PATEA

Wanganui Herald, Volume IV, Issue 814, 25 March 1870, Page 2

PATEA

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) March 24, 1870.

"War, as a nile, brings desolation, trouble, and heavy loss to a community at large, but to a few—very few —-war aflfards a source of income, and as such should be encouraged—for in every community there are honeybees and drones/ The district of Patea has, during the past year or two, passed through a very hard and severe struggle, I may say for bare existence, and even when our troubles are over, and the district is quiet and peaceable, settlers once more using; the plough instead ot the sword, rumors • are put in circulation, and I am lsorry to say spread ov»-r the country by. the press, to the effect, that our old acquaintance Tii.ok< warn hns returned,, that war is imminent, that a renewal or troubles is at band, &c, and people thick, and say they ars sur.9 it is true, as they saw it 'in-"the newspaper; I consider, sir, rhnt before such reports are published, they .ought to be well authenticated, as statements such as the above not only deter settlers from coming" into, the:. place, bur, also to a certfiin extent cramp the energies of the.country residents. Although we \see ny the Wanganui papers that T-itstkowar.tr is back again at Te Ngutu o te .Manu, I am glad to ay; that is the only intimation we

have on, that score. So far as we know our old enemy is at present rusticating at Ngatirua a :place somewhere up the Waitara river, I believe about forty miles from New Plymouth, I can, however, vouch for one thing-, viz., that Tito is not back in our neighborhood, and I believe that the very alarming- rumors now in circulation are hatched by either people who wish to remain on pay and, so to speak, pick up the crumbs that fall from the table of the Defence office—or from people who wish to invest capital in land, and therefore use I heir endeavours to deteriorate the value of the article they wish to purchase Take the obverse view of the case—at present Cobb's coach is runing- here twice a week— generally pretty well filled, and without any escort beyond a small bull pup, which on one occasion volunteered its services. The telegraph is in full. operation—pleasant picnicSj and riding- parties ramble all over the district without hindrance, and no alarm—no panic—no sudden qualms, until some one happens to see in a newspaper that Titoko W'aru i has returned." Travellers ride from here to New Plymouth, and vice versa, •and seem almost disgusted to find that they have arrived at their desd nation without losing- their heads. 1 now, Sir, wish to fully and clearly ;'xpress my individual opinion which is that should Mr Tito return to his old haunts, and no check is put on our settlers, than the party named will, in ail probabilitv,re'quire an undertaker and an epitaph— but enough on this subject. -.L.ast June, £10,000 was placed on the estimates by the House of Kepresentutives. as a loan to re-instate the Pa tea and VVaitotara settlers. This action was very, good in theory. As regards practice, I cannot give an opinion, inasmuch as none of the money has .'yet; been distributed ; the modus ope.ranrii of all government work must be of necessity slow •■ but sfil} this assistance would be very beneficial if available, within areasonable time. Our district .is at present asu-ik ing- illustration'or-.Vlo-homet's «; mn—hanging as it 'wferei between'earth and heaven—geographically we 'elonir to the Province of Taranaki; but- as a vine, if we ask that Province for any recognition we are tohl -that we have not. yet been handed over to the Province ; if on the othev hand we .-apply to the General Government, we are refer? Ed to the Province—which of the two is earth and which heaven is bard to decide —but when the i Seat of Government is established in Patea (^hich we all expect) no doubt tiie question will be decided Mr Chadwick's sac fjr Mr Finnimore to-d.iv was weil attended, and ! fair prices realised

" What was the value 'of the boots stolen by .the prisoner?" "Twelve and six-ponce, your Worship." Six months'* imprisonment, with hard labor." And so the unfortunate, hungry wretch was carried off to durance vile. " What is the total amount of the insolvent's liabilities?" asks, the placid Commissioner. -" Only £1500," responds the official assignee. " Any creditors oppose the certificate?" "No, your honor,"' again replies the official, wifch a. satisfied smile. 'The assets merely covered the Court charges, and the creditors reside at Elysium Flat; the distance is too great for them to appear in opposition." "Certificate granted,' remarks tlie commisser. " Thank your honor," drawls the newly whitewashed, and saunters to the nearest hotel, where, over half-a-dozen sparkling No 2, he imparts to one,or two of his boon companions his projects for re-starting business on a more extensive scale than hitherto. "And thus," observes the Ararat Advertiser, a Victorian paper, from which we have , quoted, the foregoing, "the world goes on.' Petty larceny committed, let us charitably suppose, to save a family frpiui starvation, is j met with the stern frown of offended i justice, and" a bitter expiation must ■be made; while gigantic, robberies, ; imute in the broad light of day are 'taken under the law's protecting wing." How ir.nny instances similar to the^above may be quoted in this j Colony '( ■■.:.. .•■