OPOTIKI.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 134, 13 December 1873, Page 3

OPOTIKI.

liut)m Di n own roiiiifst'oxtiK.vr.) lut; ioKowing should have appeared in WeducHdsv isriir ;■ — 'I I trre ts every reason to suppose that two men who le't. love ahonf a fortnight ago for Hover! v !ia\ are u>,at mtiie bush, as they have been missing more than 10 days. They loft hero about the I Ith instant, having previously spoken to i\lr F. Simpson, who promised them n job on the Ormond bond wnrk. Tne men arrived aafolv ut Mr 1 liomas Simpson’s eßiop, u distance of about 2*i niiies irmn this place, ami about lid from Ormond, iiere they were supplies) with a supper and a shake-down for the night, hut they Siiitl not lung to Air fmnpsou about going to work. On the following morning they proceeded further a’oug the partially formed road ruiiu? nine miles to the camp of tho pioneer working party. Here they made particular ompnr.es as to the frack through to Poverty Bay, and further as ortninmg that a party of Maoris, including women and children, hud gone on the day hef.ro, they expressed their determination io tijilmv hi (lehr ( racks, tu.d endeavour to overtake them. Tlmy were advised not to attempt this rush proceeding, «a the country is fearfully wild ami mountainous, ami almost* impassable to u s'mta’o'i hot, m spite of all remonstrances, they started on their dangerous undertaking, ami nothing has since been heard of them. Captain P. Pi-upson, coming through from Poverty Bay 10 or 12 flays afterwards, reports their non-arrival, amt that they did not overtake tho party of Maoris who preceded them ; that he umi his Maoris canto on the Maori party’s tracks several lime during the journey, hut, there wore no European tracks with or following (hem, hut that at some distance from the Maoris’ track ho had found boot trucks of two Europeans ami tha head ami skin of a wild pig. Ho is. therefore, of opinion that th» men are lost., and that, as they have t" <> good clogs with them, they aro subsisting on wold k, but• there is very little probability of their .(noting (heir way out. Captain Simpson, with pra'ttew’trihy humanity, proceeded at oneo to Make!u I r tho purpose of communicating by telegraph with the Napier authorities on” tho subject. December 3. A number of gentlemen rode to Ohiwn yesterday evening atthe invitation of Air Kushfon, of tho Ferry Hotel, to take into consideration the advi, ability of organising a regatta and sports at that place. Thu meeting was very successful, and u committee oi (stewards was formed, consisting ol Messrs Ivutdilen, Bates, Litchfield, J. Kelly, J. Bu'st, and Dawson. It was decided that the alhiir should come olf early in January, and that programmes should bo issued immediately. Wo all heartily wish our enterprising friend (Air Ku ht.on) the success he deserves. The Native Lands Court ia about, to bo hold here, and some hundreds of natives from all quarters have already gathered together.