THE GOVERNMENT AND MAORI NEWSPAPERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 75, 14 May 1880, Page 2

THE GOVERNMENT AND MAORI NEWSPAPERS.

On Monday evening last, when the Hon. Mr Bryce, Native Minister, was in Foxton, one of the proprietors of this journal waited upon him, and pointed out that in the Manawatu County, between Waikanae and Halcombe, there are a great number of Maoris, who have repeatedly asked that information might be published in their language, so that they would know what was going on in the colony, but that owing to the heavy outlay necessary for translation, nothing of the kind could be attempted without some assistance. Mr Bryce was therefore asked whether, if a column of news were regularly published in the Maori language in the Herald, the Government would assist by the insertion of ad vertisements of interest to the Maoris. — The hon. gentleman replied that the Government would sooner pay newspaper proprietors not to publish anything in the Maori language than encourage them to do so, their policy being to try and induce the natives to adopt European customs and the English language. Hence, imperative instructions had been issued that no master knowing the Maori language was to be employed in any native school. — To this it was replied that very few young natives can read the English ianguage intelligently, and that the persons who wanted the information in the Maori language were men who would never learn to read English. — Mr Bryce thought a start must b» made some time, and although the Government were compelled to publish some Gazette notices in Maori, they only did so from necessity. He could hold out no hope of assistance being given by Government to any such undertaking] as that proposed. — Although the above information is of a personal character we publish it, as it shows the intentions and policy of the Government. While quite agreeing with Mr Bryce as to the desirability of the natives being drawn as much as possible towards Pakeha institutions and ideas, we think the Avay/to do that best would be to place those deas before them in such a form/as they could understand, viz., in tlleir own language. I

From the above it would appear that owing to there being doubts as to the legality of the Estimates passed at last meeting, the Council will be called upon to consider whether or not it is desirable to go over them again. V7e quite agreed with Mr Stanson in his protest against the hurried manner in which the Estimates were rushed through, and' if, as seems probable, they have to be recast, the members who disagreed with Mr Sanson will see in their hurry and its results an exemplification of the old proverb, " The longest wav round is the shortest cut home." Mr. G-owbb's Resignation. — Tn our notice of Mr Qower's resignation from the Council, ifc was stated that no reason was attributed. This statement applied merely to his written resignation, which was ha-id-ed in by Mr Gower towards the end of the sitting, but in a few remarks he made when the resignation was received. Mr Gower attributed the severance of his connection with the Council to press of private business. Property.-— lnvestors are reminded that Messrs Thynne, Liaton & Co. will to-mor-row hold a sale of valuable Foxton property by order of the mortgagees, Local Board Election.— The nomination of candidates for a seat on the Foxton Local Board, vice Mr A. Gray, will take place on Monday next, at noon, and the poll (if necessary) the following day. The Kawa Kawa Vacancy. — Ratepayers in the Kawa Kawa Riding are reminded that nominations are to be delivered to the Returning Officer at the Carnarvon Schoolhouse, at or before noon of to-morrow (Saturday). Should a poll be necessary, it will take plase on Tuesday, May 25, and not on Monday, May 24, as previously advertised, the latter date being Queen's Birthday. No candidates have yet annouueed themselves, but we hear it is likely Mr M'Lennan will be elected without opposition. Bank Holiday. — Country settlers would do well to note that Monday next is a Bank Holiday, beivtg Whit Monday. Down Again* — " Competition is the soul of trade," and is a wonderful boon to the public. Spurred up by Mr Eas-ton's reduction in the prioe of meat, Mr Arthur Lovejoy has come to the front in this issue with still lower prices, which will probably have the effect of reducing Mr Kaston'a prices further. Bankrupt. — Mr Henry Fry, carpenter, of Foxton. has filed a declaration of insolvency. Vaccination Matteus. — Constant enquiries are being made in Foxton as to who holds the position of Public Vaccinator, but no one seems to be able to throw «ny light on the mntter.' We bring the matter before the local Regis' rar of Births, in the hope that he will comraunioate with the Government on the subject. Wanted, to Know.