The Potteries Examiner : — 1879-08-09 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

THREATEN-ED WAR ZN' NEW ZEALAND.  The Stspd :rd ,orrespomient writing from Wellington, lime 21. says.--As the mail is le ,vine. warlike • pri irations are being made by the Government in i possible cotatliet with the lareis. who have -unceasing Si great deal of anxiety by their in the north, in the proomee of Taranaki. 11. I,,tory of the present &Men .ty may be brietly stated as follows : After the last war witli the Maoris a :aria, tra:t of very valuable land in the province of Taranaki, known s the Waimate Plains, which beI :aged to the hostile satins s, was confiscated by the Government. No steps were taken to occupy it, however, until a few months ago, and the Maoris having bei•n allowed to remain in undisputed possession for ir:y it years. and having grown into the belief would never be acted upon. It o : _ • symptoms of discontent began to h :•::: , ::•• s among the natives when they : . . 1 Ivertisel.for sale and the surveyor s • • :.2 1, measuring it off. This discont. ht we- .I.ts.ts h increased by a mistaken ides that cia tate 1. • s which had been insured to them were t t:.: • •Iso. Eventually a European, named on. tin" to sue of the survey parties, was s: •I' i known as liiroki, who immediately . .• Parihaka, a native village under the .• financial priest or "prophet," named I : talisman is a member of the llauhaus, s• p 5. s -sing a religion consisting of a curious : ti st ere of iliristianity, fanaticism, and Maori super:st it het. His influence among the natives, who firmly beliove in his prophecies, is very large, and the Gov! urnnn it jive tOund in him a very difficult personage to deal with. Not only did Te refuse to give tip tho murderer Iliroki, but the latter, at a meeting to which the native Minister (ylr. Sheehan) went in order to talk over the dispute with the Maoris, dia-1 played himself openly:in a defiant manner though always takingeare to be surrounded by a body-guard of warriors. The Government failing to take any prompt and decisive action, the Maoris, who, like most savage nations, cannot comprehend a policy of forbearimee, grew bolder, and became more open in their hostility. A message was sent to the nearest detachwent of armed constabulary by Te Whiti, telling them to vacate their posts, and warning all Europeans off the disputed land. Still, however, the Government remained inactive until the settlers, alarmed at the threatening conduct of the Maoris, who commenced ploughing up some of the Europeans' land in the neighbourhood, insisted on an armed force being sent for their protection. Yielding to their urgent representations, the Government, during the last week or taco, have been sending detachments of armed constabulary to the threatened district, together with a plentiful supply of arms, ammunition, and equipments; Ind, in order to lie prepared for all contingencies, have ordered a large quantity of warlike stores from home. Simultaneously reports reached Wellington of attempts being made to suplly the Maoris with , arms, and it was stated that the latter were offering . is much as :Ms, per pound for powder in the neigh.. bourhood of Wangamir.