings, that the Government were determined to become the purchasers, and the lots were knocked down at £230 and £19.

H.M.S. Harrier touched here a few days since. The detention of a mail box was officially reported to the Captain, but I did not hear that Sir M. Maugregor intended to communicate with the Namu on his way to Wellington. But, whatever may be the intention of the Governor in regard to these Taranaki natives, we may be assured that a continuance of the present state of things is impossible, on account of the interests involved. The wreck will engage a large share of attention in England. A mail gteamer cast on shore within a few miles of a British garrison, yet communication by land absolutely forbidden by a handful of troublesome natives : a portion of her Majesty's mails withheld at the mere caprice of these natives ; and the 'wreck and cargo taken possession of and plundered by them, and purchased at the sale on behalf of the Government, to prevent further complication with the wreckers ; all this needs only to be known to prevent a similar recurrence;

We have news from Auckland of a fever raging amongst the natives in the neighbourhood of Hokianga. It has extended to the North Head of Auckland harbor. The natives were greatly alarmed, scores having fallen victims to the unseen enemy.

Mr. F. W. Gledhill sold the wreck of the Lord Worsley by auction yesterday, for the benefit of the underwriters. The vessel fetched £235, the cargo £19, and a small whale-boat £25 — Captain Stapp buying the two former, and Mr. McKechney the latter. According to the natives, the wreck was " given " to them by those in authority, by whom exactly is not stated, as a return for their kindness in sparing the lives and personal property of those on board. How this sale will | affect their title is not quite clear ; nor is it obvious how the gallant Captain will reap the advantages of his bold speculation — the opposing claimants having armed possession. We await the result with interest.—" Taranaki Herald."

The arrival off New Plymouth of H.M.S.S. Harrier, on Monday morning, created some little excitement for the moment, the supposition being very general that we wore about to receive a visit from His Excellency. It was soon found, however, that no flag indicating the arrival of the Queen's representative was to be seen ; and an examination of the Auckland journals received per the Abeona, gave the information that the business of tlie vessel here was to ascertain any further particulars to be known about the wreck and proceed to Wellington to meet Sir George Grey. There is a rumour abroad that she will return with His Excellency, but the greater probability we think is that she will return to. Auckland by the East Coast. — Cf Ibid."