The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-16 00:00:00

NEW ZEALAND.

The news of an' outbreak of the New Zealand
natives haaveached Australis, and is thus reported
in the Mellourne Herald :

We have bees without so frequent interwar's with New
Zoalaud thilkuifor some months previously. This is Lein%
eipedly owliffso ► &Rine in operatfbes a► the Otago gold-
fields, and to some interruption in the steam postal arrange-
manta. What little news we have, however, is important.
Last mouth his Excellency Sir George Grey left Auck-
land for Wellington and Nebo', and was to
have visited Otago before his return to the seat
of government. Whilst absent, a long-standing
feud between certain tribes in the North broke out into open
hostilities, of which the following is the hest summansed
account that has reached us :

"The scene of conflict is Waitomotomo, within eighteen
mile* of Waugarie, in the Auckland district. The chief
Bastin having vet up • claim of ownership to certain lands in
Tirana's block, in 1856, • dispute arras between them,which
has continued up to the present time, but did not assume
any my serious aspect until somewhere about the Ist of
May, when Nati. went down on the land for the purpose of
surveying it. He at once commenced to build a pab on the
block. Tinian, on being informed of this proceeding,
went up to the block and took up • position
in front cf Matiu's encampment. They continued
fronting each other for some time, while endeavours
were being made by the resident magistrate, Mr. Anbery
Manihere, the native assessor, and the missionaries, to
induce them to retire to their respective settlements and
leave the final arrangement to the governor. ThV proposal
was acceded to by Tirarau and his party, but peremptorily
refused by the other party ; and what made the matter
worse was that Arama Kreke, one of the newly appointed
native assessors, joined Makin, and who, on being asked
why he, a paid magistrate of the Queen, embroiled himself
in this quarrel, replied. " I don't some exactly to fight
about the land, 1 come to fight about old quarrels." He is
an earnest advocate of the war. From the remarks of
Matiu and party it was seen that a pacific solution could not
be come to, and a line was drawn between the two encamp-
ments, it being arranged that neither party should cross it
except as • declaration of war.
"Os Friday, 16th May, some natives of Mathes party
crowed the line, were seen, and immediately fired upon by
Tharau's people. This commenced the actual hostilities, and
• battle ensued, in which rive men were killed and a number
wounded of Matiu's people. Since then, up to the 23rd, there
has been no actual fighting, but the natives are posted fronting
each other, ready at a moment's notice to renew the con-
flict, and watchiog each other with the utmost vigilance.
At present the parties are pretty equally balanced. Tirana
has 200 men in his palm, and Matiu had 180, but was re-
ceiving reinforcements. A number of the Hokianga and
hay natives have gone to the Kaipara battlefield,
and taken sides, and larger reinforcements are ex-
pected. Before taking up his position, Melia emit
to the settlement of Hamiors, and ook away his
entire property of horses, pigs, cattle, and household effect'.
Homier* was a man noted as being an ally of Kawiti in
liekes war. On bearing of this robbery, he at once startcd
to Tharau's pah, and on his arrival there took to his bed
and died. as the natives say, " through grief of the out-
rage." This has greatly incensed Tirana' people and
others.

"On
the 23rd, Matiu, with from 200 to 300 men, started
bye circuitous route to take up a position on the bill Pu-
kistua ; and Tirarau, with from 170 to 200 men, went to
intercept him, seeing that be must cross the line of the
Wairua. A fight was expected to come off that day, bat we
learn that, owing to the ilineu of Tirarau, the battle was
pos"tponed.
dirties of armed men have been going through the
British settlement of Wengarei to join Tirarau. On the
Tlod May a party of natives, on their way to join Tirarau,
took two casks of
.powder • ith them.
"The most serious part of this very no learnt business
is to come. If the pretensions of Malin be good, then all
the land sold by Tiranu to the government, and now in the
hands of the resident settlers, has been illegally disposed of,
and with the improvements must be paid for over agaio ;
but at the time of sale no pretence to ownenhip was made
by Math' or any of his people."
Sir George Grey has mince written to these parties, and was
expected back in Auckland, but the dispute bad not been
settled at our last dates thence. although it had not sweated
any sggravated features. Sr George retains his popularity
with the peace party, but the war party gill look on his
policy with suspicion. Tirarau is a greet friend of the Bri-
j tish, and although this outbreak is to be deplored, it does
not seem likely that our tonne will thereby be drawn into
further hostilities with the natives.
The natives refute to tell the land to the British in the
neighbourhood of Coronuuxlel, where new golddelde are maid
to have been discovered in the province of Auckland, and
the search for gold in that district is etessequeetly faulted
i it was at no time, however, a very promising goldfield. No
I other news of importance from Ate:abed.