EAST COAST LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 375, 9 November 1889, Page 3

EAST COAST LETTER.

[fbom our own correspondent.] Pray sit by us, and tell's ft tale, Merry, or sad. shall it be ? As merry as you will. Winter's Tale. — W« have recently experienced very unsettled weather lor thia time ot the year, shearing operations having had to be frequently suspended during the last fortnight, much to the disgust of all parties concerned. The Australia arrived here (at Waipiro) as usual, on Thursday last (Oct. 31), when it was blowing hard from the southward, and then was somewhat, but not much, of a sea on. She laid under Tawhili bluff all night, and af>er a short cruise round the bty in the early morning, steamed away south, leaving no less than seven would.be pus.sugars behind. The local natives (Waipiro again) having been engaged for about a year, I believe, in dubbing out two large canoes in the bush, brought them down to the Coast on Friday last, with the aid of some twelve bullocks for tach. They are cumbrous, heavy craft, and I endeavored to convince the patient artificers who had wasted so much time over them, that a boat would be superior in every respect, except perhaps durability, more sea worthy, easier handled and less expensive in construction, time being considered. Tbe conservative aborigines merely shook their heads, and smiled superior, “ Tbe pakeba is only a little Billy,” said they. Ono of those miserable cases eelebre which occasionally disgrace the Coast, and for that matter anywhere else, took place at Tuparoa yerterday (Nov. 4th), before Sir G. Wnitmore and A. H. Wallace, Esq., J. P’s. It

appears that a native named Hirini Tarutaru committed a criminal offence on the person of his niece, aged 12, at a place called Waitangi, inland, on the 28th ult. He waa arrested by Constable Gerrard (Kake) on the Ist Inst., and, as I before said, waa tried tor the offence on the 4th. Stngeant Villars conducted the prosecution, Mr Gallon of Waipiro interpreted, and ths delinquent wee committed for trial, He leaves Tuparoa per Southern Cross, in charge ot Constable Gerrard, to morrow, for Napier. Quick work, and reflecting deserved credit on our district constabulary.