WAIROA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4072, 9 August 1884, Page 3

WAIROA.

[FROM OUE CORRESrOXDENT.] August 5, 1884. Captain Preecc, R.M., held a sitting of the R.M. Court on the 31st. Among other cases heard was that of Winiata Kaihote v. D. Gamble. Defendant was charged with having illegally branded 700 sheep, the property of informant. It appears that on the 31st of March last Winiata had 700 sheep running at Ohuia, and on that day informant saw defendant effacing the earmark, and re-marking the sheep with his own brand. In defence Gamble stated that the sheep were his, and therefore he had a right to brand them. He proved to the satisfaction of the Court that the sheep were his, and the case was therefore dismissed. Captain Preeee said the defendant had acted wrongly in forcibly re-marking the sheep, as a breach of the peace might have been committed. I hear it reported that Mr Doull's Opoit run has been sold to a Loua fide settler, but I have not yet heard the name of the purchaser.

On dit that Mr Fred Taylor has given up the Opoiti bridge contract. Tenders for the election of which close on August 20th. Considerable annoyance is being felt by the way in which matters connected with the Native Lands Court have been bungled about. First it was to sit at Wairoa, then at Hastings, again it was definitely settled to sit at Wairoa if the natives wished it, and now we hear it is to sit at Hastings after all. Such shuffling about is very undignified on the part of a judicial administrative body, and the vagaries of the Native Lands Court confer :i little credit on that conglomeration of indecision, or on the Government either for that matter. Mr George Gosnell, pupil teacher in the Wairoa district school, must be congratulated on his signal success at the late examination for pupil teachers, held in Napier. His success speaks volumes for his teacher, tho head mistress of the district school, as well as for the studious attention to work which has enabled him to progress rapidly in the vocation which he has chosen. I was hoping-yes, Mr Editor—actually hoping I should not have occasion to write another line about tho late elections, but the Fates—or rather "The Great Liberal Party "—have willed ib otherwise. _ It appears that on Sunday last there arrived hero from Napier a pillar of the Liberal party in the shape of Mr Harkcr, who most ostentatiously proceeded to shako hands with several of Mr Locke's supporters—men whom I believe he never saw before. To make a long- story short, however, Mr Harker asked one gentleman if he had any unpaid accounts against Mr Locke. The gentleman replied that ho had, one for Is Gd paid for Mr Locke in the shape of ferries. I believe Mr Harker paid that account. Now, what I want to know is this : Did Mr Locke appoint Mr Harkcr to come hero and settle his election accounts ? (if any). Is it usual for gentlemen who make their living out of the public to do what Mr Ilarker has done ? Is " tho Great Liberal Party " represented by Mr Harker, and—oh, "ye gods !—has " the party" fallen so low that a special steamer must bo chartered, and a special canvass made through the district to hunt up mi eighteen-penny account against a gentleman elected M.H.R. for the East Coast by a majority of over 250 votes.