Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1881.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 923, 5 March 1881, Page 3

Poverty Bay Standard.

PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1881.

“ We shall sell to no man Justice or Sight; “ We shall deng to no man Justice or Sight; « We shall defer to no man Justice or Sight.”

The Borough Council did little more than clear up some fragmentary business at it* meeting on Tuesday last. The water supply question is practically postponed to next year; nothing having been said about it, beyond the almost general consent to let it stand over. It has now become one of those vexatious questions that trouble Councillors with their persistency until at last they are shelved altogether. The report of the Wharf Committee was brought up, read and adopted. We have printed) in another column, the letter from the Marine Department, to His Worship the Mayor, to the contents of which we alluded in our last issue ; and, considering the interest taken in this matter, together with its importance, it is gratifying to know that something definite has been done. The Report, as adopted, has been forwarded to the Government at Wellington. It consents to the proposition that the wharf as purchased from Mr. W. Adaib shall be called the Gisborne Borough Wharf, at which alone dues are to be collected ; but, on the understanding that if public convenience requires it, the permission of the Government will be mven to the Borough by extending the limits of the foreshore, for the extension of such wharf. It is a pity th*.t something cannot be done towards getting a Harbor Board for the port of Poverty Bay, as we are losing large Hum* in rental that would come in well for local improvements, if the foreshore was at the disposal of local dis* pensation. We learn that this will be probable after Sir John Coqds’s report is to hand, but when that will be is quite problematical. With reference to Mr. Ledger’s contract for the ferry, it appears that he has urged the Council to consider,with a view to money compensation, the losses he sustains by Natives and others crossing the river without paying toll. Cr. Whinray thought that as Ledger had so many grievances on hand, it would be as well to relieve him of his contract, and moved a resolution to that effect; but other Councillors did not think so, and it was resolved, on the understanding that as Mr Ledgeb had had the benefit of all the fine weather, it would be unfair to release him, for the remainder of the term, with the prospect of getting a reduced rental. The Mayor tabled a notice of motion to the effect that tenders be called for, for the supply of from 5,000 to 10,000 yards of shingle metal ; and from 5,000 to 10,000 yards of limestone, from Napier. A resolution that the Council, in future, meet fortnightly, instead of weekly was carried, ana the Council adjourned at 9.30.

In last Saturday’s issue we promised to show to what extent the Poverty Bay Herald, as the organ of • a small party in the district has attempted to thwart Mr. Rees in hi* endeavor to at once extricate the lands from the meShCs of difficulty in which they are placed, and to promote the lasting prosperity of the people. Our object indomg so is because, from our observation of the barometrical changes of the gentleman who has had editorial control of that journal from before Mr. Rees’ arrival in Poverty Bay, we desire to show that, notwithstanding his present quasi approval of the progressive success of Mr. Rees, he, in his heart is a bitter opponent, and would rejoicte in a failure he would fain bring about if he could. We tek# the last utterances of the Herald, relative to the-Taruheru Bridge

“ It is Only those who hart such difficulties UwmteAdWfth *»hAVB boeto opposed to BoB’ efforts to tum blocks of land, hitherto lying waste and unprofitable, will understand

the difficulties of his position. * * * * Obstacles which to many would have proved unsurmonntable, hate had to be overcome by loss of time.” These undertakings “ may be delayed; they may be deferred ; wet blankets may be applied ; cold , water may be thrown, but still in the long run, being beneficial to the majority, they MUST and will proceed.”

