EAST COAST LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 391, 14 December 1889, Page 2

EAST COAST LETTER.

[from our own correspondent.]

Pray alt by us, and tell’s a tale, Merry, or sad, shall it be ? As merry as you will. Winter's Talk— Rkcxnt unseasonable weather has at last, I am glad to say, given place to summer time in earnest, and in consequence local industries which have been partially or wholly suspended for some time, have resumed their wonted activity. Messrs Somerville Bros, commenced shearing at Mskarika on the 22nd instant, and have had excellent weather since. Interrupted operations have also been resumed on the Waipiro Station. With reference to the former (Messrs Somerville's), there was every probability of a neat little row at the commencement, in consequence of certain natives of Tata Nihoniho’s hapu, who have an interest in the lease, insisting upon bsing taken on as Ihsarers, to the exclusion of others, who, though better workmen, had no such interest, ur belonged to other hapus. Tula’s men also declared that they would use force to prevent outside natives being employed, and as an opposite faction were equally decided, a row of greater or leu dimensions seemed inevitable. And to complicate matters, it appears that lessors of land, or their reletives, have always been hitherto preferentially employed, thus forming an awkward precedent. But Mr Somerville, who is to be congratulated on the suooeutul issue of tbe firm stand which he took, appeared upon the scene with tbe local constable Kake, and the mal contents gave way at last, though not without a good deal of bounce, <fco. They came down to the wool shed soma 40 to 50 in number, evidently bent on intimidating the lesser crowd, but the demonstration ended as before said, in their own discomfiture. Shearing has gone on without a hitch since, the best men only being employed, irrespective of hapu ot intereet in lend.

Ona of those unavoidable but tragical incidents, illustrating the deep rooted prejudice of the Native race, occurred at Waipiro Iset week. A man named Beupena to Ana, being thrown from his horse, broke hia leg in two or more plaees. He was seen shortly after the accident by Messrs Kemp uf the Matahia (inland Waipiro) station, and his friends wore strongly recommended to take him down to the local native medical attendant. They simply scouted tho idee, and as in a somewhat similar instance (when a man was wounded through the arm and narrowly escaped with his lite by the ultimate inter-, ferenoe of Europeans), handed him over tq the treatment ot the “ Tohunge Maori.' 1 This occurred about a fortnight ago. an Saturday last Tuta Nibonlho rode jauntily up to the residence ot the medical attendant before mentioned, end equally Jauntily observed—” Oh, I want you to come up end (‘ tapahi') out off a man's leg—it’s quite 1 pel psi,' (soft or flaccid).” He seemed a little annoyed when he was informed that no such thing would be attempted without the preliminary arrival of Dr Pollen from your town, which ot course meant money, with which he would by no means part tor such a purpose, but rode up as laughingly as he came. I suppose the unfortunate man Is deed by this time, and they will opend more money over tho “ tangl,” which will inevitably follow hia decease, than would probably have brought up your doctor two or three times over. When a somewhgt irascible friend of mine here (at Waipiro) informed me lately (22nd inst) that the Oounty Engineer had just ridden up to the Station store, I Impugned his veracity in each a marked manner, that I involuntarily looked round rather anxiously, to see it our local peacemaker in buttons end blue was handy. I have heard of the Greek Kalends, the Millenium, and ponihle aerial excursions of porcine aeronauts, but ths arrival ot the C.E here, beyond the pillars ot Hercules ! I Sir—Mr Editor—l am sure you and every other sensible parson will pardon my absolute incredulity. Winter on the Coast at midsummer I—an impossibility moot people would say, especially after the experience ot late years. There was the C. E., in propria pereona, however, hale, hearty and good humored as ever, Not a bit the worse—any how constitutionally or in temper—for the wiring in process so feelingly deprecated by Mr Milner, or, what is more remarkable, the sympathy expressed by that gentleman when ho gallantly came to the reacua in the columns of your contemporary. “ Come at last,” quoth tfie C.E., with a somnolent smile, addressing the Narrator.

