MURIWAI.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 60, 7 February 1884, Page 2

MURIWAI.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] February 6th. This settlement, as viewed from the low sandy undulations above the sea-beach, presents a very pretty appearance at this time of year, houses and whares of varied form and aspect, interspersed with picturesque groups of trees of indigenous and foreign origin, contributing with the background of grassy hills to form a landscape very pleasing to the vision of the beholder. These latter (forming, I believe, part of Mr. J. W. Johnson’s splended estate before so ably described in your columns) are somewhat in the sere and yellow just now, but only need a shower or two of rain to restore them to their wonted

Autumnal and Spring verdancy. Mr. Bally • comfortable hostelry also forms) With its boundary fringe of willows and well* grassed green paddock, ft conspicuous object, and, with the large Munanga house and other buildings tends to enhance the pleasantness and effectiveness of tha coup d'cril. Seaward, Young Nick’s Head—cacophonous as to name, and not rivalling in sublimity of aspect many headlands and forelands north and south, yet interesting by ieason of its association with the great circumnavigator — projects its precipitous length into the ocean, while northward the Tuaiheni promontory juts imposingly outward, as if in derision of Young Nick's lesser bulk and dimensions, The population of Muriwai—mostly Native—are a good deal exercised just now in their several spheres by the recent death of Marara Kiki, who departed this life on the 31st January, The deceased appears to have been a woman of rank, and most of the European residents have been requisitioned to supply means to set forth in due order the " funeral meats*” Unfortunately—or, perhaps, fortunately—for Host Bailey, these meats partake largely of Falstaff's refreshments—“ lots of sack and little toast’’—and the profundity of grief, if in any ratio to the quantity of malt liquor consumed, must ba deep indeed. It is said that large reinforcements of mourners are on their way from Mahia t Nuhaka, and Wairoa. Should these possess powers of imbibition at all equal to the local inconsolablesf and corresponding perseverance, it is to be hoped that the Karawa bridge now under repair and impassable; may be speedily completed, so that adequate supplies may be procured for the assuagement of their “ sense of loss” in deep, deep draughts of Crawford’s XXX, or other more potent and less wholesome means of obliviscence, JRe said bridge unusable for the time, and inapproachable approaches of the ferry at Devery's — your corespondent hav-

ing been warned in the morning that the bridge would shortly be closed for traffic, essayed the beach road on his return from town, and infelioitously arriving at about low-water was indebted to Mr, Komisky, the ferry-man, for the avoidance of a mud and water bath, or worse, This conscientious Charon, sounding with a pole between the end of the quasi approaches the punt, apparently found no bottom, and candidly advised yours truly not to try it. I didn’t. Then, with a lot of extra trouble to ferryman, and some inconvenience to myself, we achieved the swim lower dowilj where certainly, if I may have an opinion the ferry ought to be, or the present approaches rendered utilisable where they are; The present anomalous State of things; a bridge impassable, and the only other means of vehicular communication unavailable except at high-water and flood-tide, is peculiar; to say the least of it, and not complimentary to the administrative ability hie) of the C. O. C;

There are a good many curiosities st Muriwai of the mammalia: and others, Of the former a Maori, Blind William, alias Wirimu Kapo, has surprisingly well educated himself. Originally suffering probably from cataract, he was forwarded at the expense of J. W, Jonson Esq., of this place (who seems to be an all-round benefactor hereabouts) to Napier, where he underwent an operation performed by a distinguished oculist. It appears, however, to have been unsuccessful, and William, blind, became quite as accomplished as William with his eye sight available. In fact many residents say that his blindness is not an unmixed evil, so far as others are concerned, he being “ rather too sharp as it is.” Notwithstanding he performs many things, such as cutting rushes, sewing up grass-seed bags, and riding about on horse-back With a facility that is really extraodinary. You may tell Narrator that there is good news from the whale fisheries at Mahia, of the early days of which he is writing to your paper. By a messenger arrived at Muriwai froni Mahia to-day 1 learn that John Monel Narrator’s old boss has secured an unusually large sperm whale. Bartlett another, and so on. in all seven have been captured. It seems that the incoming school of cetaceans became involved in the bight bf the Mahia and were all killed. Beckoning sperm oil at £6O per ton, this is a good “ cut,” and will cause the whaling industry (somewhat desultudinous) to look up again. It also invests Narrator’s future reminiscences with increased interest.