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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 436, 1 April 1890, Page 4

One of the posts was pulled up, while t e other was h pped off a few inche- above t 3 ground, a d noth ware consigned o the vas ■ d ep. I'wa hojed, nn doubt, by tl ose who took part in the proceedings that the housa woul 1 be fl jated away by the heavy win I which w s bowing off shore at the lime, but we learn tc-lay that the building is still on the beach a id can be replaced with \ery little trouble. After they had succeeded in demolishing the structures THE CROWD QUIETLY DISPERSED, many of them going away in vehicles. Constable Webb states that seme of the stones which were thrown at him we>e pretty heavy. One s-ruck him on the brea t, giving him a nasty blow, ani he feels certain that if it had hit him on the jaw ic would have broken the bone. The revolver which he pointed at the mob was one which he had when he was a member of the Permanent Artillery. It was left at the Ngahauranga Batteiy for some months, and he took advantage of his return to the district yesterday to go up to the fort and regain possession of it, so that he might bring it into town. It was quite rusty when he pointed it last night, and even if it had been loaded he does not think it could have been got to go off. Although Constable Murphy was present when the lower gate was demolished, he was unable to render any assistance to his comrade, owing to the superior numbers against them, both being powerless against such odds. After the crowd had left the locality, the constables made a search of the two hotels for the purpose of ascertaining whether any

MEN WITH BLACKENED FACES were to be seen, but in this they were not successful, and at 3 a.m. they came into Wellington in a fish cart. Mr Bould states that when he saw the crowd at the upper tollbar was intent on mischief, he went away for the purpose of obtaining assistance in the township, and also of warning Mr Clements and Constable Webb to be on tbeir guard, nut on reaching the first bridge he found it was barricaded, and he was told by several men who were there that he could not pass. He endeavored to get through, but they jostled him, and when be tried to identify them they pulled out their handker chiefs and held them in front of their faces so that he might not be able to see tbeir features. Finding that he could not gel down into the township be returned to the tollhouse, and as he went up be heard Constable Murphy ■ WHISTLING FOB ASSISTANCE. The mob were then engaged in destroying the gate. Mr Bould says that when he returned to the spot he asked the men not to knock bis things about, and he was assured that they

WOULD NOT HURT A HAIB OF HIS HEAD. He was advised to take his property out of the bouse as speedily as possible, aud be had just managed to scramble out of the building with the last of his goods when it was turned over on one side. In fact he cays be felt it moving when he was within. He then acquainted Constable Murphy with the fact that the first bridge was obstructed, and the officer promised to accompany him down the road for the purpose of warning the people at the other tollbar. The constable after, wards tried to get down the road, but be was not allowed to do so, and Mr Bould remained where he was in order to guard his property. About 12 Mr Bonld’s nephew (Mr T. Clapham) and another gentleman went up from Ngahauranga to search for him, and found him sitting on his box by the roadside contemplating the ruins. In the scuffle which took place at the upper tcllbar the baton was wrenched from Murphy’s hand, and be has not yet recovered possession Tbe gates and tollhouses were erected at a cost of about £5O. The Council have taken legal advice with reference to the present position, but up to 2 o'clock they had not arrived at a decision to replace the structures. We are informed that as a gentleman was - riving along the road on his way to the Hutt, he was stuck up at Ngahauranga by ome men whose faces were blackened, and it was only by striking at them with a whip that he Was able to get away. It is stated that a gang of 10 or 12 men came down from Johnsonville about 10 30 o'clock, with the evident object of assisting in the demolition of the tollgates.