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Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 101, 29 March 1876, Page 2

We are compelled to hold over rhymes, signed “ Puck,” and other local matter. On Monday last Mr Nicholson, of Whenuakura, came in and reported to the Resident Magistrate that a Mauri named Ngahina with others of his race had taken possession of his land, and asserted aright to it. It seems that this claimant once owned the land in question, but sold it to Mr Worgan, who again sold it to Mr Nicholson. By some means Ngahina got possession of some original grant, though he had previously been paid for the land, and on the faith of this, he claimed it again. Mr Nicholson was naturally alarmed and Major Turner, at his request, allowed Constable McM ahon to stop in his house on Monday night. Whether owing to this imposing force and form of law, or to other reasons unexplained, the enemy, represented by Ngahina, evacuated the ground and up to last evening had not reappeared* Mr Nicholson however is still expecting their reappearance and it is time that this repeated bounce on the part of the natives should be put a summary stop to. The negligence of the Native Office will surely yet lead to a collision, for the Maoris know they can commit almost any outrage with mpunity and arc audacious accordingly. However long suffering settlers may be, there is a limit to patience of all kinds and in this district that boundary has been very nearly reached. A nnmher of gentlemen met at the Kakaramea Hotel on Saturday last, to consider the financial position of the Kakaramea Town Hall, with a view to devise means to liquidate the debt. Mr R. E. Mcßae was voted to the chair. After some little discussion, it was moved “ That an entertainment, taking the form of a ball and concert, be held in aid of the funds of the hall.” An amendment was moved and carried, * s That a ball only be held on Wednesday 12th April, and that a committee, consisting of Messrs R. E. Mcßae, Marchant, R. Pitch, A. Hunter, and S. Dixon, be appointed to carry out the arrangements.” The advertisment giving full particulars, appears elsewhere and the event promises to he a most successful affair.

We beg to draw* the attention of persons about to build, to Mr \V. Dale’s great timber sale to be held at the Patea wharf, at 11 a.m. on Saturday next. As the sale is positively an unreserved one, persona in want of timber should not lose this opportunity.

The Rev. N. MeCallum, Presbyterian minister, who for the last two years lias occupied this circuit, including "Wairoa Carlyle, Hawera, Ketemarae, and all intervening parts, is about to leave, and on Sunday last preached bis farewell sermon bore. The Court House, in which service was held, was crowded to excess, ineinbeis of all denominations beingpresent on the occasion, in token of the feeling theySfelt to the reverend gentleman who was thus bidding adieu to Hie district. If it is not out of place to use such an expression, in connection with a minister of the gospel, we may say that a more sincere or heartier compliment could not bo paid to any one. Settlors of bis own and other denominations came in from a dist an le; local Episcopalians, Wcsleyansi and Presbyterians mustered to “speed the parting guest” and show the appreciation in which they held him. The Rev. N. M‘Calhim lias earned the sincere respect of all classes ami denominations since his ministration here, and his loss is deeply regretted. During his stay he sustained a terrible bereavement in the loss of bis wife, who succumbed to that most fatal of all diseases—consumption. We oan conscientiously say that, wherever his steps lead him in future, ho will cany with him the good will of all in the Patea district adlh whom ho lias been associated, and, in common with others, we wish him all future health ami happiness. The summons to appear to answer a charge of trespass was du'y served on Monday last on the Maoris occupying Mr Dickie’s ground at W airoa, and the ease will he heard on the Gth of April next. Thu intruders have declared their willingness to come in, and have their clai ms heard, and one of the largest gatherings of Maoris that has taken place for some time is likely to attend on the occasion. There may he now some chance of the question being settled, as the present steps are being taken with the concurrence of the Government, who surely will not stultify their rule by allowing a warrant of ejectment to be granted, and then not dare to put it in force. A full bench of magistrates, wc hear, will he summoned to hear the case, wldeh.it is hardly necessary for ns to say, excites the greatest interest in the district

Wc arc requested to intimate that th p Rev. B. Backhouse, the representative of tiie British and Foreign Bible Society, which prints the Holy Scriptures in upwards of 200 language?;, and distributes them in all the countries of Europe, in the principal Asiatic and African nations, in Madagascar, in the South Pacific Islands, in South America, Mexico, Labrador, Ac., and throughout the British Colonies, will deliver a free pictorial lecture with colored illustrations at Hawera on Monday, April 3rd, at half-past seven o’clock, on Ins journey to Auckland, in aid of the Society, provided due arrangements are made by the the friends of the table for such meeting. We trust there will he a hearty response to such a proposal.

