BLACKS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1045, 28 April 1882, Page 3

BLACKS.

(From our own Correspondent) Messrs Clark and Green, members of the Waste Lands Board, and Mr Barron, district surveyor, arrived at Blacks on Monday night, having inspected reserved blocks on the Ida Valley. They left next morning to visit the blocks reserved from the Matakanui, Lauder, and Blaokstono Hill runs, returning again via Naseby towards Dunedin.

The coach horses are now changed at Blacks and Cambrians, instead of Chatto Creek and White Horse Hotel. Mails are sent and received by special courier from Alexandra meeting the coach at Spring Vale Greek

Clearing the runs of stray cattle and rabbits are about the most important matters at present. More strenuous efforts to accomplish both objects are being made than at any time hitherto ; there is little doubt that these efforts will eventually be successful.

Some few days ago Spottis Hundred was the scene of a contemptible piece of larriki" nism, or rather ruffianism, which deserves to be exposed. Two boys aged about it and 11, sons of a settler on the block, whose vocation causes him to be absent from home a considerable portion of his time, were sent by their mother to dig potatoes and prevent the catJe from trespassing on a neighbouring section, the fence of which was in bad repair. As boys will do occasionally, they left their work and went themselves into this neighbouring paddock and played about an old hut on the section. The son and one of the daughters of the, owner or occupier soon made their appearance, and in order to display some of the authority lately vested in him as heir apparent, through his governor having sought fresh fields for the exercise of his talents, or to show forth some traits of bis character, the son seized the young trespassers, tied up their hands and otherwise threatened and terrified them, then locking them in the but left them. Tlieir screams attracted a neighbour to the scene, who pleaded for their liberation, but with no avail. The feeling young lady, fearing that this intruder would forcibly liberate their captives and so deprive her of the enjoyment of bearing their screams, ran to the place where the key of the hut had been placed and took it to her brother, saying, “ Yon had better take the key, for if Mickey gets it he will be sure to lot them out.” During this time thrir mother did not know what

had become of them, but wondered why they did not show up for their mid-day meal as usual. After some hours of imprisonment they were taken outjaud placed in a cart, with their hands still tied, and driven off towards the resilience of their captors with paper caps on their heads and

other absurdities about their persons. When the father of the boys came home, his first impulse, though he is a quiet inoffensive man, was to summarily chastise the perpetrates of the assault. Some advised iiim to resort to legal m -asiirea, to which ho is averse, while there are other 8 who feel strongly resentful over the affair, and who believe in the old rule, “ What measure you mete should bo measured to you again,” Some of these have been enquiring at the stores as to their stock of tar, and also interviewing some of the poultry owners respecting surplus feathers, so it is not at all unlikely that other st are crows will be abroad on the block at no distant date.