KAWAKAWA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5509, 14 July 1879, Page 6

KAWAKAWA.

On Thursday evening, 3rd instant, the children attending the Sunday-school, gave an entertainment in the public hi.ll, the proceeds of vrhich are to purchase new books for the school library. The evening was a beautifully fine moonlit one, .which enabled many to come from a distance, and the hall was well filled. The programme comprised hymn a and select pieces, sung and recited by the scholars, and addresses from the Revs. Wills and Hammond, and Mr. James Marshall, superintendent of the school. All passed offvery smoothly, the singing and recitations giving great pleasure to those parents and friends present. The receipts will provide a fresh supply of literary aliment for the yonng readears.

I am glad to hear that Mr. Dougal Bine has succeeded in obtaining a lease of the flourmill on the banks of the river, at the part known as " The Derrick." The mill has been standing idle for many months, and the settlers in that part have been considerably inconvenienced to get flour, horse, fowl, and pig feed. All will rejoice to hear again the busy whirr, and wish the obliging miller success in his undertaking. On Saturday last all the employees of " The Company" signed a requisition, asking the directors of the Bay of Islands Coal Company to re-appoint Dr. Agga,ssiz, surgeon to the Miner's Accident Society. Dr. Watson, who was appointed doctor to the Maoris when the Premier and Native Minister were down here, has fitted up a room in his house as a dispensary, and is prepared to supply a want long felt in the district. The shelves are stocked with drngs and patent m.dicines of the best quality. With the long-continued rain the roads have got inio a most wretched state, and, to make matters worse, the County Council has several men cutting and forming parts of them, which, though a future good, makes them just now almost impassable. A Maori is giving much annoyance by interfering with the workmen forming a portion of road through a Bmall piece of land, the ownership of which is unknown, as the title is disputed by several natives. It is a Government road, this part having been surveyed by Mr. Newman, Government surveyor, a year ago, and is marked as a public road upon all the latest plans. How it comes that the Council tolerates this assumption—turning off their workmen, and daring them to touch another shovelful of his land —is a puzzle which I and many others cannot explain. Why not deal with him as a whiteman—treat his threats with contempt, and leave the question of damages, if any, to be settled by arbitration or a lawsuit in one of the Courts ? To accede to hia demands would be an unwise precedent. It is this favouritism towards Maoris which makes them such obstructionists. This portion of the road is now left in a dangerous state, and should an accident happen here, the County Council would be actionable for damages to life or property 5 therefore it is hoped that the Council will no longer try to pacify, but at once assume its full powers, and, by dignified but determined action complete the road. Sydney D. Taiwhanga is a well-known character here, and the narrative of the trials o£ Sarah, his white wifo, which ap. peared in the Weekly News, created mnch amusement. It is confidently expected that Sydney will rush into print, and supply the second chapter, as thoso who were so unfortunate as to bo passengers in the s.s. lona at Christmas, when Sarah was brought from Auckland, witnessed » specimen of their domestic strife, and were satisfied that Sarah's Hibernian tongue, under certain excitement, wjis more than a match for Sydney and all his tribe.

There is much sickness amongst the children in theshapo of colds, chicken-pox) &o,—[Own Correspondent, July B.J