The settlers of Kakaramea are bestirring themselves in the matter of the sale of their township, which by the way has been surveyed for some time back, but the Government do not appear to bo over anxious to place (he sections in the market for sale. A meeting of settlers interested in the sale of the town sections was held at the Kakaramea Hotel on Saturday last, when a committee, consisting of Messrs R. E. M‘Rae, Dixon, Delamore, R. Morgan, P. Wilson, and A. Hunter, was appointed to draw* up a memorial on the subject to the Commissioner of Lands. The committee Avill meet again this evening at the same place. Reports of sticking-np eases are fortunately of rare occurrence in this district, hut wc regret that it is our unpleasant duty to chronicle a most cowardly and contemptible attack made by two ruffians upon an inoffensive and industrious hawker, known by the name of “ Nicholas the Greek,” on Friday night last between Nuknmara and Waitotara. It appears that Nicholas was returning from Wanganui, with a supply of fruit, for sale in this district, when he was baled up by two mounted men in the locality above mentioned, and was rather roughly handled, whilst his assailants were ransacking his pockets in search of their object. Nicholas was unceremoniously dragged out of his cart, snd during the fleecing process, one of the ruffians tore the waistcoat from the victim’s body, but on searching it, no gains were discovered to satisfy the wretches’ demands. Nicholas’s coat pockets next came in for attention, when, after a diligent search, 18s Gd. was abstracted. Finally, one of the men made a grasp at one of the Greek’s trouser’s pockets, when in the struggle the legs of the garment parted friendship. The darkness of the night militated against the robber quickly discovering the inlet to the pocket wherein tnc covetted treasure was fortunately secreted, and during a hurried exploration of the tattered garment, the sound of revolving -wheels was heard close by, when the robbers boat a hasty retreat, failing to discover £3 in notes which was all hut within their reach, deposited in the poor old Greek’s mutilated pantaloons. Nicholas lost no time in reporting the occurrence to the police stationed at Waitotara, hut we have not learnt whether suspicion rests upon any persons.

It will no doubt be a great relief to the mind of the miscreant who mutilated the tail of Mr Corrigan's horse to learn that tl>e reward of £lO off ei ed by that genll oinan to any person giving such information as would lead to the conviction of the offender, has been withdrawn, notice of which appears in our advertising columns. Mr Oon-jg-an lias deemed it advisable to let the matter drop, as so long’a period has elapsed since the dastardly act was eommiiled. Native affairs in this district appear to be daily assuming - unpleasant proportions. Ibis week we learn, that the natives resident in the Opnnake district have had a serious altercation with a neighbouring tribe. It appears that a Maori, named Hakarin, employed two white men to saw a quantity of timber, and before the contract was completed, a number of natives appeared on the scene and questioned Ilakaria’s right to the land on which the timber was being cut, when a serious

dispute arose between tlieclaimanls, which consummated in the disputants burning the whole of the sawn timber, and ordering llakaria and his men to desist from other interference with the land or limber. The sufferer has placed himself in communication with the constabulary, but np to the time of going to press we have not learnt whether assistance has been afforded to llakaria. This dispute is fortunately confined to the natives themselves.

Wo arc pleased to learn that Mr T. BLonisson, of the Nelson Hematite Paint Factory, has been the successful tenderer for the painting’ of the Patca, Whcmuikura, and W aitotara bridges. Mr Lonis.snn has displayed considerable enterprise in bringing the manufacture of this serviceable durable, and economical paint (o its perfection,. It is now generally adopted by both the General and Provincial Governments of the Colony for the preservation of bridges and other structures. The contractor and his party may be expected in Patea shortly to commence work.

It is strange, but it is no less true, and painful at the same time to the feelings of those having friends buried in (bo new cemetery, that as yet no portion of it has been consecrated by any minister of religion, and that, with the exception of a fence, God’s Acre is so only in name. There are some denominations whose creeds reject such forms as unnecessary 1 but there arc others whoso faith teaches them that the places dedicated to the last repose of mortality should lie consecrated to that purpose by duly appointed ministers. with ceremonies special to each. Chief amongst the latter are the Episcopalian and Cat holic bodies, and the neglect hy the leading members and the. clergy of both bodies is inexcusable. Study after attention has been called to this scandal the religious authorities will prevent its continuance.

