EAST CAPE DISTRICT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8422, 25 November 1890, Page 6

EAST CAPE DISTRICT.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Waiai'U, November 11. During the past month a good many deaths have occurred amongst the old Maoris here. This is, I believe, usual amongst the Maoris at this season of the year. The past winter has been by far the most inclement one experienced here, and indeed on the East Coast generally, for many years. The previous winter was bad enough, but in 188!) the wet weather and floods did not set in till the end of May. This year, however, we have had our noble and swift-flowing river, the Waiapu, and its affluents in flood at least, once a week since Christmas last, and the same state of things has continued up to date ; indeed, for the last fortnight of October we had floods upon floods, and, although the weather is warm enough for the season, still the planting of crops has been much delayed. October also has been characterised throughout by very high gales of wind, mostly from the north and, to use Captain Edwin's latitude of expression, varying to the north-east and north-west, from which last our strongest gales have come. The heaviest gales were on the loth, the 22nd, and the 20th. This is the same date as you had great floods in Auckland. The effect on our roads may be imagined. I use the word^roads in an apologetic sense, for we have 110 roads whatever. There is scarcely a surveyed and proclaimed road in the whole riding of Waiapu. The word riding is, however, an anachronism, for during last session of Parliament the Waiapu County Act was passed, and it came into force 011 the tirst day of October. Hitherto the Waiapu district, extending from Capo Runaway to Auaura, and comprising five or six steamer ports of call, has been a riding of Cook County, which extends to the south so as to take in the flourishing and populous country of Poverty Bay and around the Borough of Gisborne. Gisborne and Poverty Bay influence have predominated in the . Cook County Council, and poor Waiapu has been treated as the neglected calf of a rich milch cow. It is to be hoped that "home rule" will do something towards the civilisation of these parts. money has been spent, both by the county ami the Lands Department, has been mostly thrown away, either by being improperly done, and the works washed away by the first heavy rains, or by being made in places not generally used by the public, while the tracks in our busiest and most populous places are left in their recognised position or mud canals. It must appear a marvel to people who are not aware of the intense fertility and healthiness of this East Cape district, and, indeed, o- the whole line of coast from East Capo to Mahia. This is shown by the production of sheep, these being four-fifths of the sheep of the whole provincial district of Auckland, whereas the fraction of land thus comprised is only about one-twentieth part of the whole province. A great portion of this land is hilly, and more suitable for sheep than for any other speck's of farming. These hills are composed of a soft kind or whitish soil, called "papa," or disintegrated papa rock, which bears ifrass most productively. Another thing is the vast amount of salt in the herbage. This is derived from the sea. So that, though we have no good harbours, our long line of surf-beaten beaches throws into the atmosphere—especially during our frequent, easterly and' north-easterly winds— a large quantity of saline particles, which are borne by the winds over the hills and far inland. Men here often observe that many miles inland when a drizzling rain is failing their beards are wet with a saline semivapour, much of which they inhale into their lungs and swallow into their stomachs. Of course this is healthful in the extreme for sheep and all sorts of cattle.

We in these country parts, where the postal authorities inform 113 that our meagre supply of postal privileges costs more than the revenue we contribute in the purchase of stamps, have been wondering if, when a twopence halfpenny ocean postage comes into force, the twopenny colonial postage for letters between two post offices, although only five miles apart, are to continue. One would have thought that the rule of proportion might have suggested to our legislators that a penny postage ought to have been adopted for the colony. Two eminent bodies at home arc lately " wired" to have expressed a hope that before the expiration (long distant may it be !) of Queen Victoria's reign a universal penny postage would be adopted for the whole empire. These eminent ones are Queen Victoria herself and the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. Little did they consider that it costs twopence to send a letter from l'ort Awanui to Tuparoa, or from Auckland to Onehunga or Panmure. •Surely in these days, when "federation" is so very prevalent in the very atmosphere we daily and hourly breathe, the post ollice department of the empire, or of the world at large, presents itsell as a splendid field for some recent Rowland Hill to federate and amalgamate on a commercial footing, whereby literary matter, including letters as well as goods in general, might be carried all over the world at something less than £.'}( X) per ton, which is what twopence halfpenny a letter amounts to.

We have had during the past week visits from both our candidates for legislative honours to represent the Hast Const district. Mr. Arthur came overland from Opotiki, accompanied by Mr. .lames Campbell ami Mr. Julius Cesar, lie might well have been accompanied by a bagpiper or other musical apparatus to play " The Campbells are (Joining," and likewise to notify a Roman invasion s (not ecclesiastical). Mr. Arthur, however, needed no such heralding, being well known and a general favourite ; so that, if we have our way. lie will be " the man for Gal way. "

Mr. Kelly came l>y (.lie steamer Australia from Auckland, and will return to the northern part of the district by way of Gisborne and the Motu Road to Onotiki. As we can't have railways in this district, we ought to have at the public cost a system of tramways, for which our moderately hilly roads are very well adapted. Let whoever wins of these two take a note of this .suggestion.

We have also in our midst Tiini Waata, of Opotiki, YVi l'ere, of Gisborne, and Mr. .James Carroll, of Waitoa (late M. U.K.), as candidates for the representation of the Kastern Maori Electoral District, if our sable brethren know when they are well oil' they will elect " Timi" Carroll again : but the eccentricities and vagaries of the Maori mind, " refusing to learn wisdom," is a psychological phenomena which " no fellah can understand." To the fates we leave them 11, and shall hope for the best.

The .Jubilee of European Methodism in New Zealand was celebrated at the Devonport Church on Sunday, when three services, were held. Considering the weather good congregations assembled. The preachers were : Morning, Rev. \V. Morley; afternoon (children's service), Rev. A. ('. La wry ; evening, Rev. C. 11. Garland. The collections for the day amounted to £i) Is Id. The Jubilee meeting will bo held this evening (Tuesday) at half-past .seven, in the Devonport Wesley an Church.

Cadbury's Cocoa.—" A Cocoa of the highest degree of Purity and Nutritive value." — Health.

The Medical Annual advises practitioners to remember t hat when recommending Cocoa, as a food ami beverage for invalids, the name Cap bury on any packet of Cocoa is a guarantee of purity.