WHAKATANE ITEMS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1760, 4 November 1884, Page 4

WHAKATANE ITEMS.

f FBOM OXTR OWN CORRESPONDENT, j j Captain Bluett proceeded to Ohiwa on Saturday. (25) in the harbour of which is an island that takes its name from Mm, where he has a number of sheep roaming at their own sweet will. His journey was, I believe, for the purpose of divesting the said sheep of some of their outward covering. He was accompanied by two skilful operat6rs in the art of shearing. It is rarely anything occurs to keep the good people of Whakatane from their couches in a state of gui vive after 10 o'clock at night; but the appearance of the Staff a laying off just before aunset on Saturday (25) served to do so, for it seemed that nearly all the inhabitants had an idea in their heada that it behoved each and all of them to act sentinel on the wharf, until she was properly moored alongside, which was about half -past 10, having seen which, duly greeted the skipper, and rapidly, gleaned any items of news to be obtained, they wended their ways homeward, apparently satisfied with having fulfilled an important public duty. The Staffa left for Opotiki at 9.30 a.m. on Sunday.

The Eev. A. C. Soutar and the Rev. Father Launazell, from Opotiki, paid their usual monthly visit on Saturday, and held Divine service on Sunday (26th). The stewards of the last race meeting are to meet on Saturday evening next (Nov. 1) to present their balancesheet and dispose of any business which may be brought forward preparatory to taking steps for the arranging for the race meeting to be held in January next. Notwithstanding the numerous complaints which have been made with regard to the dulness of trade for some time past, I doubt not Whakatane will mate strenuous efforts to at least equal the liberality displayed at former meetings in the matter of prizes. I. understand that for the election for the County Council to be held next month two gentlemen have signified their intention to come forward to represent the Omataroa Biding f which returns two members). The gentlemen mentioned are Major Swindley and Everard Buckworth, Esq. That there should be a great advantage in being locally represented in this, as in any other governing body, is, I should imagine, self-evident, and the thanks of the community are certainly due to those gentlemen who are willing to place their time and services at the disposal of those interested in the matter, more especially considering that it means a clear loss of two days 'jach month to any member representing this Biding, and the emolument — ompty honor. . The advantages to be gained by the oxeroise of a little forethought in the investment of a comparatively small auin annually, to be returned manyfold dither in ease of an accident, or in the j event of death of the investor to his survivors, has been very forcibly placed before the people here during the last week in a way to convince the most obdurate sceptic, by a gentleman representing both an accident and a ,ife insurance company. Whether his uccess was proportionate to his endeavours I am unable to say. The weather, which for the last four or five days had been excessively hot md close, culminated in a sharp ihunderstorm on Wednesday (29), which appears to have cleared the ttmosphere considerably, and at the ' ame time rendered the gardens good . ervice.

Mr W. M. English, of Opotiki, arrived on Sunday evening (26) for the purpose of having the signatures of ihe residents of Whakatane which -vere affixed to the petition to the Governor praying that the Counties ict should be abolished in the County of Whakatane duly attested by a J.P., which was done by Major Swindley. I am told that in the erent of the petition not being granted the Whakatane Highway District Board will merge into the County Council most likely. Considerable outcry is raised at the action of the Government in declaring the Omataroa Licensing District with additional extent of locality a Native Licensing District, and so prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors to the natives in any of the places in the district defined. There certainly appears a certain amount of stupidity in the Act, for whereas a native who cannot be supplied with a glass of brandy, aay in Whakatane or Ohiwa, the latter place distant only some eight or nine miles from Opotiki, has only to send to Opotiki and he can purchase as much as he requires. This in addition to the evident unfairness of issuing licenses at a certain sum, and after receiving payment deliberately turning round and taking away that portion of the trade which in many cases forms the principal part of the licensee's business.

Since writing the above we learn by a telegram late on "Wednesday evening (29) from Capt. Morris, M.H.E., and also from J. B. "Wliyte, Esq., M.H.8., that Whakatane is exempt, so perhaps we were "crying out before -we were hurt." Still, the fact remains that, according to the boundaries published, Whakatane was included. However, "we shall see what we shall «cc."

The trustees of tne British museum have purchased Milton's Bible. It contains the dates of the births of his children in his own writing. Libel actions are being ■ brought against the Sydney "Telegraph" and Melbourne " Telegraph" by Mr D. B. Walker, -who was special correspondent of the "Age" with the recent New Guinea expedition. He complains of charges of wholesale murder of natives by dynamite made by the papers mentioned, and claims £2,000 damages in each case. I