BOUND ABOUT GISBORNE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 329, 25 July 1889, Page 3

BOUND ABOUT GISBORNE.

[by ONE WHO’S BIEN THEBE.] Dus Mb Ctandxbd,—There is an old French S reverb which goes to assert that a man oesn’t always do what he intends to. I was strongly reminded of the truth of that proverb when I awakened next morning to find it raining. The idea of visiting Ormond that day was totally out of the question, and so I was forced to content myeelf with a little mudlarking about the town. Une wants a pretty strong pair of boots in Gisborne after every sbower of rain, for the footpaths and crossing places seem to turn to mud on very slight provocation. It was too wet to do more than walk from one verandah to another, bat this small advantage gave me an opportunity of observing and noting the number of people who appeared to have, like myeelf, nothing particular to do. Europeans and Maoris seemed to find an intense fascination in the muddy road, others gazed into space as they would pry into the vagaries of that ever mysterious personage— THE CLERK OF THE WEiTHER, and the remainder engaged in conversation either upon the “ beastly weather ” or on subjects requiring the use of very forcible adjectives and nouns. It is an ill wind that blows nobody good, and I was fortunate in my misfortune, for I met a person who on bearing of my intended visit to the country offered to place bis horse at my disposal. This offer I gladly accepted, a« I did not care to impose too far upon the good nature of my first horse owning friend, to whom I was already under many obligations. It is a pleasing trait in the character of Gisborne people that they seem very obliging even at inconvenience to themselves. I have found that the fact that the person obliged is a total stranger makes very little difference. But here I am offering incense on the shrine of the good quality of the Gisborne people when I should be out “ doing ” Ormond ! The next day turned out a very hot one; so much so that in the two days one had an excellent contrast of WINTBB AND EVMIIKB rolled into a compact ball. My new steed was and I felt a little strange with him at first. However, I soon got into his fiighty ways, and we were excellent friends before we got as far as Waerenga-a-hika. He seemed quite pleased when he reached this place, and first turned his head towards Cooper's hotel, then toward's Colebrook’s store, and then backwards, as much as to say, “ What do you think of those?" By the way, from enquiries, I bad since my last trip found that this latter place was Colebrook’s, and that he having been burnt out, had erected this fine new store, which does credit to his enterprise. From Waerenga a-hika to Ormond the land gives more appearance of being appreciated at its value, and shows to better advantage than that nearer town, One farm I was particularly struck with belongs, I believe, to Mr A. McKenzie, and is a model to look on, He appears at least to have an idea what land js for, and both he and Mr Geo. Bruce, who Is Mr McKenzie's neighbor, seem to be making some effort to work their places to the best advantage, An interesting feature about Mr Bruce's place was that whatever may be his desire to OBTAIN THS AUIIOSTT DOLLAR,

it has not blinded his sense of the beautiful, and a grove of native trees which has escaped the ruthless axe adds considerably to the ornament of his place, It is a great pity that more of these groves have not been conserved throughout the colony, I notice that Mr Bruce, not content with native trees, is supplementing them with various ornamental trees and shrubs. Another farm, nearer to Waarenga-a-hika, which interested me is owned by " Farmer " Jones, so called, I suppose, to distinguish him from the vast army of Jones’s, who are represented in almost every occupation under the sun. This particular Jones, so I heard, has been very successful, and has taken phenomenal crops from his land. His place st any rate bears c signs of careful cultivation. I noticed many ! nore places which would well merit recognie app but I am sorry that I cannot identify iply a as I do not know the names of their igs yrs, and my visit is only intended to be a TJSMhig one. My FIBST INTRODUCTION TO OBJIOSD came upon me rather as a surprise, and almost before I knew that Ormond was at hand I saw before me what I suppose is the town hall—rather diminutive in size and desolate in appearance. Hereabouts “ Lofty ” •-for he was a highsteppar of the first watercast pitying glances upon a poor jaded looking . steed which seemed to be organising a forlorn hope in order to search for a blade or two of grass, a commodity which in that particular portion of the district seemed to be very scarce. Ormond has evidently been laid out on a large scale, and built on a small onein fact, to call a great many of the houses " built ” would be to misapply that term. There are some very pretty cottages in Ormond, with neat little kitchen gardens and tastefully arranged flower beds. But everything seems to be comprised within two distinct generations—the past and the present —and these occupy positions side by side in the manner which serves best to. bring them into contrast, Some of the houses of the past have no visible means of support, and one almost expects to see them topple over as he gazes. The support of others is only too apparent, and shows plainly the necessity of (reconstruction. It ought to pay to buy up a lot of these old shanties, insure them, and then abide events, There are some lABGEB AND KOBE SUBSTANTIAL BUILDINGS In Ormond—two hotels, at which “Lofty,’ better brought up than Bosinante, cast a glance and passed on ; a commodious schoolhouse; a neat chapel, Catholic I believe ; a large store, which is also the post and telegraph office; besides numerous dwelling houses which are all of the present generation, and have consequently something respectable about them. The police station, for- some jwason or other, has assumed a sombre hue, • Iwhile the cells close by are clotbed in a much "brighter garb, and have a more inviting appearance, judging of course by the externals. One stone building I saw, a relic of antiquity one would think, and strong evidence that Ormond at one time entertained a hope that oil would flow through it. streets, The population is a mixed one, and you meet representatives of every nation, but the predominating race comes from the land of the shamrock and shillelagh, consequently Home Bule is the rule of the road there. The Ormond people show some signs of industry, and from what I could hear they are—except on special ceremonious occasions (I wasn't fold how often these occasions occurred)— . A eOHFABATIVSLT QUIET LOS, minding their own business, tilling their little farms, and living contented lives. I was rather surprised though to hear that vegetables were imported from Gisborne, and that these go from Ormond in the morning and come ouf again by coach in the evening. The one pr two people I bad the pleasure of conversing with seemed very obliging, and I would have fain stayed much longer at their invitations, but I was pressed for time and had to return to Gisborne. I had intended visiting Fatutahi, of which, in my travels, I have heard a lot of talk, but I am afraid the same cause which prevented my making friends with more of the Ormond people will deprive me of the pleasure of seeing Patutahi at present, end the settlers there must blame or b'eu the weather for robbing me of a day. It is not all improbable, however, that if my future arrangements permit it I will one day bob up serenely amongst them. Bo far as I have been able to judge, there is no doubt that OISBOBSS HAS A FUTURE BEFOBE IT, but you, Mb Standard, and your numerous readers will pardon me if I say it need not necessarily first happen that oil shall be Struck or that you must construct a big harbor, x. a fine tract of country, a rich and virgin soil, and you only want energy and practical husbandry to make this district one pf the richest in the colony, There is no reason why you should not be large exporters pf produce, and although the facilities for exportation are not so numerous as they might be, yet all that will be remedied with a large production, I understand that there are numbers of lines which grow well, but which have in reality only been experimented upon apd even then have returned a fair profit, It w almost time that your farmers had learnt f ba, is end wb.t la not adapted to the soil, to tobduet tbek operafftns accordingly.

I am willing to teach them for a consideration —as a matter of fact, I have never found a thing I couldn’t do, to my own satisfaction. I was much surprised to see the vast quantity of Indian corn that appears to have been grown this year. This seems to be a new departure, for I heard on very creditable authority that one man—Mr 0, S. Abbot—had a larger area under this crop than the whole district could boast of two years ago. I like to see men testing their land in this way, and with all due deference to Gisborne people, would place more reliance on one good farmer than one hundred oil shares for ensuring the prosperity of their town.