HAWERA.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 171, 29 November 1876, Page 2

HAWERA.

(from our own correspondent.) Another complication has just taken place between the Maoris and the Europeans (this day) Sunday, 26th inst. A party of three Germans proceeded to the land on the other side of the Waingongora river, with the ostensible purpose of killing wild pigs, and they hired a man to bring a dray to cart the pigs home. During the day, they caught two pigs, which they supposed to be wild ones, which they say that a Maori told them were of that description. They placed the two pigs on the dray, and were proceeding homewards, when they overtaken by a number of Maoris, men, women, and children, who seized and stopped the dray. On examinatinn the natives claimed the pigs as their private property, and, despite the objections of the Germans, bore off to their camp the pigs, together with the dray and horse. The white folks returned on foot to Kete-

marac and reported the case to the police there, as also to the Armed Constabulary authorities at Waihi, and Sub-Inspector Northcroft proceeded this (Monday) morning to the scene of the occurrence, to interview the natives in the matter. He returned during the afternoon, but what the result was did not transpire. I learn that Mrs Emanuel Bayly has opened a school here for private pupils in the office lately occupied by the Town Clerk (who, by the bye, still carries on his work there at night). 1 wish her every success in her endeavor to promote the mental advancement of the young ones, and hope to hear of her new enterprise meeting with every encouragement. As an example of the desire of business men to invest their capital in and about this rising township, I may mention that during the last week gentlemen from all localities' between hero and Wellington have arrived for the purpose of investing, come in land, others in hotels. It is a well-known fact that there are ore or two of the latter named houses for sale about here, and it is said that one hotel, not 100 miles from Manutahi, has changed hands it having been purchased by a well-known speculator from Eangitikei. Another also well-known in and around Wanganui, has expressed his wish to negotiate for the lease of a quantity of land from the natives here, Should he succeed, many others will follow' his enterprising example, and so lead the way to the opening up, at no very distant date, of the Waimate plains. It may be hoped, from these and other signs of the times, that this township will before long take a most important place

in the list of large towns in the new county. To complete this letter, I will '.retail's good “ yarn” which I heard a few days ago, and for the truth of which I have the word of k well-known settler in these parts. It runs as follows. Two commercial gentlemen some time since drove up to one of the hotels in this township late in the evening, and after indulging in the usual “nip,” ordered supper, telling the landlord to let them have something nice. In process of time tea was announced to be ready, and tiie gentlemen proceeded to the dining-room, where they found two roast fowls and a ham ready prepared for them. They expressed their surprise to the landlord at so sumptuous and expensive a repast being provided, as they considered the viands ample enough to satisfy the appetites of half a dozen people. Hereupon the landlord retorted, to the effect that there was a .man stopping in the house who would eat the whole ham and the two fowls at a sitting. The gentlemen then made a bet of iis with the landlord that the thing was impossible. He wont to find the man, and after some search he was found upstairs in bed. The landlord told him that he wanted him to get up and come and polish off a ham and two fowls. The man replied, “Well, I’ll have a try, but I have only just had a good big supper of stew.” However, down he came, and set to work at the ham. This ho finished clean, being supplied at intervals with as much beer as he asked for to wash it down. He then started on the first fowl, and finished that, but when finishing it he turned round to the landlord who was on his left, the other wagerers being on his light, and whispered in his ear, “ I cannot eat any more.” The two gentlemen immediately vociferated, “ What is that he said.” The landlord replied, “ He asked me if there were any more to come after he began on the second fowl.” Immediately up jumped one of the gentlemen and seized the dish containing the fowl and said, “ Ho shan’t have any more; here, landlord, take it away ; fetch us our supper, and here’s a £5 note for you.” Thus the landlord, by a cute piece of presence of mind and a sharp reply, quietly pocketed the money, subsequently halving it with the gormandiscr.