NORMANBY.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 215, 2 May 1877, Page 2

NORMANBY.

("from ouk own correspondent.:) April 30. Some' little excitement was caused Imre last week by a man named Steel coming in and reporting two men lost in the bush, named Gibson and Jupp, belonging to Mr Finnerty’s survey party. Steel stated be bad been sent out by Mr. to c^et a parly of Constabulary to go in search of the missing men, who had then been in the bush five days without “ tucker.” He signed a declaration to that effect before Capt Kenny, at Waihi, but owing to Steel contradicting himself in his statement several times, Capt Kenny did not feel justified in sending out a party until more authentic information had been received from Mr Finnerty, especially as it was well known Steel bad been on the spree. But upon Steel iepeating_ ihj story again next morning, in all seriousness. and appearing quite sober, a party of four of Normanby residents volunteered to put an end to the suspense —which was becoming painful to the relatives of the two men—-by going out to Mr Finnerly’s camp and learning the worst at once. They accordingly stalled, and after a day's heavy bush, travelling over very broken country, they reached Mr Finnerly’s camp about sun-down, on the banks of the Tangaboc stream, about twelve miles inland from Hawera. Mr Jupp, one of the missing men, they found engaged conking' “ dur.ghboj's’ for supper, and Mr Gibson, the other missing man, returned from his work before Many and hearty were- the laughs dulgod in by the party when Steel’s of their sufferings was repeated to tin , and many were the conjectures as to why Steel should have invenld and spread such a report. It seems Steel had been discharged from the party in Hawera for drunkenness, .when last in for tucker, and the story must have been the outcome ol an attack of I). T's. After spending a pleasant evening at the survey camp, the search party returned next morning, Mr Finnerty having kindly put them on a better track through the bush. Mr Steel has not since been seen or beard of about here.

The party report this bloek —the boundaries of which Jir Fhmerty is now engaged in laying oft —as being on the whole very good. ' From the Mangamanga for a considerable distance inland are large fern Hats, with points of. bush running out into them, forming' prettily sheltered bays and nooks, which will become still* more beautiful when the rough brown fern gives place to the luxuriant grass which this land is so well adapted for growing'. Inland or this is i dense bush county, some ot it very broken, with very little sawing timber on it. But, on the whole, 1 believe it is a block which should not be passed by, by those who intend to acquire land in this district. Through some misunderstanding tho meeting which was to have been held to appoint a deputation to wait upon Major Atkinson fell through.