Were we writing these reiterations for no purpose but to keep up a kind of attack upon our contemporary, we should withhold our pen in mercy to the weariness of those of our readers who are as conversant with his weathercock policy ,as tyb Are ; but new blood is constantly, though imperceptibly, coming amongst us ; the arch enemies to the good cause goeth about poisoning their minds; and when they find such glaring contradictions, and misstatements of facts, they are the more puzzled at the apparent unanimity of both the local journals in support of Mr. Rees. Had our contemporary honestly, and manfully acknowledged the error of his ways, and made open confession of his change of faith, we would be the first to congratulate him on his frankness; but he is sensible of an IscARiOT-like friendship ; and that while, he dips his fingers in the dish with Mr. Rees, he is quite prepared to again betray him, even before cockcrow, if opportunity offered. The articles we propose to reproduce, from time to time, will afford ample proof as to who the wet blankets are, and where the cold water comes from. We have chosen a few, from among a large number that have appeared periodically for the last two or three years. On the 27th September, 1879, an article appeared in the Herald commencing With the questions : —“ Are the prospects of Poverty Bay improving ? Does the district show indications of coming prosperity ? Is land being cultivated and stocked?” It will be remembered that Mr. Rees, up to about that time, was accused of being an arch-Repudiator of the worst type, an epithet which, we are glad to find he has succeeded in living down; and it is to Repudiation, headed by Mr. Rees, that the organ of the Obstruction Party ascribed, at that day, all the depressing evils from which the district was suffering. The Herald continues thus : —“ Our reply is that the prospects of Poverty Bay are not improving ; that the districts show no evidence of coming prosperity, and that land is not being cultivated and stocked as such land would be in any other part of New Zealand. Then we are asked, what is the cause of this ? Is it Repudiation, or what else is it ? And. we have to make answer and say that it is Repudiation simple and pure that has ddhe so much harm to Poverty Bay, and will if permitted much longer, hasten its ruin. Then follows another question, ‘ What is understood by the term Repudiation ?’ We say it can only be understood by an explanation of the conditions under which we were living some twelve months back, and the altered conditions which since then have come to pass. Twelve months ago, or perhaps a month or two more, the holders of land in Poverty Bay pursued their occupations in the full security that their claims to the land tilled, stocked, and cultivated, would not be disputed. They had purchased from the Maoris, or had purchased from those who had purchased from the Maoris, and they had improved their holdings. They had fenced, built, and sub-divided their land into paddocks. They were living on in the full assurance that time would bring its reward for their enterprise, industry, and the investment of their capital. But suddenly there sprung up a party known as Repudiationists. These were men who had failed in the legitimate pursuit of their profession ; or they were men, who, of themselves, had nothing to lose, but possibly a chance of gaining something by breeding anarchy and confusion. These men, devoid of all right principles, and caring nothing for the troubles they might bring upon the innocent, went among the Maoris and egged them on to repudiate the sales they had made years and years ago to the Europeans; to, in fact, go upon the lands they had alienated of their own free wills, and this upon the most disreputable, dishonest; and frivolous excuses. They took money from the Maori, making

him believe that that which he had parted with should come back to him again ; and the Maori, who until then had never dreamed of being a rogue and a repudiationist, now became both. Still, they have not got their lands back. They have been brought before the Court; they have been committed to superior jurisdiction, awaiting the punishment due to their offences if they are proved to be guilty; but these human leeches continue to bleed them. They extract every penny that can be squeezed out of the tribes they have taught to become disaffected by promises which can never be fulfilled, but which the Maori, artful and cunning enough in his own way, is not nearly so artful or cunning as these Repudiationists. These men, having bled the Natives until they can bleed them no more, will go their way to take up some other dishonest course to earn a precarious livelihood. Perhaps instead of teaching the Maori how to cheat the European, they will put dishonest Europeans in the way of cheating the Maoris. “ This was the reply that we had to make to the enquiry as to what was to be understood by the term ‘ Repudiation.’ Then we were told that there were countries under good governments, where, if men were found committing such deeds, they would be tabooed from respectable society ; and there were countries where the loan of a silk handkerchief and a lamp-post, or a short rope and the branch of a tree would bring their career to an end.

“ Well, then, the question once more presents itself to us. Are these Repudiationists to be tolerated any longer in our midst, and are those who encourage and countenance these men, to be allowed to hold their positions in society, and to walk unblushingly through the thoroughfares of the towns and the highways of the districts, and say, ‘We are they who are doing our utmost in our own interests to breed dissension in the land ? It profiteth us ; then,, wherefore, should we care.’

