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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8419, 19 January 1899, Page 2

EAST COAST TOWNSHIPS. The arrangements made by the Hon. Mr Carroll forthencnuisition of township sites at Waipiro, Tokomara, and Kawakawa will be most satisfactory to the European settlers in those districts, who have been long petitioning for some security of tenure to the lands where they have placed their homes. The position of these Coast settlers may ho understood by the statement of the fact that one of them who occupies a quarter-acre section at Waipiro acknowledges not less than six hundred Maori landlords. He has been residing there on the sufferance of every one of them, and under such conditions it was absolutely impossible for him to improve his property or to attempt to make a permanent home there. When the townships are formed these settlers will very probably not be disturbed but will become tenants of the Crown, who will administer the laws for the natives, paying them the rents. Lands already in the possession of the natives are to be reserved, and we hope ample reserves will be made for public purposes, including the obtainment of revenue for the Town Board, so that the settlers in the future will be spared the necessity of rating to effect town improvements. ' Mr Carroll is to be complimented on having arranged matters so satisfactory, and the natives deserve thanks for the willing spirit in which they entered into the negotiations.

The Maugatu Racing Club holds its annual meeting at VVhatatutu to-morrow.

Mr W. G. Foster, Chairman of the Assets Company's Board, is visiting Gisborne with a view to promoting the settlement of the trust lands.

Readers are reminded of the meeting in Townley's Hall at S o'clock this evening for the purpose of forming a Horticultural Society for Gisborno. Ladies have a special invitation to be present.

There is likely to he a lively contest for the city seats on the Auckland Harbor Board (says the N.Z. Herald), which is a healthy sign in public life. The forthcoming Gisborno Harbor Board election is also causing some interest.

A great discount sale, at which the liberal return of 4s in the £ wMI be made, is advertised by Mr William Pettie, whose fine up-to-date stock is valued at £7000. An inset relating to the sale will be found with Ibis issue.

The commission of H.M.S, Royalist, now in port, expires at the end of March. She will not be rcconunissioned for this station, and on her return to Sydney from New Zealand will proceed Home. Her successor has not yet been mentioned.

Messrs McAllister .and Shalders, the well-known Auckland diapers, who have at various times held successful sales in Gisborue, are about to commence another sale in the shop formerly occupied by Mr G. K. Moore next Air P. Hall's. Mr JlcMaslers is arranging for the opening of the sale on Saturday next.

With regard to the statements niitrle as| to the number of desertions from tile warships in Auckland, and the inability of the police to recapture the deserters from the Royal Navy, it is stated as they get £8 for each man— namely, £5 from the Government, and £3 from the ship. There are said to be two deserters from H.M.s. Tauranga, and no less than seven from H.M.s. Royalist. In connection with the recent trap accident whereby Mrs Ezra Smith lost her life, we are requested to state that the trap at the time was driven by one of her sons. It appears the horse was drinking at a trough on the Haiti road and in driving on to the crown of the road the back scat tilted and Mrs Smith was thrown heavily on to the road inflicting the injurios to her spine from which she succumbed. It is always Jack Tar's delight when he comes to Gisborne to go for a cruise on horseback, but it not infrequently happens that the cruise ends disastrously cither for him or the horse. One of the men from the vessels now in port came to grief on the Kaiti road near Mr I'ettie's residence last evening, being thrown to the ground and stunned. A stiff glass of grog restored consciousness, and he was taken aboard his ship. A Syrian hawker named Jlanson Hannah was robbed of a quantity of jewellery of the value of £40 at the iMurewai last evening. From the meagre particulars which are to hand from a correspondent, it appears that Hannah left his bundle in one of the rooms of the Mnrewai Hotel, and going back shortly afterwards found that twenty gi>ld rings, and a number of brooches and other valuables had been stolen. Suspicion fell upon a Native who was about the premises, and we understand that a warrant has bepn issued for his arrest. Hannah came into Gisborne this morning and reported the matter to the police, I who are now investigating the matter, / ■

"f!ot Myers" was Sergeant Wright's cable from Monte Video. The total cordage required for a firstrate man-of-war weighs about SO tons, and exceeds £,"000 in value. Mr A. .T. M.usoy, who has just returned from a visit to Sydney, and C. J. East have musical announcements in this issue. The new torpedo-net defence, which is now to lie used on all British warships, weighs lTtewt, anil has 1(50,000 wire meshes. Kach net is 2.lft, wide and 28ft deop. Yesterday afternoon His Worship the Mayor (Mr Townley) accompanied by the Town Clerk and a number of citizens paid a vis-it to the warship Tanranga and were courteously received by Captain Browne. The visitors were greatly interested in the torpedo practice which was being carried on at, the time of their visit. "The tor- 1 pedoes wern fired from the tubes in the stern of the vessel at a buoy .some 400 yards from the ship, excellent judgment being shown by those engaged in the practice. The warship was in spic and .'•pan order and every facility was afforded visitors to inspect the guns and machinery on board. Captain Browne in response to numerous requests decided to throw the boat open for inspection this afternoon j when the Waihi makes several trips under the auspices of the City Band. The Tamaiiga and Royalist leave for Napier this eveuirg eu route for Wellington.