NATIVE AFFAIRS AT WAOTU. THE SURVEYORS OBSTRUCTED.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1803, 26 January 1884, Page 2

NA TIVE AFFAIRS AT WA OTU. THE SURVEYORS OBSTRUCTED.

Thk native difficulty at Waofcu, of which so much has been heard of late, has at last, as anticipated in our Thursday's impression, attuned a somewhat definite aspect, and some decided action on the pait of the Government may now be looked for. On Wednesday afternoon about 4 o'clock Mr Donald Stubbing and party, confuting of two other Europeans, pioceeded to urn a line thiough the disputed territory. About the tune when Whatuaio's party suimised that the work was about to be commenced the natives were all stationed ft intervals over the place, carefully watching every mo\eraent of the sui \ eyoi s. On seeing the l.ittei appioach and piepaie to cany out theii instiuctions, the natives, numbering about twenty, men and women, assembled close by, and on the first pole being stuck in the ground Natana, who seemed the inciting genius of the crowd, instiucted two women to go and pull it up. This order was immediately can ied out. Mr Stubbing had no sooner fixed hisinstiument when Nataua, calling out to the women, commanded them to seize it, and maintain possession. Two women at once pioceeded to where Mr Stubbing was at work, and catching the instrument, by the legs wrested it from him, and took it away. The natives were altogether unarmed. Being thus- intoiruptod the surveyor returned to their camp without any further icsolution, and Mr Stubbing came into Cambridge on Thuisday to repoit the occurence to the Sun ey Department and await instructions*. The natives have still got the theodolite, and aie ti eating it in a very considerate and careful manner, being evidently under the impression that it is one of those things which lequire the nursing and care of a newly born baby. They have wrapped its legs up caiefully in flannels, and muffled it about the head and boJy, but what they have taken to feed it on has not as yet transpired. Doubtless, those who have taken an active pait in the obstiuction, together with the incites, Whatuaio and Natana, will .soon find themselves ai ranged on a criminal charge at one of our local courts. Immediately before the disturbance commenced, all Han y Symonds people gathered in from the various outlying settlements to the Hotel, from which they eagerly watched the proceedings down near the creek. Whatuaio asserts that the only way in which Harry Symonds can get possession of the land is by walking over his dead body ; but we think it very unlikely that any such extreme measure, or development of the forcible entry process will be resoitedto.