Untitled

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 1018, 31 December 1881, Page 2

The movements of the Armed Constabulary, if the telegraphic news is to be accepted as correct, are, to say the least, somewhat surprising. The capture of Te Whitl, the arrest of Titokowabu, and the trial of Hiroki for the murder of the cook of the survey party, were all pointed to as evidences of the complete discomfiture of the disaffected Natives of Parihaka. But now we learn that, on Tuesday last, two hundred of the Armed Constabulary started off on an expedition, and succeeded in destroying about 250 acres of Maori crops. It is not attempted to be contended, so far as we are aware, now that the ringleaders are in safe custody, that any probability exists of an uprising on the part of the Maoris against the Europeans. No hostile movement of any sort has ■of late been essayed by the Natives, then why the wanton destruction of their crops ? The men, women, and children of the Native settlements on the West Coast will require sustenance during the months ensuing, and possibly, we may expect to meet with the anomaly of a Government permitting the destruction of their food in summer, only to spend hundreds of

pounds sterling in a few months hence ip the depth of winter for sugar and flour to supply the necessities that the smallest amount of foresight now would have effectually guarded against.

So the Napier cricketers are not coming after all. They have broken their engagement; put our local Club to exceptional inconvenience and unnecessary expense ; caused much chagrin and disappointment to the public of Gisborne, and cast ridicule upon themselves, which they will not efface for some time.

We do not know how to put this matter before our readers in a way which will consort with our own impatience of the subject, and make them understand how all this has come about. Suffice it. to say that after entering into an arrangement with the Poverty Bay Club to pay us a visit, and even going so far as to select an Eleven, upon the faith of which appropriate preparations have been made here for their reception, the Napier men coolly wired down yesterday, to say the team. could not come, as four or five of their number had backed out at the last moment, owing to business engagements. Mr. Quigley, Secretary of the Poverty Bay Club, exchanged telegrams with the Napier Captain, and, for some time, there were indications of success, but in the afternoon of yesterday a definite reply came of the nature indicated. It pfeced our men in a very unpleasant, and the Napier representatives in a most discreditable position. And the curt bluntness of the intimation received from Mr Gilpin does not tend to salve the wounded feelings of the Gisborne people, who feel that their motives of hospitality have been rejected in any way but that dictated by politeness, or expressions of regret. In effect his telegram says:—“ We cannot come, and, therefore, you may grin and bear it as best you can.” We do not underrate the necessities of those of the Napier men who, individually, may feel as disappointed as we do. But it says little for she public spirit of Napier generally, to let their representatives be placed in a position tantamount to giving insult to their entertainers.

We do not suppose the Poverty Bay Club will trouble themselves much about the Napier cricketers aftei - this.