“We have only, any of us, all of us, who have witnessed the proceedings conducted in our inferior Courts, within the last two months, to note the rascalities which have been endeavored to be perpetrated ; and only too often w’ith too great a success. Only a short year ago the people of Poverty Bay were living in peace and friendship with the Natives. We were on the highway to a permanent and everprogressing prosperity. Now all is changed. The Maori has been taught to become demoralized. He has ceased to cultivate; he has dropped every industry he was engaged in. He comes into town seeking communion with the Repudiationists, asking them to get back the land they years and years ago parted with ; and the Repudiationists say, ‘ Give us money, and we will do this thing.” No man now, in or out of the Bay, in his senses, will part with a sixpence in the purchase or lease of land that has a Maori name to it as the original claimant or holder. It is all very sad, very bad, very dishonest, and very outrageous; and we call upon every settler in Poverty Bay to arise as one man, and make a combined effort to put an end to these selfish schemers, and root them out from the land. There is America and other suitable countries and land rings for the display of their particular abilities, where they will find scope and be allowed rope enough until the time comes for them to share the fate of “ Boss ” Tweed within the four walls of gaol.”

The pen that wrote the foregoing is now employed in the triple duty of emptying the flesh pots ; of giving a lick-spittle support to a “schemer” who ought to be “ rooted out of the “ land,” or hanged to a lamp-post; and, at the same time lending its aid in support of the men whose machinations Mr. Rees is steadily undermining.

In our next we shall proceed to show how the Herald supported the Obstructionist party in its desire to gag this journal because of its advocacy of Mr. Rees.

Q. E. D. Why have the Directors of the South Pacific Petroleum Company decided on throwing capital of the Shareholders away to the amount of exactly £356 ss. sterling ? That is, in effect, what they have done in offering the 9,500 unallotted shares at 6d per share, all calls paid. This is one of the many puzzling problems the Directors have given us to solve. At first sight one is disposed to give the solution “ best.” But most people, Shareholders particularly, like to trace effects to causes, particularly where their investments are at stake. So they set themselves thinking; but whether the ordinary process of thought and reflection will bring them satisfaction, in this instance, we cannot vouchsafe. Had the circumstances of the company been going on peacefully and profitably —by profitably we mean as regards the economics of time —'had there been no dissensions, nor causes for dissatisfaction, their present act would have been understandable if not expedient. Instead of the existing want of confidence — begotten by the almost insane conduct of the Sydney Directory—had hope in the future been inspired by the wisdom of the past, we could well understand that Shareholders who had the money to spare would gladly further embark capital in an undertaking, which, in all human probability would land them in prosperity. But is this so? What, we ask, is there in the present outcome of some months’ work, and payments equal to five calls having been made to warrant a creation of further risks ? What encouragement have Shareholders, in the face of un-cleared-up scandals ; a fourth call just made ; all hands knocked off pay ; and the Mine Manager resigned, to augment their responsibility in the direction of a highly probable loss ? If the Directors think that this sop is so saturated with the sweets of forgiveness or forgetfulness that it will be too eagerly swallowed to allow time to calculate its consequences, they have made a very poor estimation of the knowledge of that human nature which is generally characteristic of the doings of cautious men. Surely the Directors do not think they are conferring a favor on the Shareholders, by offering them the purchase of an article, at a doubtfully economic discount, which is unsaleable elsewhere. There is no market for these shares, at any rate not in New Zealand ; and if there are any applications received in Sydney, it will be because Shareholders there do not know the exact position of affairs. Besides all these there is yet one other matter, and that is that not only will local Shareholders not take up the remaining shares, but they will refuse to pay any further calls until some information is afforded as to the past expenditure of the Company. Three calls, and the original deposit, equal to a shilling per share, have been levied, amounting to £2,025, on 40,500 shares. It is now nearly a year axoce operations were commenced ; and we have a right to enquire for an explanation as to what has become of the money, that a fourth call is so promptly announced. We dislike putting harsher constructions on men’s actions that are warranted ; but we must say that the Directors of the South Pacific Petroleum Company having not acted in that straightforward business-like way, as will free them from suspicion, and entitle them to the confidence of the Shareholders.