EAST COAST NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1865, 20 September 1906, Page 3

EAST COAST NEWS.

TOUT AWANUI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Rough seas and no atom nor for n month seems to be our lot lately, and all tho stores are running very short of goods, but we are not as bad as L bear they aro at To Araroa, where they are using honey to sweeten tea, and havo no Hour in iho township, to say nothing ot several other necessary adjuncts to daily life. Tbe natives have been very busy putting in a lot of early potatoes, anti getting land ready for kuniartts. They do not intend much late planting of potatoes as tho blight seems worse on late potatoes than on the early varieties.

There is a good lot of bush being felled by tho Maoris, and they are gotting leasos of all tho best land ttitido out, so that tbo principal part of this country will remain in native owners’ hands, to which nobody objects if they will only uso it tho same as Europeans, and tire rated tho same as Europeans for roads, bridges, etc. The lambing season seems to bo very f avertible, and some extraordinary records will bo put up if all we hoar is true. Ouo sheepfarmer tells me nearly all his flock havo twins, and ho thinks so far as lie eati judge lie will have 1500 lambs from 1000 ewes Lucky shoopfarmers ! Mr T. Walfortl has started a butchery hero, and it fills a long-felt want- I wish him prosperity in bis venture.

Tl, AIIAKOA,

(Times’ Correspondent.)' September 14. Our holies of a good, early spring, which were raised during August, after the terrible weather we had'in July, seem to have been raised only to bo shattered again, as this month so far has been anything but line. The rainfall for August, 10-94 inches, was quite insignificant after tho 31.95 for July, but this month lias made a good beginning with 7.00 inches for the 13 days, and as I write it is raining hard The roads, or so-called roads, are in a terrible state, being nothing but a bog from one end to the other. 'Tho main outlet part of it, only a track, is in a deplorable state,

At present wo are suffering a miniature famine, as tho steamer Haupiri has not been able to land stoves for very nearly three months, and owing to having been laid up in Wellington for repairs has not been along to try for some weeks. Certainly the Union Company did put on another boat to try and deliver the overcarried cargo, but her plant for working was inadequate, and after getting about half-way here from Gisborne she had to turn tail and give it up, as the weather came on too rough. It has been a case of lend and borrow all round, Hour being the commodity which is very low, in fact it is getting quite a luxury. Regarding bushfelling, I might mention that at one place, which two enterprising settlors (brothers) have, the latter found it impossible to get bushfellers, so valiantly set to work, and are putting all the timo ■ they can spare into felling a block of bush for themselves rather than have none felled, and waste time trying to get men. An industry for whioh Caere is geo I soopa in this diatrioi is the timber, of wbioh there is an abundance of splendid rimu aud matai for milling. Oao settler has already got a good plant in working order, aud is turning out a good class of timber, whioh is a great boon to the sottiers, as sawn timber was quite a luxury before this. Getting the timber shipped is she ohief drawbock, as the port is not of the best, especially during tbs winter months, All will wish him luck in his enterprise.

This district suffered badly from the potato blight last season, the greater part of the crops being destroyed. The nativos have been hard at work for the last month, in the hope that fairly study crops will escape the blight; but lam afraid tho wet weather will keep the potatoes back, and a 3 likely as not spoil the seod planted. The faot that kumoras are not afEoted by tbo blight, end that there was t\ splendid crop last season, has pulled the natives through what would have been ovary bard winter for thorn.

August was a splendid mocuh for lambing, beiug mild ; nut last week wo had a very cold anup, fortunately as far as I haye heard, wish no very fo.-ious resuts, as in moat places the lambing is well advanced, and there is every prospect of a good return if this month does not prove too severe.

The hills all artuod aro looking very fresh and green, as the mild August started a very noticeable spring in the grass. Tue willows arc in leaf, and the fruit trees well out in bloom.

THE L4ND COURT.

A eittiog of the Native Land Ocurt will be hold at Tolago on Monday, tbe 25th iDsf. Aitor that the Court will taka Tokomaru busintes at Tckomaru, and tbe Awanui sitting is fixed for October 15th. From Awanui tho Court works down the Coast, taking in Tuparoa and Waipiro. Native Lands, r THE HOPES OF THE MAORI.

FEVERISH HASTE TO FALL BUSH. “ I have just heard from a native source,” writes our Port Awanui correspondent, “ that the natives who formed a deputation to wait upon the Premier have been promised the return of all lands purchased by Government in years gone by some has been Government land and leased for forty years—upon their paying back the Government with, I suppose, interest, Surely this is nonsense.”

In connection with tho subject of native lands our Tc Araroa correspondent also supplies us with some information of deep interest to this district

“ Bushfclling,” states our correspondent, “is for the most part about finished for this year, very little having been felled by tho pakeha settlers, about 600 acres altogether There was quite another 1000 acres that settlers wished to have down and have been trying to let, but bushmen have been very scarce, due to the nativos having taken a sudden lit of felling little blocks for themselves here and there in the large areas of native land, that is lying idle, owing to the fact that they havo an idea, which has caused quite a panic amongst them, that if they did not turn tho laud to account the Government was

;oing to take all their land away from hem. So they arc getting over it by

felling, but which is about as far as they can get unless, as seems to be the impression, they are advanced money by the Go vernment under the Advances to Settlers Act. The amount of native land lying

idle is quite a drawback to this district, there being thousands of acres, some of which has not even been individualised by the Native Land Court.”