EAST COAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4295, 19 August 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

EAST COAST.

[from our own correspondent.] A Pa almost destroyed by Are.—Local politicise*!).- Mr. Moorhouae.—M*il matters.— Sporting dlfllcaltlet.—Sergeant Shirley, Land Furchue Comruiuioncr. Tub pa at Aku Aku—which is one of t largest on the Coast—narrowly escaped being totally destroyed by fire about a fortnight ago. It would appear that all the adult residents were absent on the occasion, with the exception of two women, who occupied one of the principal whares In the village, and whose carelessness was apparently most reprehensible. About mid-day the women, very imprudently, fell asleep, leaving a child about three years old sitting at the side of a blazing fire in the centre of the whare. Between one and two o'clock in the afternoon the master of the native school at the villago (Mr. Browne) noticed flames issuing from the roof of the whare in question, and concluding at once that a fire had originated therein, he, with all the school children, rushed thither for the purpose of extinguishing the devouring element. All tho available buckets were hastily mustered, and an unlimited Bupply of water being at hand, the crimson demon of destruction was, by dint of praiseworthy oxertion on the part of Mr. Browne and his pupils, soon checked in its devastating career, but not, however, before five whares with their contents were consumed. Mr. Browne sustained considerable injuries, his face being seriously scorched and his hands burnt. Some of tho children were also seriously injured, especially those of them who took a prominent part in the work of extinguishment. Tho child by whom the whare was set on fire, and who was found therein nearly enveloped in flames, was rescued by one of the school boys, who, to save the lifo of the poor thing, violently threw it out of the hut and nearly killed it —it having come into contact with a fence outside, which inflicted serious woundson it. The little one was picked up by Mrs. Browne iu a state of insensibility, and after taking it to her house sho applied the usual remedies, and thus saved it from perishing. It is somewhat remarkable that this child was a few weeks rescued from a whare which took lire under circumstances similar to those under which the fire at Aku Aku occurred. Had not this fire been so promptly got under as it was, it would have assuredly extended itself to, and destroyed the whole pa, including two or three large weatherboard stores in the immediate neighbourhood, in one of which latter was a large keg of powder, which was fortunately removed to a place of safety shortly after the fire was discovered, and thus a tremendous explosion, which might have been attended with most disastrous results, was averted. A quantity of loose powder, which was found in one of the whares that was burnt down, was also removed in due time. Now that the Government have disarmed the East Coast natives, all ammunition should also be taken away from them, to prevent accidents, which might causo loss of life. A few dayß ago a small paper bag, containing about two poundß of powder, accidentally ignited iu a native hut, near East Cape, and nearly killed one of the inmates.

Local politics are being discussed amongst us with unusual rigour and interest. Our representative in the Provincial Council (Mr. Woodbine Johnson), who is now on his way to England, has deemed it proper to place his resignation at the disposal of his constituents, assigning as his | reason for doing so that another session of j the Council must necessarily be held prior to | his return from the mother country, and as ! he considered it inconsistent on his part to re- | tain his seat during his absence, and thus ! deprive those who olected him of the privilege ; of being represented in what might turn out I to be the last session of tho Provincial Coun- I cil, he considered it his duly to resign ; and I for adopting this manly and straightforward ' course the electors eulogise him. Mr. John- ! son has also issued an address to his con- : stituents, in which he states that he has ex- ' crcised his utmost endeavours to get the 1 wants of the district supplied and its griev- i auces redressed, and he believes that, in addition to tho efforts of the local Press, his j own exertions havo contributed somewhat in ] obtaining a fair share of public expenditure. ; These are facts which require no confirmation ' beyond Mr. Johnson's own statement, and much regret is expressed that the < services of so efficient a member should even bo temporarily lost to tho constituency. The electors intend to take early steps to procure an eligible successor to Mr. Johnson. Two candidates are prominently in the field for tho repre- - Bentation of the Kast Coast in the Houso of Representatives, and two or three more are | talked of as likely to stand for the same dis- ! trict. Those who publicly announced their intention to solicit the suffrages of the fran- i chise-holders are Captain Morris and Colonel Harington, both of whom propose making i known their political views shortly at public ; meetings to bo convened for the purpose. ■ Mr. Moorhouse, of Wellington, formerly Superintendent of Canterbury, has privately • signified his willingness to become a candi- : date for Poverty Bay in the event of that; important district being constituted a repre- • sentativc electorate; and tho general belief is that, in the absence of a local man, ho would be returned by an overwhelming ma- j jority, his qualifications for the representa- I tion of any constituency being considered [ unexceptionable, as undoubtedly they are. ' Colonel Harington is unpopular with ; tho electors, and may spare himself the trouble of entering the lists with ( either Captain Morris or the sitting member : (Mr. Kelly) who, although unpopular at , Tauranga, is suro to offer himself for re- i election in duo time. Old military officers ; are not considered, in this quarter, to be tho 1 most eligible for Parliamentary honors, whilst Ministerial toadies are utterly detested. There is evidently a determination . on the part of the electors to choose none but | a " fit and proper person" in the strictest ; sense of the term, and for this they are to be I commended. Mr. Moorhouse stands high in I tho estimation of the Poverty Bay people, I aud well he may, for he would be an ornament to any constituency. His experience and abilities, both as a legislator and administrator, are well known. It was reported about a fortnight ago that scab had broken out in some of tne European flocks on this coast, and now-resident runholders, to Whom the unwelcome intelligence was speedily communicated, began to be alarmed. The Sheep Inspector at Gisborne took prompt steps to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the rumour, which Beems to have spread like wildfire in all directions; and his enquiries resulted in the discovery that all the imported sheep had hitherto entirely escaped the disease, and that the report to the contrary was a wilful fabrication. It fortunately happens that the East Coast flocks, without any exception whatever, were never so free from scab as they are at present, there being no sign of the infection anywhere; and the originator of the false report is being denounced in no measured terms. The sheep are in as good a condition this minute as they hare ever been known to be at any corresponding season of the year ; and graziers are jubilant over the success that has attended their pastoral pursuits as yet. When the inspected sheep are destroyed, and the runs occupied by I them proclaimed clean, there will then be 1 fresh scope for depasturing fifty or sixty thousand sheep, as well as a favourable opening for th* investment of capital, by men of enterprise. Captain Porter having concluded all the arrangements for the purchase and •boil-ing-down of the native sheep, scab will be wholly extirpated from the district in less than a year hence. ! _ A' numerously and influentially signed I petition, praying for an increase of salary to the Waiapu and Gisborne mailman, has just been transmitted to the Postmaster-Gineral, and it is. to be "hoped it trill be successful I The distance,between these two places, is.

