A SLICE OF LUCK.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1921, 21 April 1880, Page 2

A SLICE OF LUCK.

A somewhat extraordinary story is current in reference to a singular piece of good fortune said to have befallen a member of the Civil Service recently. We, " Wellington Post," give the facts as they came to us. A short time ago Mr , a clerk in the Audit Office, proceeded to Tauranga for the purpose ot investigating some defalcations alleged to have been committed by a public offieer in that district. While there his attention was attracted by an exceptionally fine block of land, which is said to have long been an object of desire to Europeans visiting the neighborhood, but which was tenaciously held by the Maoris in epite of the tempting offers "made for it. llr happened to meet one of the tribe in possession of the land, and asked to whom it belonged. To his surprise the reply was, "We are keeping it for old ." Slruek with the identity of the name mentioned with his awn, Mr made further inquiries, which satisfied him- that the land was bi_>iug kept by the Natives for his father, in return for some great service ho bad rendered them on one occasion when he wa3 living in the district. Mr , it mav be imagined, lost no time in lotting the Natives know who he was, at the same time informing tnem, that his father had been dead for several mirs. Upon this the Maoris at onco professed their readiness to complete the title and hand over the property to the of the friend of their iribo, to whose memory they had been so faithful. Sops were at onca taken with that view, and only one man .;t the tribe, it is statei, refused to cii;n lie deed, while it is not anticipated that, very great difficulty will bo experienced 0:1 &ecoui-fc of his refusal. The chief of the tribe then informed Mr that there was one circumstance that weighed heavily on his mind. Finding that the rightful o*uer dj* not Lura up, and as there appeared to be no prospect of his doing so, he had on one occasion been inducod to coll ICOO a.-roj uf the laud. He could not, of course, get that block baci again, but lie offered to give a thousand acres of his own adjoir.ing in exchange. The whole property, as we said, is a very valuable • one, and is stated to be wjrth £12,000 at I present prices. It :'s said that for 100 acres of the pick of the block, Mr wis \ offered £2O an acre immediately after the news of what had happeaed became known. __,