JOTTINGS FROM THE JOURNAL OF A TRAVELLER.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3218, 12 November 1880, Page 2

JOTTINGS FROM THE JOURNAL OF A TRAVELLER.

October 14th : —Arrived off Taronaki 9 a.m. ; landed through the surf all light, in the city of the tour families, who have married, and inter-married, and cross-married until a special act of the Assembly will be needed to legalise the ownership of the "kids." Not that the obtaining an Act of the Assembly would prove a formidable undertaking to these families who are the aristocracy, so-called, and the big guns of the Government, who keep in proper subjection the turbulent under classes 16th :— Visited the breakwater';' what a sell! One fourth of the grant expended, and the breakwater not yet commenced. 'Where is the odds ? The four families; aud their henchmen finger the big part of the expenditure. Coode's plans, which cost so much, have been improved on, and soon the remainder of the grant will have followed Coode's plans to astonish the fishes. The old Scotch game of ''scratch back " is here thoroughly understood and vigorously prosecuted. 18th':—Took the train to the Waitera. Here is where the town in reality should have been. A fine river with some ten feet of water on the bar, and handy boats of average speed could make the run to the Manukau in ton hours. Already a considerable trade in sheep and cattle and other produce is carried on. The railroad to Auckland seems to be the one wish of all. The general impression and the universal answer to iiiquiry as to why it has not been commenced is, " Oh, Auckland land jobbers must first buy up the lands of the natives for the company," then we will have the railway to Auckland. In the meantime we have the breakwater to amuse us. Our Representatives represent themselves, and so the thing goes on. 18th : arrived in the far famed Waimata Plains, of the beauty and fertility of which too much cannot be said. The equally famous Te Whiti, of whom we have heard such ridiculous reports, is a. most kind, genial, hospitable, upright old man. I have seldom met with a batter. Pakehas of any respectability in appearance are. lodged and fed, man and horse, free of all expense. When asked why he obstructs he will answer with a genuine shrug of the shoulders, "Oh, lam paid for al! that sort of thing." When asked "Who pays you," you get a keen intelligent glance with the assurance that " you pakehas are a strange, stupid people ; you sit men ever you the lowest of your own people, who were never chiefs, who roh you, and who rob the native." Te Whiti is not the half-crazed old dotard as represented by many of the newspapers, nor do I think that his demands are unjust or unreasonable. His mistake was that he took for truth the promises made to him by former Native Ministers. Of course, few white men would fall into such a mistake as that, out so long as the natives have in their possession valuable blocks of land so long will they bo victimised by speculators, more especially when these land speculating companies are able to control the Ministry. 21st: Cold and clear, had a view of the beautiful Mount Egmont, with its crown of everlasting snow —pure and white as the righteousness of the sainta. Still the beauty of the mount and the fertility of the soil cannot compensate for the unjustifiable acts of a Government in league with land speculating companies' agents —I am, &c, TjLVVBLtEK.

The latest thing in cradles is one that is rocked by the crying of the child inside. The more cry the more rock, till tho youngster gives up in despair. American, of course, • .