THE BAY OF PLENTY TIMES. SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1874.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 175, 9 May 1874, Page 2

THE BAY OF PLENTY TIMES.

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1874.

“ The spirit of the times shall teach me speed.” KI&.S JOHN, ACT IT.

In accordance with our promise of last week, we have endeavoured to obtain particulars of the constitution and working of different Building Socities, with the view of ascertaining under what system and code of rules, some such society may be founded amongst us. Some of these societies are permanent, and advance money to all comers, and therefore the ramifications of their business require an expensive staff. We think Taurauga is hardly sufficiently advanced yet for a society of this kind, but there are others of a more strictly mutual benefit character,

in which advances are only made to shareholders. Among others, we have seen the rules of a society of this class established in Victoria, which would, we think, meet our wants. We therefore publish a short sketch of its constitution, which, may, at ail events,- give some general idea of the subject to our readers. The object of the society is to enable the shareholders to become possessed of freehold property, and to erect buildings thereon. The business of the society ia conducted by the secretary under the control of a committee of management, consisting of six persons chosen from amongst the members of the societjq who shall be elected annually. The shares are thirty pounds each. The subscription being three shillings a mouth, towards the realization of each share. At each, monthly meeting, when there are sufficient funds, any member may realise his shares, the highest bidder having the preference. Any member haying realised his shares, shall, after the nest monthly meeting, pav four shillings and sixpence per month per share, as redemption money. It has been, calculated, that in the course of ten years, at the outside, and probably in a shorter time, each shareholder will have realised the amount of his shares, and the society will consequently be at an end. There are, of course, other rules for the management of the society, but the above show the chief features of the system, and we think something of the kind would be a great boon to lauranga. A man for instance has a piece of freehold land, but has not the cash to put up a house, which would cost him, say £3OO, by taking ten shares in such a society, he is enabled to obtain the money, while the payment of principal and interest would be £3 15s. per month, or less than many pay for rent, and in a few years the house would be bis own. We would suggest that a public meeting be called and the matter discussed.

This recent census of population for the East Coast shows the following : Males. females. Total. 1874 1782 1115 2897 3871 1296 557 1853

Increase - -10 M The returns are highly satisfactory, but the most remarkable 'feature is the number of females, from 557 to 1,115. This selection of the East Coast as a place of residence bj so large a proportion of women, isevidence that perfect confidence now exists in the permanent;, peaceful, and px-osperous state of the country’

learn that Captain Marks has been nominated as Pilot for Tauranga harbour, and it is probable that the appointment will shortly be confirmed by the Provincial Council. It is now several years since the former pilot resigned his office in consequence of the appointment being done away with ; and ever since, the comfortable dwelling at Mount Maunganui has been going to wreck and ruin. The pilot house was erected at the cost of the Provincial Government, and, since its abandonment, has been the prey of numerous excursionists, and doubtless Maoris, who have apparently found the timber 6f which it was composed, very convenient for lighting fires with. Some more rapacious persons have actually pulled down the bricks of which the chimneys were composed, and removed them to Tauranga, for their own use there. The consequence is, that as far as can be discerned from Te Papa, almost nothing but the studs remain, so that the building can be seen right through, presenting only 1 a skeleton of the original structure. We are afraid to say what the building cost, but we believe it was something like £2oo, and it is a great pity that so much of the public money should be thus wasted. We presume that it will bo repaired immediately for occupation by Captain Marks.

We are pleased to hear that the lodge recently formed of the Good Templars in Tauranga is progressing very satisfactorily. The lodge meetings are temporarily being held every Monday evening in the upper room above the Court House. Wo also learn, that when the lodge becomes more established, a building suitable to the requirements of our rising settlement will be erected, which, says a respected correspondent “ Will become a refuge for the weak and weary, and a safeguard to the youth of this district *' “

A SUGGESTION has been made by Bis Honor tho Superintendent of Auckland and Executive to tho General Government to purchase native lands in the Lake District, especially Eotomahaca and Kutorua His Honor pave the following reply, published in a late Parliamentary paper :■ — 11 The Colonial Government concurs with the Provincial Council of the Province of Auckland in the desirability of the purchase of this land, subject to the funds for tho acquirement of native lands under Immigration and Public Works Loan Act at their disposal being found sufficient for the purpose.

It was particularly pleasant on Thursday to witness so large a meeting of officers and men of the let Waikato Regiment assembled at the Masonic Hotel to deriso soma mode of expressing esteem for Captain Fraser, who formerly commanded a compan y of that Regiment from the period of its formation to its dismemberment, honourably to himself and with a popularity amongst his men, which ban survived the time of active military service, in which the Ist Waikatoa took a very prominent part. Captain h raser earned popularity by personal courage, affable manner*, and generous disposition ; arid his popularity did not forsake him when he retired into civil life. His subsequent appointment to the responsible offices of Resident Magistrate and Warden at the Thames, gave sincere pleasure to his numerous friends in 'iauranga, who were delighted to welcome him back, on one Christmas-time, to a place which bad been for a considerable period his home, and with the early settlement of which his name and efforts are iuseparately connected. Afc that Christ- " mas-time, he regaled the men of his Old Regiment with princely hospitality, and a few personal friends thought it not proper to permit him to depart on this occasion without some acknowledgement appreciative of their individual regard. An advertisement appearing in this journal, bearing the signatures of two much respected former officers of the Regiment, had the effect of calling together a large concourse, who were unanimous and cordial in the support of the proposed complimentary banquet. It is gratifyingto witness good feeling of this description. These - friendly i-eunions promote kindly intercourse, and preserve old associations, and none more than ourselves can sincerely and candidly rejoice in the observance of a festive gathering such as that/ now proposed. |

Yec-teeday morning a large party of strange natives came into j-aurauga. On enguiry, wo found that they were a number of Waikato Chiefs escorting Te Hura to see his friends on the East Coast. Te Hura is, we hear, one of the principal Chiefs of the Ngatiawa Tribe, and was taken prisoner in 1867,' by Major Mair, he being implicated in the murder of the late Rev Mr Volknor, at Opotiki, and for which crime he was imprisoned, Rewi Mamapoto, lately pleaded for his release. Te Hura was handed over to him lor safe keeping, and has been with him ever since. After visiting his friends along the coast, Te Hura will return to Rewi. The party brought with them the body of Wetini Tanewhina, a cousin of Eooka Whauake. The unfortunate man died within two days journey of his home. The Taurangu natives are mustering to honor the dead-