EAST COAST NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 404, 1 May 1902, Page 3

EAST COAST NEWS.

PORT AWANUI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) There has been great excitement in Awanui this week in regard to the arrests that have taken place in connection with tho robbery of Mr Kirk’s safe. Detective Nixon, of Gisborne, was here, and he, Constable Kelly, and Native Constable Gerrard, of Waipiro, arrested three natives, and charged them with the theft. They were tried before Messrs Jackson and Ludbrook, of Tuparoa, and G. 3. Boyd, of Port Awanui. After hearing evidence at some length, they committed the prisoners to take their trial at tho Supreme Couit, holden at Gisborne in September. Tho Court House here was simply packed with natives while the case was being hoard. Credit is especially due to Native Constable Gerrard, of Waipiro, for the way he worked among the natives in getting up the ease. The polPc have no clue as yet in regards to tho robbery at the Sea View Hotel.

Mpssrs Robertson and Leslie, who lately opened a saddlery business at Port Awanui, have opened a branch shop at To Araroa, Mr Leslie at present being in charge. The firm should do good business.

The natives are busily engaged attending their crops of “ kumas ” and potatoes, which promise to be very large. Mrs Kelly, who has been on a two months’ visit to Auckland, arrived home last week by the Omapero. WAIPIRO BAY. (Gisborne Times Correspondent.) The meeting of the Wiiiapu County Council was postponed from Wednesday, 23rd April, to Wednesday, May 7tb, on account of Mr O’Ryan, the County Engineer, not being able to attend. On Friday the 25th, a large mob of cattle, the property of Mr A. T. Ngato, passed through here in charge of four Natives, en route for Gisborne. Mr A. E. Cowley, assistant storekeeper in the Waipiro station store, lias been appointed to a Native school at Waima, Hokianga. Mr Cowley is wished every success in his new sphere of life. Mr M. Downey, Native teacher of Hiruharama, Waipiro Bay, has been appointed to another school at Te Kao. Mr and Mrs Downey and family leave by the first trip of tho Omapere to the North. On Saturday, tho 26th, a mob of about 2600 sheep, the property of Mr A. T. Ngata, passed through here, in charge of some Natives.

Mr and Mrs O’Ryan have returned from Gisborne. Great credit is due to Mr H. L. AVilson, teacher of tho Waipiro Bay school, for the splendid way in which ho has worked up

the average attendance during the past year.

The first meeting of the Waipiro Quadrille Assembly was held in tho Waipiro woolshed on Wednesday, 23rd inst. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, the evening proved very enjoyable. Mr J. Johnston acted as M.O. Dancing was kept up until a late hour. Mr A. B. Williams arrived from Napier on the 26th April.

TOKOMARU BAY, (From Our Own Correspondent), Quite a large quantity of bush is coming down in this locality this winter. Several gangs have already gone out to their camps witli stores, tools, etc. The roads are in good order and timber is being carried to the Hikuwai for several small bridges to he built between the first two large bridges. Tiie contraeUJor the erection ol these two bridges, together with the forma, tion of the road, will he let at once and when completed the whole road will have been formed then .to the Tolago boundary' The first metal contract is completed,- and if the weather holds up the the second one will lie through in a fortnight, ■ The first mail went out to the Mata on Saturday, Mr W. D. Macdonald having secured the carrying of the same. The settlers to the number of eight have eacli taken a private bag. It will he quite a boon to the back settlers, especially in the winter time, to have their mails taken out to them weekly, and .they are to be congratulated thereon. Mr L. E. Cottrell is to he postmaster, and it is owing to his perseverance that the Department have granted the mail. The settlers have also a scheme on hand for the erection of a telephone.

