PROSPECTING IN THE KING COUNTRY. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Te Awamutu, Monday.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2117, 2 February 1886, Page 2

PROSPECTING IN THE KING COUNTRY. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Te Awamutu, Monday.

Numbek 4 party of the prospector*, who pot as far as the south side of the Tuhua, hri\e met with considerable opposition from the natives, and wero turned back. This party with numbers 3 and o are now at Waiineta waiting for a native meeting which was t-j have been held about the end of last week. Messrs G. T. Wilkinson, Native Agent, and J. Orinsby, chairman of Native Committee, have been sent for to try and arrange matters. No. 1 party are now at Marakopa, in tho vicinity of Kawhia ; No. 2 varty being still at Mokau. So far not one of the partieu hai met with any encouraging pro»pcct«. The ground No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 parties have been over o far Ls entirely of puniico formation. Nothing definite has been heard so far from No. 1 party. This information I have got from an unquestionable source. All the trouble with the natives shows how utterly incompetent the Government is to deal with them. After getting up the prospectors and telling them everything was arranged, a few natives step in when the men are well into the country, and stop them from prospecting. It is paitiuulatly hard on the parties as they are bearing all the expenses themselves. It is too bad that a handful of Maoiis should bo allowed to retract their agi cements whenever they like and by bo doing put men to great inconvenience and expenbe. They, however, are not so much to blame as an incompetenb Government for allowing it.