— lt would be interesting to know ou what basis (if any) Mr Macarthur has estimated the arrears of rates outstanding likely to be received during the current year, as some rather large disparities exist in the published statement. For instance, it appears there are outstanding rates in Manchester Riding: to the extent of £160 6s Bd, of which Mr Macarthuv expects to realise during the year the respectable sum of £202 ; in Kiwiteo he expects to obtain £7C out of £92 outstanding rates ; whilst poor 'J'aonui reoeives a most unkind cut, for the Chairman estimates that lie will receive only £i 5 out of £133 of arrears! Are the people of Kiwitea and Manchester so much " better marks ' than the setUers of 1 uonui, or was it desirable to givo as good a color as possi hie to thefinuuees of the Northern Hidings? The other Ridings are much nearer the mark, as follow : — ln Oroua, the Chairman expects to obtain £5o out of M 9 -; in Knwukawa, £69 out of £105; in Awahou, £100 out of £190 ; and in Horowheuua, A'3o out, of £64. These are fair estimates, but it will bn seen that in none of them does Mr Maoarthur expect to obtain so large a per centage of the rates as he does in Manchester and Kiwitea. What is the reason ? Plants. — Mr C. F. Hanneke, of the Pnkepapa Nursery, Martou, advertises his s^ook of fruit, trees, shrubs, &o. Mr Hanneke has gained great pcaiso in the district hitherto owing to the excellent character of his trees, &f\, and those who need trees should apply to him. Orders may be sent direot to Mr Hanneke or through Meases Thynne, Linton & Co. An auction sale of trees f roni the Pukepapa nursery will shortly be held. : > \ Foxton" Hoys. — Mr E. Osborne, of the Foxton Ready Money Store, informs us that a few dnys ago some Poroutawhao natives offered for sale at his store a sample of hops, grown by them. They were of excellent quality, much better than the imported article, and Mr Osburne is convinced that ten ounces of those locallygrown would prove quite as strong as a dound of imported. The natives were highly pleased at the price received for their product, and expressed their determination to arow more, if they were encouraged. The occasion referred to was the first upon which the natives had offered hops for sale, they having previously used all they had grown. Having discovered that the article is a marketable commodity, and brings a good price, they are almost certain to grow a considerable quantity next year. The attention of European settlers might also with great advantage be directed to this matter. The retail price of hops is 2s 6d per lb., and as the soil of this district is admirably adapted for their growth, we commend the mutter to the at tention of farmers. We will gladly publish best method of cultivating hops. Mail Coach. — The Wellington mail coach did not reach Foxton until 8 p.m. on Wednesday. It appears great delay was caused by the Waikanae river being flooded, and by the time of reaching the turn-in to Foxton night had set in, and as the coach was without lamps (none having yet been used, this winter), the driver had to feel his wpy carefully through the sandhills, the trip frorr the beach to Foxton taking about three hours. As the Napier coach was leaving Palmerston yesterday morning, Mr A. J. Whyte, the local agent for the ooacheu, forwarded the East Coast mails with oommendable promptitude to Palmerston per mounted messenger on Wednesday night. Y«r Another. — The Evening Post of Wednesday last thus refers to the arrival of tho lust lunatic from Wantjanui : — " Anothor lunatio arrived last night by the s.s. Uuia from Wanganui, and an agonised public is informed that yet another is waiting pensively by tho side of the river at the lively sen^ort above-mentioned, waiting for a steumor to bring him to a haven of r«at at Mount Viow. Gracious powers, hew long is tin* utiite of thingi going to last ?" Tub Late Mv Macassby.— Before comxnenoing the business of the Appeal Court at Wellington, on Tuesday last, his Honor the Chief Justice, on tho part of himself and the whole judicial bench, referred in feeling and dignified termn to tha<lnmenter3 death of Mr M aoa«flfiy,of Dunedin, and spoke highly of his character as a practitioner and a man. Mr Justice Williams followed in a few well-chosen words, in whioh he spoke with some emotion of the loss the

Bench, Bar, and the public had sustained by Mr Maoassey's death. Without trenohing* upon private grief, his Honor thought that, on behalf particularly of the Dunedin Bar, he might tender to the family the utmost eondofcuce. Mr Justice Johnston also briefly referred to. Mr Macassey's patience, care, and industry dnring a career which, his Honor had watohed from the ; beginning, an! in which the deceased gentleman had raised himself to a very considerable position. Mr Stout, on behalf of the Bar, spoke in feeling terms of Mr Macassey's high qualities, and particularly of his generosity and benevolence, and folt sure that his family, in their bereavennnt, would have the sympathy of the whole profession. Football.