The Rev Mr Reeve took his leave from Patea on Tuesday week last for his new sphere of labour at Motueka, Nelson. The Wairarapa Standard, in alluding to Mr Reeve’s successor, thus discourses : “ A farewell soiree will bo gi-cn to the Rev J. Law, in the Town Hall, Greytown, on Tuesday, the 28th inst. A day or two later this gentleman, who has during the past three years held charge of the Wesleyan congregation of the Wairarapa dis. trict, departs for his new sphere of labour at Patea. A largo gathering of members of the congregations throughout the Wairarapa may be expected on this occasion. Mr Law, when he arrived among us, found chinch matters generally in a very unsatisfactory state, in fact the connection was seriously involved in financial difficulties. These embarrassments, however, have in a marvellously short space of time yielded to his patient systematic efforts to overcome them, while by the faithful fulfilment of hi * many and arduous duties he has won the regard and esteem of all. It is not in our province to either praise or criticise the church work of any particular religious denomination of the district, and no doubt on the 28th inst. a proper expression of the feeling of th e district with regard to the services of the rev. gentleman will be made by those who are more specially qualified to speak on them, at the same time it is notorious that Mr Law has laid the Wburarapa under considerable obligations by his labours of the past three years, and though they have been more immediately confined to the interest of a particular denomination, the district, as a whole, benefits botli by them and by the example ho has set. We shall be extremely sorry to lose Mr Law, and while heartily wishing him success in his new field of labour, congratulate our friends on the West Coast in obtaining services which have been so valuable to the Wairarapa.” On a Saturday night recently, in a town not a hundred miles from New Plymouth, four men were enjoying a game of billiards. At half-past eleven o’clock a boy poked his head in the billiard-room, and said “ There is a woman nut hero who wants to know if Mr is in here.” The men didn’t exactly catch what the name was, but three of thorn got out of a side door suddenly as though a ghost had entered the room. There was nothing very singular about this, only that the one left was a single man, who is anxious to know when the three will meet again to decide who is to pay for the board, which they unfortunately forgot in their hurry.

The Forbes Times (New South Wales),’’ reports a circumstance of a most painful character that occurred at Goolagaug recently. A youthful mother, only married 12 months ago, had loft her first and on’y little one in bed whilst she went to fetch a bucket of rater, in the absence of her husband, who was away reaping. As she neart-i? tlie house an tier return she licard her child crying, and dropping the bucket ran to where .she had left her babe. On entering the room she was horrified at seeing a large snake on the bed, and almost bereft of bet senses, she ran out to give the alarm. Some members of a picnic party not far distant, noticed the poor woman run and fall, and run and fall again. As (his was repeated several times they at once hastened to her, and she then almost hysterically told the cause of her fear. A farmer named O’Donnell rushed to the house, and there he saw tlic baby with tbedeadly fangs of thesnake fastened on to it. He picked np the child and held it high over bead, slinking it violently, but still the reptile would not let go its bold, and it was only after the snake was killed that it could be taken oil. The father was at once sent for, and although he hastened home as quickly as possible it was only lo find his lit Do one a C(/-pso, and his wife in an agony of grief. The snake was over (!ft in length, and was of a leaden color.

By the Californian mail, the Sydney Morning Herald has information that “ rowing matches for the championship of all nations will take place at Philadelphia during the great exhibition season, and that entries will close on July 15.” A stamper employed in the Melbourne General Post Olliec was considerably astonished and alarmed the other day by an explosion taking place in a letter immediately after ho had stamped it,- the explosion being immediately followed by a flame shooting np some 2ft into the air. Fortunately, the stamper was not hurt, hut the letter was nearly dcstnyed, and another letter which caught lire was also much burnt. It was found that the first letter, which bad come from Adelaide by the mail, was full of small paper detonating caps, such as arc used for children’s popguns, and that it was these which had exploded by the blow of the stamp. There is suspicion that the caps were put in the letter through mischief or malice; the belief being that they wore meiey sent by post as a convenient way hy some one who did not consider the probable danger of explosion.