POVERTY BAY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 691, 14 June 1869, Page 4

POVERTY BAY.

NOTES ON PASSING EVENTS. Feboh our own correspondent ] L Ist June, 18'i9. Communication with Napier has latterly been very infrequent. We have not received a mail for many weeks. The Government steamers call in here now and again upon their way up and down the coast, but they do not bring mails. We receive news from the outer world with as much avidity, and almost as seldom, as a vessel at Bt -a on a long voyage. In short we are nearly as isolated as the Pitcairn Islanders. So far as we can judge from the scattered fragments of intelligence which reach us, the'expedition to Waikarimoana, from Wairoa, is progressing slowly. That, however, is what may be reasonably expected from the nature of the country in that in hospitable region whither it is bound. It is to be hoped that the season will prove propitious, and that, after overcoming all the difficulties of the route, the enemy may be found and thrashed. The existence of the settlements upon the East Coast depends upon the successful result of the crusade against the Uriweras. Tne sa. St. Kilda called in here on her way to Waiapu for a further supply of Ngatiporou. That kind of animal seems a 3 much in demand hist now as fat bullocks and pack horses. It is not much to be wondered at if they do put rather a high price upon themselves. Mr Atkinson, R.M., went up the coast in the St. Kilda. All is quiet here; our alarms have ceased, and the fear of being attacked by Te Kooti for the present has passed oft The defence works of tho township are complete, and the place looks very strong. The block-house stockade is a masterpiece of wooden strength, and would be found a hard nut to crack by an enemy without artillery. The court-house has been considerably strengthened by covering the lower storey on the outside with inch planking and six inches of earth, m place of the old sand bag arrangement. Jhe block and court houses are co-ineoted by a ditch which afford, in the event of attack, a covered way of communication between them. This ditch is raked fore and aft by a cross fire from the buildings at either end. Upon the whole our plan of defence and works generally are very respectable, and have been highly commended by competent persons. This little community has, since the departure of the armed constabulary, of course assumed the defensive on its " own hook." We are divided into horse, foot, and artillery. The cavalry volunteers do good service, scouring the country, and when at home garrisoning the block-house. They are a fine body of active, well mounted men, embracing all ranks of settlers. Some of them have seen hard ser vice and stand fire well, and all do great credit to the self-reliant policy. There is one howitzer here, whicli is manned by seven men—Mr Poynter, captain. The shot and shell practice is very good ; firing one day at a mark we played the *ery mis chief with it at eight hundred yards. The foot includes the ordinary rank and file of the militia and native contingent. Major Westrup is very popular, and does his duty well as lar as hts means and authority extend. The slurs cast at him by anonymous writers in the Hawke's Bay Herald are as unjust as foolish. It is unfortunately the unavoidable destiny of men vested with authority to fall foul of somebody's pet corn and be abused. 'Tis the penalty they pay for power. Henry Potae's men, to the number of about 40, are here doing duty, and we muster all told about 120 fighting menblack, white, and yellow. Nothing has as yet transpired in the matter of the settlement of the land ques tion. The promised commission has not at this date turned up, and like the Promised'Land it appears tojbe about as far off as ever ; but we live principally upon hope in this place. It is a fine stimulating, and at the same time cheap, diet, is hope ; and I have very little doubt that a liberal and enlightened Government is well aware of its nourishing and other advantageous properties, and that is the reason why we get more of it than of anything else. The obnoxious prisoners, after being well fattened, have been sent to the care ol the Ngatiporou. It is to be regretted that cannibalism ia at present not in active operation amongst that respectable tribe, for so amazingly fat had those rascally refugees grown under our fostering care, that under a less fastidious regime than that which obtains at Waiapu, they would most certainly be devoured, and thus save us any further trouble on their account. Their condition was perfectly splendid. No doubt they will conduct themselves in their new quarters with great loyalty—until the next time. In matters of social progress we are not wanting. We have already established a library, which contains capital selection of popular and useful works. We have also a Debating Society. All political and other such controversial topics are excluded. The first meeting was inaugurated with a very good discussion upon the difference between "Instinct and .Reason," started by Mr Atkinson, E-.M. The pros and cow*, were about equal. The meetings are held weekly, and at the next, as the members take it turn about alphabetically to originate subjects, Mr*Bousfield proposes, to open up the question of the " effects of civilisation upon savage tribes." We anticipate some entertainment from this interesting subject. If our ideas generally are not particularly original, they have the advantage of being pleasingly varied, and the debates promise to afford us much amusement, and it is to be hoped some initruction, these long winter evenings.

