FIRE-WATER.

Patea Mail, 6 January 1881, Page 3

FIRE-WATER.

The following letter was written to the Governor by Tnhi, before execution for the Opunaki murder : Go, this letter of mine to the Governor, — Friend, greeting—l have heard that I am to be put to death on Wednesday, and I am willing to die on that day, but I have a word to say to you :—Let my bad companions, your children, beer, rum, and other spirits die with me. Let those persons, beer, rum, and other spirits die with me ; they led us to commit wrong, and now let us die together one death on the day that I am to die ; it will not be right that they survive that day, but I and my bad companions should die together, lest they should remain to lead people to death ; but as I am to die let spirits die also ; do not leave any of its kind in the world ; let it be destroyed from the face of this earth, lest it should remain to cause trouble to man; man would then be answerable for his own troubles. If it was destroyed it would be well; man would then seek his own troubles ; then it would be well there would be no cause (for trouble). That is all.—From Tuhiata.

NGAIRE ROADS PETITIONS. Two petitions came before the County Council yesterday, the one praying that sections in blocks 10, 13, and 14 forming the lower Ngaire district, bo transferred from the Hawera Road Board and be included in the new Road Board district for Ngaire ; the other petition objecting to the transfer.

The petition in favor of transfer to the Ngaire Board was signed by 22 settlers, representing 3,326 acres, as follow;—H. Southey 200 acres, G. Willey 320, O. Quin 52, Do, 56, S. Gray 58, W. L, England 61, Do. 64, Charles Quin 241, A. J. Quin 191, Thos. Mabey 198, T. Hawke 100, D. Anderson 56, George Moir 113, Joseph Zeratich 54, G. C. Turner 158, Thos. Reynolds 64, Robert Smith 40, L. L. Price 5, Campbell Bros, 640, Charles Dili 49, Fitton Bros. 108A. Muir 197, Thos. Jenkins 89, H. Horneman 71, Do. 72, Do, 67. The petition against the transfer was signed by 14 settlers, who are stated to be mostly small holders, as follow : W. Stuart, P. O’Connor, G. W. McCutchan, W. G. White, J. Pratt? E. Kelly, W. J. McCutchan, W. Broderick, D. Brown, A. Gibson, H. Gibson, J. and W. Clearer, M.M. Hogan, J. Twigg. Mr Southey appeared before the Council, in support of the petition for transfer to the Ngaire Board, and said : I understand a counter petition has been presented to you, and I can only say the settlers who signed that counter petition all reside in one portion of the Ngaire district—all in one corner of the Boylan road. Some arc since sorry they signed it, as I know from interviewing them. One or two members of the Hawera Road Board are also members of the County Council, having been rather fierce advocates I would remark that in voting on this matter they would be sitting as judges in their own cause. I consider it would be to our interest to be under our own Road Board, as I don’t see what interest the Hawera Road Board can have in that portion of land. lam not in favor of Road Boards, and would rather sec the County Council take charge of the whole lot; but if we must be managed by a Road Board, let it be by the Board in our own district, Mr Winks : You will have a chance at the next election of putting a member in for your end of the district. It wont be long. Mr Southey: All the settlers who reside out of the Boylan road are great advocatos for having the two Road Boards put together. Chairman : Can you give us any idea of the extent of land owned by those who signed the counter petition ? Mr Southey: They are all holders of small sections, about 50 acres, except two who own together about 500 acres. Mr Bridge : That would represent under 1000 acres. Chairman: The other petitioners represent 3,326 acres, Mr Bridge ; It would be as well to deal with this matter to-day, so that any necessary road-making could be gone on with. Chairman : The Hawera Road Board are doing the work within their own district already. Mr Southey : A good deal of it cannot be touched till the firing is done in proper season. Chairman : There are two or three members absent to-day, and I think this matter should be postponed till next meeting. Mr Winks : Is the other part of the district not willing to take you ? Mr Southey : Yes, they are willing to do so. Myself and the members of this newly formed Board—five out of seveu —belong to the Hawera Road district, although members of the Ngaire Board. Chairman: If we accede to this petition, the change can be effected by a notice in the newspaper. Mr Winks: But we cannot do so if there is a certain number against it. Chairman : Oh, yes, the Council has full power. The Council decided to postpone a decision until the next monthly meeting, there being a thin attendance of councillors.