NOTICES AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Waka Maori, Volume 12, Issue 3, 8 February 1876, Page 21

NOTICES AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Paki te Amaru, of Uawa, writes about afflictive visitations and troubles in the district of Tolago Bay, on the East Coast. He says, during the year 1875 thirteen marriageable young women have died in that district, but only three young men ; there is "no ground remaining for planting crops of men to occupy the land," and he considers the G-overnment ought to have some consideration for them in their forlorn condition, in the same way as the Maoris give wives and land to homeless and wandering Pakehas. This, he maintains, is the true means of uniting and amalgamating the two races. The second source of affliction has been the floods. For eight days in the early part of the month of January it rained incessantly, and the rivers were all flooded. The crops, he says, on the low-lying lands were all destroyed by the floods, and the crops on the hillsides were buried by land-slips. The people will be without food this year, and they must, he supposes, try to obtain fernroot to eat, which, however, has also, in a great measure, been destroyed by the sheep. The roads are blocked up by land-slips, and the people have no seed to plant for food. He thinks the G-overnment should assist them. Hoeomona Hapai and the Rev. MatiahaPahewa write that it rained at Tokomaru, on the East Coast, from the 15th to the

22nd of January, without intermission; that dreadful floods ensued ; that the crops on the low-lying lands have been washed away; those on the hill-sides have been buried under land-slips, which are to be seen in every direction. The people will be absolutely without food ; what has not been washed away or buried is rotting from the wet. The people will have to live on fern root and mamakv, (a tree fern). Pataba of Uawa, on the East Coast, says the floods in that district have been most disastrous. The people, old and young, are loudly lamenting the loss of their crops, and dreading the prospect of destitution and starvation which lies before them. Patara has lived for fifty years at Uawa, and, he says, during all that time he never before experienced such heavy rains and tremendous floods. The potatoes, Tcumaras, maize, wheat, and all other orops, have been destroyed; houses also have been swept away, together with a considerable amount of property which they contained. The people have no seed to plant their next year's crops. Pineamine Htthtt, of Anaura, East Coast, also writes of great floods in his district, and destruction of crops and other property. _ Great land-slips came down from the hills in every direction, in some cases burying crops and houses. At a place called Omanuka a slip came down upon the settlement, nearly burying an old man named Neho, in one house, and a woman and a child in another. The old man was caught by the legs in the ruins of the house as he was endeavouring to escape. Hearing his cries the Natives came to his assistance and extricated him. The rush of water and the noise of the falling cliffs so alarmed the people that they began to cry out in dread and to take leave of each other, believing they would be lost. Ihaka Kapo. Your paper has been regularly sent to " Aorangi," Napier, according to your request. Eopata te Hoa Kakaei, of Tikokino, Hampden, Napier.— A paper will be sent to you. "We shall notice as soon as possible a number of other letters received.

Subscriptions received:— £ 8. d. 1876.—Matiu Kapene, of Waikouaiti (two copies) 1 0 0 „ Himiona te Kani, of Waiokahu, TJawa, Tolago Bay (No. 1) 0 10 0 „ Wirihana Kaipara, of Havelock, Marlborough (No. 1) ;. 0 10 0 „ Pine Amine Huhu, of Anaura, East Coast 0 10 0 1877.—Pine Amine Huhu, of Anaura, East Coast ... ... ... 0 10 0 From Charles Brown, Esq., Civil Commissioner, Taranaki, for 1876.—Nuku Titokowaru, Oeo 0 10 0 „ Pamariki Raumoa, of Mimi 0 10 0 Eroni Eev. J. McWilliam, of Otaki, for Rev. Rawiri Te Wanui, of Otaki, for the years 1872, 1S73, 1374, and 1875 ... 2 0 0 Erom R. Woon, Esq., R.3VI., Whanganui, for 1876. —Ihakara Tukumai-u 0 10 0 „ Rewi Raupo 0 10 0 „ Pikikotuku 0 10 0 „ Major Kemp 0 10 0 „ Aperaliama Tipae 0 10 0 „ Pehira te Pikikotuku ... 0 10 0 1874-75. —Hakopa Ktwa ... 1 0 0 £10 0 0