tolago bay. (From Our Own Correspondent.) J The past few days have been all that could be desired, and 11 Old Sol, with his autumn effulgence, beamed down upon us as though to emphasise a comforting feeling of long duration; but to the experienced observer the closing of his transient and guileful orbit can but denote y a repetition of false pretensions, and of e that our outdoor laborers are evidently aware. Farm, station, and horticultural V operations aro hastily taken advantage of, and the rapid progress made in such \ limited time reflects much credit upon the personages in charge. Seeing is believing, while testing in this ease the pleasurablo E proof, and it previously dawned upon your humblo caligraphist in the dim distant that a corpulent being, apparently v laboring with his collection of whatnots \ and steering in a bee line for my domicile, e was worthy of notice. Ere long assistance was rendered, his load lightened, and my curiosity satisfied by the exposition of a locally grown cabbage of hercu- - lean dimensions and quality suporb beaming the scale at 16 pbunds 5 ounces avoirdupois. Such the officacy of chemically preparedgarden Soil manifested itself, t Good things rarely come alone, and as 1 wield my pen in sanctum a good Samaritan has asked ray acceptance of two cases i of locally-grown, rosy-cheeked apples of exquisite flavor. The result of marketing, the donor states, is indeed very disappointing, with the further assurances that it is moro profitable to utilise them in the ■ rearing of porkers, etc. Surely the magnificent result of several tons of apples from approximately half an acre should suffice to engender the idea, at least, that with a little cultivation and attention to those industries a really, splendid investment offers. Doubtless it tends to indicate the adaptability of the soil, and when a scheme of closer settlement is entered into, and our City Fathers have felt pleased to favorably consider the erection of our oft-promised and long-felt want, the Uawa bridge, prosperity in the near future is inevitable. Much credit unquestionably is duo to the loading civics of our oxtensive and thriving district for the indefatigable efforts they have in the past so frequently put forth in advocating the ! absolute necessity for the erection of the i bridge in question; but, alas, the reply and'actual results have proved so utterly ’ antagonistic that until stringent measures are taken in hand our craving rlghtsshallbe 5 begrudgingly denied us. Like bewildered ’ steeds have we unfruitfully and almost * ferociously kicked at the existing stubborn barricades (pity the latter lias no- amniation), and like the veritable Scotchman s parrot, we are left seriously to think. We wonder now, in expectant silence, whether James has totally forgotten us, or that the Coronation excitement is too much for his ) it may not at all times be e understood that humor and ignorance aie i- closely in touch, but the-writer durin a g course of ordinary topics, -remarked that l- Mr was in danger of serious loss* if exposure to the weather of -a portion.of rt his wool clip, to tvhibh it was- etqted that of insutanoe covered it:.' All went well until 1- bur attention was directed towards one, er who retorted that as far as he was conae cerned it didn’t signify whether it rained n- like the fall of the “ hammers of Augate, ile his was covered with a tarpaulin, on By one of our prominent citizens, my tor attention has been directed, to the existito ence of a veritable qhagmire, .which has he been caused by ‘the late rains; it is :ed situated about one mile northwards on ■he the main Tokomaru road from Tglftgp. pn- It is alleged tbaf unlesg something is Imre. mediately done tg rectify that dangerous by spot mm™ ‘““To must eventuate moor required, I understand, woult iSi not necessitate mote than cue hour, anc

wg trust that our maintenance men will be despatched to the scene at the earliest opportunity. As I close my budget, several small herds of cattle are seen en route for the Gisborne Freezing Worlrs and market. The former, store bullocks, have been dispatched f otn the station of Mr Cotterell, of Tokomaru. The latter, a mixed lot of milch [cows, calves, and steers are from Eeporua, the owner being Mr Ben. Hayes. Should the repairing and polishing of guns and the gigantic preparations that are being made have any further deadly effect upon ammunition, Thursday has every indication of Waterloo Day against the feathered tribe, and in my next I hope to chronicle the result of the more successful Knights of the Trigger, exclusion of those that may have already found the pot. The issue of the Mormon coastal conference extending over two days doubtless appears to have had its marked influence, and no less than 27 divisions were represented by its respective elders. There were also present 1100 conformists, consisting of European and Natives, who paid tribute to their Holy Fathers and gave eye-witness to the baptising of 10 adult believers and the blessings administered upon four juveniles in their faith. By advice the private statistical report shows an increase of 229 souls, with a regrettable loss of 89 by the call of Divine providence, while the grand total figures at 4457. Some very eloquent and impressive speeches and references to the persuasion by the elders and senior members were delivered, which bore evidence of much appreciation by the hearty singing of voices, etc., ejaculated by the assembled gathering. After the ordinary ceremonies and the many kind and devout expressions of the higher court functionaries the conference waned into a most satisfactory termination