THE RECENT STORM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1823, 2 August 1906, Page 3

THE RECENT STORM.

MUCH DAMAGE DOUE, (Special to Times.) Waipiro, July 20. Tii' principal reason of tbs big Hoods which wore experienced along ■tho East Coact last wock was tko

i hoavy fall of snow in tho baokblecks a on tho Saturday night and Sunday, • which was followod by vory - hotivy rain, thus moaning an oxcop- * tioimlly largo quantity of surl'aco ' drnitmgo into tho crooks and rivers, | which rose wifh surprising- quickness Everything in tho way of tlioso torn Lie streams was washod away— Hood gatos and foneos, which will tako hundreds of pounds to replace. Tho suspension bridgo across tho Mata rivor at Mr A. J>. Williams’ I’ukotoro proporty lias boon washod away, whilst tho timber carted a few days ago for tho building of a similar bridge across tho Waitahiiia rivor on MrL. E. Oottorill’s property was also a victim of tho olomonts. It was fortunato for Mr Cottori 11 that ho did not have his bridgo works far advancod or thoy would have boon washed away, as tho bridgo sito lias oomplotoly altorod owing to

tho bank being washod away and tho rivor widening at that place. Tho rainfall has boon a record at Ilauturu, ouo day’s reading showing six anil ahalf iuchos. Telephone communion- 1 tion is intomiptod, also mails arc boiug doluyod. 8 THE MAORI DESPERADO. _ MAIN SEARCH ABANDONED. (From Our Own Correspondent.J

Waipiro, July 29, I understand that the telegram received by (Jonstahlo McLeod stating that tho Native desperado Haro Matonga had mado his appearance at a Maori pah, 12 miles from Port Awanui, begging for foeil has since proved to bo a hoax. On reooipt of tho nows tho police docidod to abandon tho search in tho Waitahuia district aud procood to Port Awanui. Tho intolligouco was received by Mr JackI son, oi’ Port Awanui, through a native, who must havo had a motive, that this mail still oxists iu this district is almost a certainty. Prom tho information already to hand there is

proof that this desperado’s homo is in the wilds of the Waitahaia bush. A camp found tho day before tho party broko up revealed where ho had camped a few nights previous, and had a food of raw turnips. In support of this argumont 1 must point out that upwards of twenty camping grounds havo boon f mud by the search party, about six of thorn havo boon recently built and show signs of recont habitation, and no doubt had tho search been farther executed moro camps would have boon found. All tho robberies

that have taken place, excepting one, wore in tho vicinity cf Matonga’s hunting ground. Iu tho last robbery committed a now tout and fly aud a number of blankets woro secured—un-

doubtedly with tho idea of making himself comfortable for the winter. The clearing that was found shows the result of two winters bushfelliug, and thore is ovory reason to believe why he has abandoned it is that he is getting too near civilisation, bocause Messrs Cottorill and Koinp have been gotting large areas of bush down, consequently getting far back into the ranges, and that next summer his whereabouts must become known to the surveyors ; taking precautions beforehand, as an accustomed son of the soil, he has decamped, and got further back, where he is preparing anothor permanent homo iu the wildorness, for what else does he want the grass-seed which he has carefully stowed away in a new camp ? It has been mooted that the shots fired by the party who were snowod up in tho ranges would give him alarm. The idea is ridiculous as the party did not lire until they got on the top of the range, a couple of miles from the main camp • l>9sidos bushmen are camped all along this ridge, and by them a considerable amount of shooting is done. llow was ho to know whether it was not some of them pigeon-shooting or pig-hunting? The only thing which I can think of that would alarm him would bo tho number of strange tracks through the bush in his territory. It has been suggested tliat tho only

likely means of securing this man’s capture would bo to oiler a reward of

£SO or £IOO. It sounds very wcl', but after a littlo thought it is not such n tempting bait as tlm inexperienced think. For instanco tho search must bo conducted in thousands and thousands of acres of donso mountain forests, and what party of mon would organiso and soavoli this limitloss extent of country on tho off chanre, without a good statod wago ? Who would imng'no a party hoiug formed to undortako such an illimitablo trslc witliout a guarautoo of somothirg definite. No, thrro is only eno tlvng for it, and that is for tho Polico Department to carry out this nocossary and urgent polico duty, by (paying a good and roasonablo wago to experienced bushmon to continue tho work commenced. Up till now tho actions of tho department have boon mean and beggarly, and a disgraco to a nourishing country. They despatch throe polico to find out tho whoroabouts of this notorious man, and expect that settlors should find thorn mon and rations. These mon, who proceeded to tho scene of action at tho request of,' their employers, had not nioroly a picnic but a very rough, hard, and miserable existence, owing to incessant rain and snow, and bad to undergo all theso hardships and privations for their wookly wago, instead of at least being in receipt of ton shillings per day. The police would certainly Lmvo boen in a very sad position, and in fact perfectly helploss, had it not boon for tho assistanco of tlioso men. It is to bo hoped that our Government, which boasts of its paymont of labor, will not sillier one of its own departments to oncourago swoating.

.Lt has been advootod that a suitable reward would attract the Maoris of the Waiapu inland district to join in the search because they avo undoubtedly awaro of Matenga’s wlioroabouts. I think I can assure your readers—aud in fact auyono who knows natives would bo able to do the sumo, that if tho -Waiapu Maoris or any other natives know his whereabouts, it would not long remain a socrot For it is a well kuown fact that overy trilling bit of news travols from pall to pah with amazing rapidity, and for a Maori to keep a eecrot, especially of that kind, is beyond imagination. Then again, where are the loyal Maoria that aro rtferrod to and have Buflieient respect for the law V "Why do they not come forward and disclose his whereabouts ? Because none of tbo natives aro awaro of any of his movements. Regarding the reward, I am afraid it wou'd bo all the samo to the natives. It would not enccurogo them in the slightest, because they aro frightened of Mateuga. For instance, up till the lime that tbia man oommonced this tragic life the bushfolling was principally done by natives in this district, but now they cannot bo got to teoil!o work anywhere in this part, becauso they aro frightened oi Malonga, AgaiD,if Maoris were to come across Matonga thoy would be more inclined to shiold him than deliver him up to juslico, for ho i 3 a Maori, and their sympathies aro naturally extended towards him. Therefore it must bo the whito man that will havo to bo relied upon. Ia conclusion, I hope that the CommiEsicner will sen his way not to administrate the Police Dopartmont in euc’n a niggardly way, but to launch forth and organiso a systematic moans of cap* ture ; for n public duty it is, and must not be played with. The doings of Matonga bavo boen suffered loDg enough, and it is almost high timo they woro put an eDd to. If things go on os they ate settlers wil l be unable to havo their bush foiled or their roads made.