Private enterprise is not idle. Captain Read is building a regular fleet of running house*, so that when peace again smiles upon the land, the whole township will some fine day take unto itself, if not exactly the "wings of the morning," at all events a team of bullocks, and move off into the country at an early hour. A school has been started, conducted by a young lady recently arrived, and which being much wanted, is well attended: It is not fostered by any Education Rate, or other Government assistance, but it does not seem to languish on that account. It is yet an open question how far Government aid to schools should extend. A school, like anything else for which there is a demand, should be able to support it self upon its own merits. The principle of taxing the public purse in aid of private schools is wrong. If there be any Go vernment action taken in the matter at all, it should be for the establishment and support of free schools, or at most of schools the admission fee to which is almost nominal. An evening class for female child ren of lirger growth is also conducted by the same industrious young lady, and that is also well attended. Singularly enough ail missionary efforts in the educational line hitherto conducted here appear to have been entirely directed towards the Maoris, most of that interesting people having had a pretty liberal allowance of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, while the whites have been allowed to grow up to maturity, and for that matter, die of old age, in a state of complete ignorance. So much for our boasted Missionary enterprise On Sundays a service, according to the ritual of the Church of England, is held in the court-house. The formulas for the day i 3 read by one of the settlers, and as there is an excellent harmonium here, a ohoir has been formed, and the singing is capital. So that upon the whole, you see, although entirely without Government or clerical aid, or other such conventional stimulus to do good, we manage to keep up thr amenities of civilised society, and to white wash our sepulchres once a week at least in a very orthodox manner. Politics are at a discount. The meeting of the General Assembly, it is expected by some, will result in the working of man.v signs and wonders, all in the right direc ;ion, viz , the settlement of our troubles Others, again, are of opinion that the session will produce nothing beyond a change of Ministry. These last are pretty near the mark, for the truth is that the country is in such a fix that be the Ministry comosed of whom it may, Stafford's self reliant policy, however repugnant to some people's ideas, must take its course; it is the na tural and inevitable order of things, and as such must-be accepted. It is a sound and healthy dictum j the current of our affairs sets dead in that direction, and in no other Stafford is an able, man, whose lines a»v cast unfortunately in evil times; and al though he may not personally superintend : the"''successful fulfilment of his schemes, he will have the proud satisfaction of knowing that he inaugurated in this country the practical solution of the grand idea of Self Help. The ultimate success of that policy is certain —it. is only a question ol time. The more energy and management shown the sooner will the desired end be attained.

We are rather fond of getting up addresses to the Government here. Whether those interesting literary productions are ever read by the authorities we have not at present sufficient grounds for determining, but anyhow they are written, signed, and sent in due form, and that is something at all events. Our latest effort in that direction is a memorial requesting the Government to reconsider its intention to give the Ngatiporou land in this district: in short, to look before it leaps. Those redoubtable warriors are not appreciated here as peaceable settlers; they are upon the strength of their past services and successes, and tho consequent laudation and humbugging they get, inclined to be bounceable; and are, upon the whole, not considered to be desirable neighbours And we may be excused if it does, at firs', sight, seem to us rather questionable po licy, after having swept and garnished our house with fire and sword, and turned out one lot of evil spirits to invite another lot, if anything worse than the first. Money is scarce here, as I suppose it is elsewhere, and we have no substitute for it in the shape of paper currency. And, unfortunately, we do not belong to that set oi happy philosophers who consoled themselves with the comforting reflection that, if there be a scarcity of bread, they can always fall back upon toast. The schooner Success sailed for Auckland on Sunday night last, May 30, with a cargo of horses and sheep. Whooping cough ia very prevalent amongst children here, several little ones having died of it. It does not, however, seem to affect young Maoris. A doctor is much needed. Since Mr Gibbs went away we have been without medical assistance. So far we have fortunately escaped any serious necessity for doctor's aid ; but flesh is weak, and if any accident did oc eur, (and where loaded guns are more plentiful than blackberries such a thing is not unlikely,) we should be in a pretty mess. The scab has got amongst our flocks of sheep very badly, adding to the already heavy losses sustained by the settlers. We have had a visit from the reveuue cutter Ringleader. NfcW Zealand expects Eyeey Man to Pay his Duty.