TOLOGA BAY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 134, 12 February 1874, Page 2

TOLOGA BAY.

[from our own correspondent. J February 8, 1874 There is no news of any importance from this little settlement since I last wrote. We have had some disagreeably hot weather which was relieved by a slight thunderstorm, accompanied with heavy wind and rain on Saturday night last.

The want of a constable either Native or European is much felt up here, and during the last ten days two instances have occurred whereby offenders against law and other people’s property have got off scot free, through there being no policeman here. In one case a European broke into Captain Trimmers’s bar during his absence in Gisborne, and abstracted several gallons of spirits. He was given in charge to the Native Assessor, who handed him over to another native with orders to take him to Turanga. But when tile time came to start, the native who was in charge of the prisoner, refused to go unless he was paid for going, and consequently the delinquent quietly went away. In the other case a native who has just completed a short sentence in your Gisborne gaol, came up here and stole two bottles of grog from Mr. Mullooly. I merely mention these two instances out of a number of others to show that a policeman ought to be appointed for this district. There are two Native Assessors here, but they are of very little use, as they have no policeman to sec their decisions carried out and their judgments, therefore, are in u great many instances a perfect farce.

Although this is such an out-of-the-way place at present, yet it is not so small but that it adds its mite to the Colonial Coffers in the shape of Public House licenses, and the ten per cent, duty on native rents. But if it is on the score of expense that the Government have not appointed a constable here, we would be quite willing to dispense with one of the Assessors and let his salary go towards supporting a native policeman, who would be better than none at all.