WHAKATANE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume VI, Issue 548, 15 December 1877, Page 3

WHAKATANE

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT ) December 6, 1877. Not having noticed "our own", at Whakatane amon# your correspondents for some time past, and thinking with others that he had discontinued his efforts, I have ventured for once to supply you with a few details, and although the quiet of our little settlement has not been broken by any very startling events, still I think it right that we should sometimes occupy a small corner in your valuable paper. the crops. The crops here are looking remarkably well, and speak volumes for the industry of settlers, both European and native. A great portion of the land on the flat has this year been fenced, cleared, and brought -. into cultivation, and is now green with wheat, maize, and potatoes. There is fully three times the number of acres in crop this year to what there has been in any of the proceeding years since the Te Kooti war. Last year there were only four bales of wool sent from here ; this year there will be at least thirty-five bales shipped away ere the close of the season. This fact alone speaks well for the forward march of the settlement. NATIVE MEETINGS. There have been great meetings here among the natives re flour mills, and a good deal of ill-feeling and jealousy exhibited between the Ngatiawa and Ngatipukeko tribes, the casus belli being that each of the said tribes is desirous of having a mill. of its own! Now there is really no necessity in this small place for more than one flour mill, and were the two tribes to co-operate and subscribe their money to the building of one good mill it would be quite sufficient for their requirements for some time to come ; as it is, they will in all probability have either two badly finished niiltaor more likely still none- at all. j HIGHWAY MATHERS- ' A meeting of the Road Board! took place to-day at which great ; things in. the- way of voting salaries, &c.,. was to have- been done.. A number of the Board's officers were in town anxiously , awaiting results, but unfortunately . had to return home sad and; disap--pointed,. the- Hate Collector; having inhis-, possession the necessary documents* n&t turning up,, so. that the-n-Beting- 1 ,, and consequently the payment of the salaries, had to- be postponed for a fortnight.. This is the third time the Road Board meetings have been postponed through the nonattendance of some of the members of

tlie- Board.. I wonder if all Road Boards conduct their business after the- fashion of our local body ! However, we must hope for- better things in the future. By the wwary r writing of Road Boards-, can you tell! me Mr Editor,, if native landholders are exempt from paying the- rate>. as I have heard from ,good authority that they (the native's) could! noir be compelled to pay rates by law ?• It seems hard that we should pay rates and make roads, the benefits of which are equally to the advantage of natwe* farmers and landholders, who in a place like this number five-sixths of the settlers.. Kupu-iti. [If aboriginals hold, under Croion' Grant rates may be enforced in the usual manner. — Ed.]