about a hundred miles, and the mail route being one of the worst*'and most dangerous bridle tracks in New Zealand, the mailman has to employ no less than twelve horses to enable him to complete the journey to and fro within the time allowed for it—a work which entails an absence from home npon him of six days every fortnight. For this fatiguing service he receives the paltry allowance of £91 a-year—a sum not only totally inadequate for the support of himself and horses, but also utterly disproportionate to the work performed by him. He has now been five years employed in carrying the mails, and the efficiency with which hts has invariably discharged his duties is unquestionable. He is a native, and possesses such an excellent knowledge of the English language as to be able to speak it with a fluency that would defy anyone to distinguish him from an iMiglißnman. His pronunciation is surprisingly accurate. Some of those who have taken out game licences in the south-eastern parts or the province bitterly complain of the annoyance | to which they are subjected through what they consider to be unnecessary restraints imposed by squatters and others in possession of lands on which there is game. These latter advertise in the papers that parties trespassing on their runs in pnrsuit of game will be prosecuted, thereby depriving those who hold licences to kill game, from reaping benefit therefrom except at the rials of being proceeded against in a Court of law,—a hardship which is felt to be intolerable. What is the use of a licence unless the holder thereof can exercise the privilege which it purports to confer, is a question which naturally suggests itself in such circumstances, and the early attention of the Government ought to bo directed thereto, with a vietf to the grievanco being redressed. If persons are liable to pains and penalties for merely doing what their licences authorise. them to do, it is quite'apparent that the granting of such licences is a complete farce, and ought to be put a stop to. There is no provision made in our game laws for allowing - persons holding: licences to cuter. ptlier ; people's land in pursuit of game, and this being so, those who are mean and selfish enough to regard such as trespassers have the power to punish them. To obviate ■ this anomaly an alteration in tho law is imperatively needed. Sergeant Shirley, having.obtained his discharge from the Armed Constabulary, left Awanui a few days ago, carrying with him the best wishes of everybody. He has been succeeded by Sergeant Armstrong, of Giabornc, an old and efficient officer, who seema to be quite as much liked as his predecessor was. Sergeant Armstrong appears to have been quite a favourite with the Gisbornites, and his removal to Awanui is spoken of by them with regret. A cottage is being erected for the sergeant—tho huts for the men having been already built. With these additions Awanui now presents the appearance of a small country township. One or two other buildings are .to be erected there soon.

The Land Purchase Commissioner (Capt. Porter) convened. a native meeting near Awanui, last week, for the purpose of executing tho necessary deeds for the land known as the Waiapu Oil Springs block. All the natives.concerned attended, and the contents of the deed' haTing .been explained by a native who accompanied the Commissioner, the document was signed in the presenco of the Resident Magistrate of the district. As the manager of the Poverty Bay Petroleum Company has lately reported most favourably as to the result of his boring operations, so favourably, indeed, as to enable him to say that he is "straight upon oil," it is not improbable that the Waiapu springs will soon be utilised.