Captain Winter has had a busy time of it since his arrival here, having camped about a mile inland Waipiro on the Makarika road, and extended his observations, and, I opine, contemplated improvements, far and wide, I learn that there is to be about £l7O 8s spent on the inland, and about £l5O on the Taumata 0 Mihi-Waiomatatini roads.

Now I come to an item of considerable marine importance in these days when steel is so rapidly superseding iron for ship and yacht building purposes. Daring one of the recent heavy fi.E. gales the Waipiro Masher, a well found timber bu(lt local craft, and owned by a local syndicate, was almost hopelessly stranded on the beach, and she now lies for the benefit of whom it may oonoern, with her hull uninjured to any serious extent) probably from the fact that she has been so substantially and thoroughly constructed. Happily no lose of life attended the catastrophe, though her owners bsing totally uninsured deserve every condolence on the unfortunate occasion. It is not necessary to enter into a detailed account of the manifold perfections of tbe ones smart vessel, nor her tonnage or dimensions,—suffice it to say she is of modern build, with patent non-eliptioal stern, and medium clipper, not concave steamer bow, with straight stem. She is a very Weatherly craft, is so indeed up to the present, which pan bs easily ascertained by any one scrutinising, with ths eye of an ' expert, her Superb lines to leeward, as she now lies, melancholy to relate', on the beach as aforesaid. The Masher is to be sold fiy public auction, for the beoefll etc. It has not bden ' ascertained whether tidings of bar Ides, or rather stranding, have as yet reached Lloyd’s. Brokafily net, as nq intimation baa yet fiesq received from tfin iostßflliobt thf O»rgo—principally, marina produce, was landed uninjured during thq gale. Fortunately there were no passengers, and tbe crew behaved filmee't remarkably well, evincing gtaat presence o( mindNobody threw himself overboard in parox vein* ot tear as has sometimes happened, and the Captain wm the last man to leaVs the ship. The Captain also eulogises the crew who his says Boqldn’t have behaved better. Thera i( some suspicion on this remarkable unanimity ot opinion between (be Captain and crew, and collusion is suspected. The vessel aforesaid will probably be bought in by a local firm, ere this communication reaches you. so that it will be utterly useless for any of yodf speculators who buy and patch up old and stranded craft to come this Waj>, In conclusion of this, rather I'fear, too long a letter, I may casually remark that it ia raining again, and heavy cloud tanks to the Southern portend more bad weather. Archdeacon Williams re-arrived from Hicks' Bay, Hawakawa and northern districts to-day (37th); 98th.—Heavy rain all night; as. Australia lust arrived. Owing to the heavy asa it ia doubtful if aha will be able to ship wool.

Toxomau, December 9. Beckoning without one's host, that is the Clerk of the weather, caused me rashly id prognosticate in my previous letter that aummet fiad set |n at lest, A veritable black north saster has dispelled tbe pleasing illusion! and alas | I, the ever cautious Narrator, am In it, That is to say I was in it to-day, between Waipiro and Tokomara, bat am at preMntcomfortebly domiciled at Host White's, with a good fire—yes, Sir, at Christmas time —and other st cetarae, none the Ism palatable lor not being more particularly desoribed here; [ had intended forwardihg my ordinary screed per the Australia, but missed her as usual. After all, Shanks 1 pony, as exemplified bj Walker and hia quadrupeds, is tbs surest it not the most expeditious, and, by the way, the new mailman is a very decent fellow at that. He wean no such hats as bis evsr facetious predecessor, and the smile is missing | neither is the retort, courteous, tunny or Sarcastic, forthcoming as of yore, Notwithstanding, Mr Josiah ia doing his work well, is affable, and obliging. I wish him bsttef weather. Messrs Bold and Reay (Chief Inspector of Telegraphs, and licensed surveyor and inter. prater, respectively), accompanied by Mr H, Harding, ot Tologa Bay, arrived al Waipiro OA Saturday lest. It la understood that ths

advent of Ibese gentlemen is immediately connected with the extension of the telephone in this direction. I regret’to say that Miss Lillie Warner, of Tokomsru, is seriously t ill, though now said to be out of danger. Mr Scott, the native medical attendant at Waipiro, is in attendance.

The weather has cleared up again, though rain is still hanging about.