— Mr Kent, well known in football circles in Australia, has Bailed for London, for the purpose of arranging a series of matches between Intercolonial and English players. Ten of the best Victorian players have signified their willingness to play, and are going to Sydney and Adelaide. A Diamond DkiUi. — Dr. Hector has purchased for the New Zealand Government a diamond drill, capable of boring to a minimum depth of 1500 feet, similar in every respeot to one whioh has bored 2000 feet deep in the vicinity of Sydney, with the acoompanying ongine. An experienced hand, recently engaged in working the similar drill at Sydney, accompanies the machine to New Zealand . Municipal Endowments — According to statistics compiled by the Palmerston Town Clerk for presentation to the Government, the Borough is in possession of twenty acres of town land as endowments, whioh are let at ti yearly rental of £62 12s 6_d ; and re.present a gross oapital of £1035. — Palmar - a ton Times. To Aums ! To Auscs ! — The subjoined interesting and unique «• military order " has been issued by Major Noake, officer commanding the Volunteers in the Wanganui district, to the men under his command, in reference to the proposed sham fislit on the Waganoi racecourse on Queen's Birthday :— Militia and Volunteer Office, Wanganui, 7ch May, 1880 :— Circular Memorandum :— When troops assemble for instruction, as is contemplated on the 24th instant, it is desirable that their combined movements should be conducted upon some well defined plan. In order to render these movements as instructive as possible, the said plan should be well understood by all engaged, the more especially as it must almost of necessity be arranged upon an imaginary basis Our movements on the race course on the 24th instant, must also have a b*se to work upon ; therefore we will suppose th<»t England is at war with some maritime power (which appeared to be threatening not very long ago), that a dashing frigate of the enemy has evaded war cruisers and landed a body of Riflemen at the Heads in order to pillage our inhabitants of their money and valuables, but also with the special purpose of making financial arrangements with the bank managers in Wanganui ma manner somewhat opposed to that in which those gentlemen usually transact their business. We will now suppose that a fugitive has galloped into town with the intelligence that the enemy is inarching on it in the direction of the race course, that they were sacking the settlers' houses on their way, burning those where they met resistance, Rhootiug the men, and illtreating the women and children. The alarm at once sounded,the volunteers hasten to urms and their rendezvous; they will then be marched in the directiou irdicuted using every precaution to prevent surprise, such as throwing out advance guards, scouts, &c. On arriving on the course if the enemy is not in sight ho must be felt for and when dicovered (whioh he will be uinong the hills on the soaward side) he is to be attacked ; at the same time a retreat must be feigned in ordar to draw him as far from his ship as possible ; his retreat must eventually be cut ofF so that he has nothing left but to surrender. The movements to carry out the above are all within the compass of our Volunteers ; the details cannot, however, be settled until the number aud strength of the corps likely to be engaged is reported. All the parade and field movements will, howevex, be communion ted to officer commanding corps immediately after they are arranged, which they (the commandiug officers) will be good enough to road over to their men, together with this circular, that they may understind what they are taking part in. — M. Noake, Major Commanding District. Shocking Death. — A horribla death by burning occurred at Queen Charlotte's Sound on Sunday last. The telegraphic account of the affair is as follows : — lt appears thut on Sunday last Mr Londell, of Yftlltu'ton Run, Tory Channel, left home, accompanied by his two daughters. Tht'y proceeded in a boat to Oyster Bay, where j they landed, and were joined by a young j man named Flood They commenced setting fire to the scrub, the two girls being a short distauoo from Londell and Flood. Afcer firing for a short time, Londell called to tne girls to come where he was. A strong wind was blowing at the time, and the scrub was burning fiercely. In response to the summons, only the eldest daughter came. The other was caught in the flames before she could effect her escape. She was burned to death. Her father and Flood, seeing the danger the girl was in, rushed to her assistance, but when they reached her she was quit ■ dead, the flesh being blackened and hard. Library Grasts — At the last meeting of the Education Board, the Societary reported a sum of £205 available for distribution aniong Public Libraries. The following applications were passed by the Board as being inado in accordance with the instructions issued : — Bulls £10 Ids, Sandon £l(i lßß,Wanganui £248 7s 9d,Waverley £39 16.s 4J. Fatea £77 17s 2d. Iv the absence of any proper return it was decided to credit Hawera with the same return as last year, £&4 . The list was further extended by including. Otuki £11 7s 6d, Whenuakure £10 lUs 6d, and Palmurston £9 15s, making a total of £479 2s 3d. The Waverlev and Kaknramea School libraries only having been started this year, were held over till the next distribution. The division was then made at the rate of 8s 7d in the £. ■