General Impressions.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1911, 17 February 1875, Page 2

General Impressions.

Meeting of iftnerfr

Rowdyism Rampant.

The Meeting of Natives^

Prospects, &a

(FBOM OUB SPECIii COBitESPOjrDEHT.)

PvXETEAWAIBAHi,

Tuesday Morning.

It may be as well to give a slight •ketch of the new-born district as I find it here at present. To many it will be a source of great interest. The Puketeawairahi is the scene of most life just at present—from the fact, in the first place, that it offers a good landing place; and in the second, that the steamer Luna stopped here with her freight of Government officials and others—and magnets draw.. She is just opposite Messrs Casseland and Bennett's store—or more properly called, the Travellers' Rest Hotel. There is a Maori settlement of some extent in the immediate vicinity, and when Mr Guilding's house [is mentioned you hare the township in its pristine simplicity. The first thought that flashes across the mind of the observer as he arrires at Ohinemuri proper, after haying become .well-nigh,-familiarised with the splendid scenery which the river above Hikutaia presents, is—" What a beautiful country to have lain so long idle!" The vegetation is abundant, and the flat land very extensive, with a navigable river running through it, the beauties of which are probably well known, and if they are not they ought to be. I visited the Paeroa last night. Crossat the point where the Luna is lying you follow the course of the river in its graceful turns till, in about ten minutes of moderate walking, you arrive at the Paeroa settlement, the which dignified appellation is given to a store and grog shop, a butcher's, a baker's, a cheap boarding house, and a number of tents, while there are some stores a little detached from this clump, affording supplies to some more occupants of tents and the men engaged in the erection of two or three wooden buildings, being embryo warehouses of complicated stocks, comprising drapery, grocery and groggery. Austin's store is the central point at present, and Would dd a very excellent business were it not for the gross incivility of the proprietor. I-had heard previously, indeed, to my arrival at the landing place, of the • semi-barbarous .nature of this individual, but was, lam free te> eesfeSS^e^e^ared for the insolence which I met with fckerev-wJ!Kus_ storekeeper is in the preeminently uncommon position of being totally independent of every body and every thing;, ancll make mention of these little facts, trusting you will give them publicity in order that what I write may nave a beneficial effect in saving others, 1 imeiy warned, from the reception your reporter and others received at the Paeroa Hotel. At the Paeroa it is that the Aimed Constabulary are stationed, their encampment being just at the back of Austin's allotment. They number over half-a-dozen tents. ! Passing along still by the course of the river I came upon McGregor's store, and Donovan's corner, the site chosen by | Messrs Bennett and Cassel for an hotel. At this point there is an encampment of miners of some extent. I reached here at night, and the scene was very romantic. The tents were all illuminated, and the sounds of life emanated from them in various ways. In one tent, for instance, the occupants were of a musical turn, and gave out strains of melody from a strange mixture of instruments the only distinguishable one being a big drum beaten with a vigorous arm. | In other tents the diggers were amusing themselves, some by playing cards and others by discussing the prevailing topics, and speculating upon the chances. Further on again in tne same route, which leads to the gorge, I came upon another encampment of a smaller kind, where there is a store being erected for Mr Hogan, just on the boundary of the Paeroa settlement. .Crossing the boundary I came into Mitchell's town, that being the name which this area of ground is best known by. There are a number of people

stationed here, where Mr Mitchell has his store and dwelling heuse. This of course is private ground, thoughihe actual ownership seems to be rather £##, iince there are so many claimant*, each one of whom professes to have the sole and exclusive right. I was entertained hospitably by Mr Mitchell, whe afforded me the extreme gratification of viewing the sad remains of the Kae-Mitcheli difference, tbe said remains consisting of four uprights of a house "cut off" in the bud, of their existence, and a few pieces of planking, being til that the Maories have left of the ruins of Mr Bae's house. Touching the ownership of this land, which .is looked ' upon as dubious, one thing is certain, namely, that if " might is right," Mr Mitchell appears to have the best possible right at present. So far, then, you know about as much of the townships as I have been able to descry. These little settlements do not of course contain the whole of the mining population on the field, there being a considerable number scattered over the hills engaged in prospecting.