The Standard AND PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1875.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 248, 17 February 1875, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1875.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

The settlement of the scabby sheep question on the East Coast, is, we regret to learn, as for from a satisfactory solution as ever. Mr. J. A. Wilson, a Commissioner specially instructed for that purpose, held a meeting of the Native owners of these sheep last Saturday, at which a majority of them attended. Terms were submitted to them which, in Mr. Wilson’s opinion, were sufficient, but which were peremptorily declined—declined,we suppose, for consider to be a sufficient price. The conditions of the purchase are reported elsewhere, and are not only sufficient but extremely liberal; for it is pretty certain that the mongrel animals of which these flocks consist, — mere animated disease scatterers running or hopping about on four legs—will not realize, in the shape of tallow, nor even with the skins thrown in, the money expended on them. The object of refusing these terms is pretty plain. These, obstinate holders of a little worthless property, have an idea, no doubt, that the usual temporising will bring the Government to their own terms —for we cannot but assume that they require more money than has been offered. They, doubtless, think that our importunity is their advantage, and that the great desire manifested to destroy these pests for the safety of the district, will end in our acceding to any exorbitant demands they may make. It would be satisfactory to know what they really have the assurance to expect in this return of good for evil; but it would be far more satisfactory to know that the Government will drop this negotiation altogether, unless the Natives accept the terms offered, and that the Sheep Inspector is instructed to proceed against them exactly in the same way as he would in the case of Europeans. There is no exemption, in their favor, that we are aware of, in either of the Sheep Acts. They are amenable to the law as it stands, co-equally with their whiter, but lessconsidered brethren, and should be made to understand it. As a matter of expedience only do we consider it desirable to relax the exact letter of stringency in their favor ; in point of either justice or principle they deserve no more favor than other flockowners, certainly no more than that which has been so recently, and contemptuously refused. They should be (perhaps they have been) made aware that the purchase money for these sheep is to come out of public funds ; that the Government is undertaking the task merely with a view to prevent a more wide-spread evil overtaking the district; and that if they persist in refusing terms and conditions which are as liberal as they have any good ground to expect, the law must take its course, and they the consequences.

The postponement of the sale of the Pretty Jane, affords us an opportunity to bring before our readers a matter which has often been promulgated in our columns, and which has engaged the public mind on certainly more than one occasion, namely the formation of a Steam Packet Company, with head quarters at Gisborne. “ ‘Tis an ill wind that blows nobody good.” Out of the misfortune, if such it be, that has come somewhat unexpectedly upon the Auckland Company, may arise, as from Phoenix’ ashes, the glory of a future maritime greatness. Who knows ? We do not wish to invest the possibility of forming a Steam Company here, with any colouring not warranted by the facts. The Pretty Jane has been surveyed by, we may suppose, practical men qualified to give an opinion on the matter, and she has been condemned or abandoned, whichever may be the more correct expression, to the Insurance Company. The wreck will shortly be sold, and if she is worth purchasing at all—and she must be worth something—she will find purchasers no doubt. This, of course, is a comparatively easy matter. The next consideration is the expense of outfit, and making her perfectly sea worthy. With the gift of £5OOO in pocket, said to be the amount of the risk on her, it is more than probable that her former owners will re-invest their capital in her restoration. If it is worth their while, why not ours ? Shortly, then, we briefly commend to the attention of the community the opportunity that is within their very grasp, by which they may, with a small outlay of capital, commence business on their own account. A public meeting should be called forthwith, and the matter agitated by some of the leading business men in the place, with a view to forming a company out of our own resources. We arc given to understand on undoubted authority that the speculation of the Pretty Jane’s purchase would be a remunerative one ; and that as the question of getting her safely again into her native element is-merely one of time, money, and appliances, there is good reason to believe that a local proprietary, with a command of from £2OOO to £3OOO to start with would command success.

Wreck Sale. —The sale of the wreck of the Pretty Jane is announced as being postponed sine die. .

Licensing- Doubt.— The usual Quarterly Licensing Court will be held in the Court House on Tuesday, the 2nd March next. Damaged Goods. —Mr. Greene will sell at the Gisborne auction mart to-morrow, at 12 o’clock. A large quantity of goods, more or less damaged by sea water, part of the cargo ex Pretty Jane. Sib Donald McLean. —A report is rife that the Native Minister will pay Poverty Bay a visit by the Luna expected from Auckland to-day.

Domestic Sebvants. —Next to house room a great want is experienced in this district in the shape of domestic servants. A dozen, at least, domesticated, single young women, would find good situations in the Bay. Wreck Survey. —A Commission Survey was held on Friday last by three master mariners, Messrs. Gibbons, Harris, and Shearer, on the wreck of the Pretty Jane. The result is that in their opinion the steamer is hogged, and as such, a total wreck, and should be abandoned. Poverty Bay Mounted Rifle Volunteers. —The Cavalry corps commenced their annual weekly drill on Monday afternoon on the Patutahi flats at 5 p.m. There was a good muster. Rain hung- about all day and the steady down pour that continued all night, would render the situation anything but agreeable. The Lost Found. —We are glad to be able to state that the young woman in the service of Mrs. Adair, —reported to be lost through having .left her home on Saturday evening and not having been heard of since,— is safe. Our informant says that the young woman describes herself as having wandered and lost her way between the town and the cemetery, and was out all day on Sunday ; she was found quite by accident on Monday morniugin a very weak condition, and is now being properly cared for. If the affair is not romantic it is inexplicable. Scabby Sheep.— On the 13th inst., Mr. J. A. Wilson convened a meeting of natives at Waipiro, on the East Coast, for the purpose of considering the terms on which the scabby sheep in that district, and owned by them, could be disposed of. Mr. Wilson urged that it was very desirable to have them killed at once, and so put an end to the evil which is likely to spread, and for this purpose offered, on behalf of tlie Government, to pay five shillings a head for the sheep, all round, to build all necessary boiling down apparatus and premises, and to hand over to the owners any surplus that remained after recouping the outlay. This offer was peremptorily declined, and the meeting, after a long discussion, was broken up.

Trigonometrical Survey. —We are glad to learn that Mr. Baker’s mission to Poverty Bay is not to be confined to merely Departmental work. This gentleman arrived in Gisborne overland from Napier on Friday evening last, and immediately set to work to lay down a base line from which to commence the Trigonometrical Survey of the district. This work has been largely felt of late years as a want that should be supplied, and we are glad to see that the Government is alive to its importance. Mr. Baker purposes connecting the Trigonometrical Stations of Hawke’s Bay on the South, and those at Opotiki on the North, with his own work, and says that when this is done the whole of the North Island, from the North Cape to Cape Palliser will be tied together by Trigonometrical Survey.

Native Lands’ Court. — The Native Lands’ Court will sit this day at 10 o’clock. His Honor Judge Rogan will preside, assisted by Hone Peti and Wikiriwhi, Native Assessors. The Government have thought it advisable to protect the interests of all parties with as much safeguard as possible; consequently the usual custom of having life assistance of only one assessor has been departed from on this occasion. There will be, possibly, more complications arise in the adjudications than usual, and it will certainly tend to give more satisfaction to know that the various decisions that will be given will have been deliberated over, and intelligently arrived at by three such pains-taking judges. The Assessors, we learn, are both disinterested parties, Hone Peti is a member of the Ngapuhi tribe, from the Bay of Islands, and Wikiriwhi a chief hailing from the Bay of Plenty. For the convenience and information of those who are interested in any of these proceedings, we are authorized to state that the several blocks will bo called on in the order in which they have been published commencing with “ Wairoro” on page 1 of the Government Gazette.