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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 234, 30 December 1874, Page 2

.Bank Holiday.—The Banks in Gisborne will be closed on Friday and Saturday next the Ist and 2nd of January. 1.0.G.T. —The Good Templars of lhe Gisborne Lodge, with a few of their friends, bare made arrangements for a pleasure trip and picnic on New Year’s Day.

Money.—The Gisborne Land, and Building Society announce that Tenders will be received for £lOO to lend, up to the 11th January, 1875. School Committee.—A meeting of Ratepayers is convened for the 14th January next, to elect a School Committee for the ensuing year.

Native District Officer.—Mr. Locke may’ be expected to arrive in Gisborne from Napier at an early date on official business connected with his office.

New Quarter. —The present issue of the Standard ends the current quarter. Subscribers and others will oblige by forwarding their favors for the new quarter as early as possible.

Horse Sale.—Mr. W. S. Greene notifies that his consignment of horses has arrived, and will be offered at auction at the Albion Yards, on Saturday, the 2nd January, at 2 o’clock. Waerenga-a-hika Sports. — The Committee of the Sports held at Waorcnga-a-hika on Boxing Day, announce that in consequence of not being able to complete the programme last Saturday, the sports will be continued on New Year’s Day, at the same place.

Hawice’s Bai Almanac.—We have received an anonymous copy of the “ Hawke’s Bav Almanac and Directory for 1875,” but we conclude it was forwarded by the publishers Messrs. Dinwiddie, Morrison and Co. As an article of reference, the almanac will be found very useful, particularly to the settlers in this district as it containsa Poverty Bay Directory and other useful matter. It is an improvement on its predecessors and does great credit to the house from which it is issued.

Valedictory.—We are glad to hear that the friends of Mr. Cheeseman—the obliging Postmaster at Gisborne—purpose entertaining him in some befitting manner, prior to his departure for Auckland. Mr. Cheeseman has resided amongst us for some seven months, during which time, his general urbanity has been tile means of considerably enlarging the circles of bis friends, and he will carry with him, on his return home, a general expression of regret at his departure. Judge Rogan.—We learn from private advices, with great satisfaction, that His Honor Judge Rogan has been appointed resident Judge for the East Coast, under the Native Lands Act. Judge Rogan will reside in Gisborne, and may be expected to arrive by early steamer. A better appointment could not have been made ; and we may look for the happiest results (always provided that any results can, under the present slate of the Native Land Laws, be so considered) to be derived from that gentleman’s presence at the periodical sitting of the Lands Court.

Welcome Beverages.—At this hot season of the year, the appetite craves for cooling, unintoxicating drinks; and it is pleasant to find that the local market is row well supplied with a variety of refreshing effervescent beverages from Mr. Hird’s well known JErated Water Manufactory in Gisborne. We have some assorted samples before us, and cannot, with the thermometer approaching to 90 ° , but pronounce favorably on them. The Champagne Cider lias a peculiarly grateful aroma, and w« are glad to find that these waters are taking the place of stronger drinks which, during the hot months, are so deleterious to the system. Postal.—By tire-arrival of the Rangatira on Christmas Day last, Mr. Corbett—Mr. Cheeseman’s successor in the Gisborne Post Office—arrived from Wellington to take charge of that department. It is our usual practice to “ welcome the coming,” and to “ speed the parting guest ;” and both of these fraternising duties we now undertake heartily. But we feel bound to say that the Postal authorities have not treated Mr. Cheeseman fairly in the matter of his appointment, to, and removal from, this local charge, and we shall accept another opportunity to say something further on the matter. We have authority for saying that Mr. Cheeseman feelshimseif aggrieved at the peremptoriness of the removal, and we certainly think with good cause. He has discharged his duties faithfully, and satisfactorily, to ail, and his removal (without the slightest disparagement of Mr. Corbett) will be esteemed a great loss. Mr. Cheeseman is extremely anxious to be permanently located here, and we would suggest that a memorial to that effect be prepared by the. settlers, for presentation to the Postmaster General.

Native Meeting.—We are not altogether unprepared to learn that the Ngatiporou and other Natives on the East Coast have recently had a runanga meeting at Taumata-o-mihi, in the Waiapu district, for the purpose of considering what steps they should take with a view to a discontinuance of the practice now in vogue to get possession of their lands. It appears that the custom is both for private speculators and the Government to pay over sums of money—some small, some large —to any two or three of the owners, who express a willingness to sell, without the consent of the whole. The money, as is well known, seldom, or ever, gets beyond the actual recipients, as the lien is created mainly through

the importunity of some of the more impecunious amongst, them. They do not seem to think that the natives so unauthorisedly hypothecating their lands are to blame, but they fall back upon those whom they, very properly, think should know better; and they say that to such an extent has the evil grown that they shall have recourse to repudiation, if not discontinued. This view of the question offers a field of too wide a range to enter upon just now ; but it is as well to bear the fact in mind that serious complications are likely to ensue with these natives if they are driven to back up the doctrine of repudiation, by an appeal to physical force among themselves. The evils of the system were thoroughly—-we may say, vehemently — denounced at the runanga on the 19th December, and an open feud seemed imminent, at the date of last advices. Major Ropata started for his head quarters yesterday morning, and will exert his influence to allay the irritation that exists among his people. In the meantime a full report of the proceedings is on the way to the Government at Wellington.